The government has unveiled a sweeping 10-year plan to overhaul England’s ageing and deteriorating school estate, promising billions in investment to replace crumbling buildings, improve maintenance and make schools more inclusive and climate resilient. The Education Estates Strategy, published last month by the Department for Education, sets out what ministers describe as a “decade of national renewal” for schools and colleges. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the plan would “turn the page on years of neglect”, blaming previous administrations for long-term underinvestment and the cancellation of the Building Schools for the Future programme in 2010.
Backed by £38 billion in capital funding between 2025-26 and 2029-30 — the highest level since 2010, according to the government — the strategy aims to address widespread problems including leaking roofs, failing heating systems, reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), overheating classrooms and buildings unsuited to growing numbers of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
A key reform will see the existing Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) replaced by autumn 2028. Currently, eligible schools must compete annually for maintenance funding through a bidding process, with only 35 per cent of applicants successful in 2024. The new system will remove the need for full bids, allowing academy trusts, councils and dioceses to access maintenance funding more easily. In return, responsible bodies will be required to collect and share more detailed data about the condition of their estates.
To support this shift, the government will launch a new digital platform, “Manage Your Education Estate”, bringing together guidance, tools and data in one place. From autumn 2026, responsible bodies must submit an annual return confirming they meet national standards, with support plans introduced where standards are not met. National data collection is expected to be fully rolled out by 2028.
The strategy also addresses falling pupil numbers in some areas and rising demand for SEND provision. Ministers plan to centralise strategic planning for surplus school space, with pilot schemes exploring how empty classrooms or land could be repurposed for nurseries, family hubs, health centres or even housing, in partnership with other government departments.
A new £710 million Renewal and Retrofit Programme will launch in April, initially targeting 50 schools across three regions. The scheme will fund major repairs, energy efficiency upgrades and flood resilience measures, extending building life by up to 40 years. From 2027, it will expand nationwide. Alongside repairs, the government confirmed nearly £20 billion for the ongoing School Rebuilding Programme, covering 750 schools by 2035. All new projects will assess the need for on-site nurseries, inclusion bases and family hubs, with new design standards focused on ventilation, lighting, outdoor space and climate resilience.
Ministers say the reforms mark a shift from “sticking-plaster” repairs to longterm strategic renewal, aiming to ensure schools are fit for purpose — and fit for the future — for decades to come.
