Council chiefs have called for a single, locally controlled funding pot to pay for the upkeep of school buildings after auditors warned 700,000 pupils are studying in schools requiring major rebuilding.

A new report by the National Audit Office (NAO) has revealed that around 700,000 children are learning in a school that needs ‘major rebuilding or refurbishment.’

It also found that despite improving its understanding of the general condition of school buildings the Department for Education (DfE) lacks ‘comprehensive information’ on the ‘extent and severity’ of safety issues.

In an article published today on the DfE’s blog, The Education Hub, the department said: ‘We have given over £15bn since 2015 for keeping schools safe and in good working order, including £1.8bn committed for 2023-24.’

However, the NAO’s report also warned there was a ‘significant gap’ between the funding available and that which DfE assesses it needs to ensure school buildings are safe.

The DfE also said the responsibility for maintaining school buildings falls to academy trusts, local authorities, and voluntary-aided school bodies.

‘They should alert us if there is a serious concern with a building they cannot manage.’

Cllr Louise Gittins, chair of the Local Government Association’s (LGA) Children and Young People Board, said councils were ‘very concerned’ by the report’s findings.

‘It is not right that a child’s ability to do well at school is potentially jeopardised by the conditions of the building in which they study.’

She continued: ‘To help address this, we are calling for a single, local funding pot that funds school capital projects to replace the existing fragmented system and for this to sit with councils, who should have the power to determine how and where this is best spent in their local areas.’

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