The Department of Education has announced that 61 schools around the country are to be rebuilt or refurbished as part of the government’s plans to level up education.
With his recent appointment to the role of Secretary of State for Education, James Cleverly made his first announcement one that will provide thousands of children access to new, modern classrooms, to the tune of over £1 billion. This comes as part of the Prime Minister’s School Rebuilding Programme, a flagship project, and will begin immediately.
Secretary of State for Education, James Cleverly, said:
“Our School Rebuilding Programme is already making a difference to the lives of pupils and their teachers. It is creating greener school sites that are fit for the future and that local communities can be proud of.
We know how important it is to have high-quality school facilities. That is why we continue to invest billions in our rebuilding programme.”
Updated, modernised buildings and state of the art facilities such as sports halls, music rooms, science lbs and dining areas will all be part of the project, alongside working alongside the other high priority government plan, net zero.
Andy Byers, Headteacher of Framwellgate School Durham, which is one of the schools selected, added:
“I’m absolutely delighted that Framwellgate School Durham has been chosen to be part of the School Rebuilding Programme.
Our school was designed and built in the 1960s and is old and tired and very poorly designed. With a new building we will be able to give our students facilities and a learning environment which will inspire them, and our staff, in the working environment they deserve.”
Primary, secondary, and special schools are all involved in the project, with eleven in the North West, ten in the North East, and six in Yorkshire and the Humber.
Alongside this programme, £1.8 billion has also been committed by the government in this financial year, to maintain and improve the school estate.
Find out more about how local government can take control of their communities through levelling up by registering to the Levelling Up Virtual Event on 17th November. Register here