TO BE PUBLISHED March 2025
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This conference will examine the future of school buildings in England and priorities for improving the education estate.
It will be an opportunity for key stakeholders and policymakers to discuss next steps following the Government‘s commitment of £1.4bn to fund the School Rebuilding Programme, alongside £2.1bn to improve the condition of the schools estate - including how funding should be applied and prioritised, and what will be needed to meet the target of rebuilding 50 schools in England per year.
Following the NAO's recent audit of the estate for the DfE - which identified issues including a significant proportion of obsolete and potentially dangerous school buildings - delegates will discuss priorities for the Government’s overall approach going forward to school building and retrofitting, maintenance and estate management, alongside the need to improve energy efficiency and climate resilience.
Delegates will consider the progress and future of the School Rebuilding Programme under the new Government, looking at lessons learned, the process of prioritising schools and ways that delivery could be accelerated. It comes amidst concerns that the Government is not committing to new projects as part of the scheme, as well as delays in construction due to industry reservations about taking on new contracts.
The agenda is being structured to bring out latest thinking on practicalities, including strategies for addressing potential building safety issues, looking at methods such as the use of reinforced concrete, and how disruption to schooling can be minimised. Ministers have recently ordered structural surveys of 100 post-war school buildings amid concern regarding potential structural failures.
Priorities for decarbonisation and sustainability in the education estate will be considered, including best practice and innovative approaches to modernising school buildings to meet environmental goals, as well as retrofitting of existing schools and reducing energy demand.
Further sessions consider optimal allocation of funding, effective programmes for maintenance and repair, and the roles of responsible bodies in managing the condition of school buildings.
Alongside tackling challenges for the school estate, delegates will also consider how putting effective learning environments in place can have the potential for meaningful positive impact on student outcomes, including examples of innovative best practice and long-term strategies for creating accessible and inclusive learning spaces that connect with local communities.
We are pleased to be able to include keynote sessions with: Dr Jonathan Dewsbury, Director of Education Estates and Net Zero, DfE; and Lara Newman, Chief Executive, LocatED.
Overall, areas for discussion include:
- policy: next steps for the School Rebuilding Programme - the Government’s spending commitments - DfE’s internal audit findings - potential reallocation of funding from other budgets
- building safety: addressing RAAC concerns in schools - developing effective removal strategies - minimising student disruption during repairs
- funding: evaluating the effectiveness of current funding mechanisms - options and priorities for funding allocation moving forward - what constitutes equitable distribution of resources
- responsibilities: assessing estate management capabilities - defining their role in school maintenance - considering potential changes in oversight
- learning environments: latest evidence on the impact of building conditions on student outcomes - addressing disparities across the schools estate - delivering safe and appropriate learning spaces
- decarbonisation: implementation of sustainable schools strategies - addressing challenges for retrofitting existing buildings for energy efficiency
- community contribution: best practice - creating accessible and inclusive spaces - integrating schools into local communities - tailoring designs to meet local needs
- long-term planning: developing strategies for future maintenance - extending building lifespans through proactive care - addressing further estate deterioration
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates.
