Estates plan leaves pupils and staff in asbestos-ridden schools

The Department for Education has announced that just 250 additional schools will be rebuilt or refurbished by 2034–35. This follows the previous Conservative Government’s 2021 commitment to rebuild 518 schools over a decade – a programme the NASUWT criticised as nowhere near sufficient to meet the scale of need. With more than 22,500 schools in England, the announcement means that barely 1% of the school estate will be rebuilt under the Government’s plan.

Matt Wrack, NASUWT general secretary, said: “The majority of England’s schools have already exceeded their intended design life and the Government’s failure to significantly expand its investment leaves tens of thousands of children and staff learning and working in buildings that are no longer fit for purpose.

“This announcement falls short of what is needed. Rebuilding barely one per cent of England’s schools over the next decade does not match the scale of the challenge facing the education estate.

“The Government is aware that many schools are operating beyond their intended design life and that asbestos remains present across thousands of buildings. We need a greater sense of urgency to ensure pupils and staff are learning and working in safe, modern environments.

“Every year that passes without a more ambitious programme increases the risks and prolongs uncertainty for the workforce and school communities. A long‑term, properly funded plan for phased asbestos removal and rebuilding is essential if we are to secure: the safe, high‑quality school estate that children and staff deserve.”