Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the identification of school buildings past their design life as a serious risk in the Department for Education's last annual report, whether she will publish a table setting out her estimate of how many schools in England which were operating (a) 10 to 15 years away from reaching the end of their design life, (b) five to 10 years away from reaching the end of their design life, (c) within five years of reaching the end of their design life, (d) reached the end of their design life within the last five years, (e) reached the end of their design life within the last five to 10 years, (f) reached the end of their design life within the last 10 to 15 years and (g) reached the end of their design life more than 15 years ago as on 15 September 2023; and whether she will make a statement.

Nothing is more important than the safety of pupils and teachers. It has always been the case that where the Department is made aware a building may pose an immediate risk, immediate action is taken.

The Department has continued to invest in improving the condition of schools and colleges, with over £15 billion allocated since 2015, including £1.8 billion committed for the 2023/24 financial year. The School Rebuilding Programme will also transform buildings at 500 schools over the next decade, prioritising schools in poor condition and with evidence of potential safety issues. The Department has announced 400 schools to date, including 239 in December 2022.

As set out by the National Audit Office, buildings can normally be used beyond their estimated initial design life. The effective life expectancy of individual buildings can be improved by regular inspections, maintenance, and upgrades over time so that buildings that are well maintained by the responsible body can continue to be suitable for generations.

CDC1 and CDC2 are high-level Condition Data Collection programmes which allow the Department to understand the condition of the school estate over time and inform capital funding and programmes.

Individual CDC reports are shared with every school and the academy trusts, Local Authorities, and voluntary-aided bodies responsible for those schools, to help inform their investment plans alongside their own more detailed condition surveys and safety checks.

It is the responsibility of those who run schools – academy trusts, Local Authorities, and voluntary-aided school bodies – who work with their schools’ day to day, to manage safety and maintenance and to alert us if there is a serious concern with a building. The Department provides support on a case by case basis if it is alerted to a serious safety issue. The Department also provides extensive guidance to the sector on how to manage their estates safely and effectively, including Good Estate Management for Schools.