Schools in the North East have faced significant challenges as a result of the pandemic and are now struggling with a crisis in recruitment and retention, steep rises in students with complex needs, increases in children and young people eligible for free school meals, and substantial pressures on budgets.
However, despite the challenges facing our schools and the urgent need for greater support for them, recent data from the National Audit Office has revealed an apparent North-South divide in the condition of school buildings, as well as in the success rates of different regions in accessing additional funding to meet this need. The NE region would appear to be seriously disadvantaged in regard to school conditions, combined with the lowest success rates in accessing key additional funding sources. Schools North East has written to the Secretary of State for Education asking for this issue to be given urgent attention.
A worrying report
The report published by the National Audit Office highlights the declining condition of school estates across the country due to underinvestment, as schools in poor condition deteriorate further. There is now a significant gap between the funding available and that which DfE assesses it needs to achieve its aim for school buildings to be safe and in a good condition for those who learn and work there; especially in the North East.
The report says that condition need varies significantly across different local authorities, with average condition need per pupil generally lower in the South. Despite the higher need in the North and Midlands, it is not clear funding is reaching those buildings that are in poorer condition.
Low North East success for Conditional Improvement Fund (CIF) bids
CIF is to support condition projects and keep school and college buildings safe and in good working order. Stand-alone academies and schools in a MAT with fewer than 5 schools or fewer than 3000 pupils, as well as sixth-form colleges, are eligible to apply for CIF.
The DfE recently published successful bids for the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) for 2023 to 2024. 56 out of 230 eligible North East schools applied for the CIF, with 19 projects from 15 schools being successful. These projects represent over £8 million of funding to ensure school buildings are safe and in good working condition.
This funding is much needed for many schools, and it is worrying that our region saw the lowest levels of successful bids, with only 26.8% of North East bids receiving funding. This compares with an England-wide average of 41.4%.
In the letter drafted by Schools North East, the Secretary of State for Education is asked to urgently address this issue to show that the Government is “serious about levelling-up”, providing certainty of funding and allowing schools to budget effectively and plan for the long-term. In the letter the Secretary of State for Education was invited to come and speak to school leaders in October at the Schools North East Annual Summit on 19 October as DfE ministers are disproportionately visiting schools in London, and fail to engage as regularly or closely with school leaders in the North. Find out more about the Schools North East Annual Summit.
You can read the full letter by clicking here.
Chris Zarraga, Director of Schools North East, said:
“Schools in our region have been hit the hardest by the pandemic and its aftermath. Additionally, schools are facing a crisis in recruitment and retention, combined with significant rising pressure on budgets. If the government is serious about ‘levelling-up’, then it is vital that the basic needs of schools, such as the condition of buildings and estates, are met. It is concerning that the school estate is currently in such poor condition and that NE schools are finding it so difficult to access the funding needed to ensure their buildings are safe for students.”
Kate Chisolm, Executive Head Teacher at Oakfield Infant and Oakfield Junior School and a Schools North East Trustee spoke to BBC News, ITV, and Channel 5 News to discuss this issue and give them a ‘schools-eye view’ of what this issue means for her schools. The full story is available to view by clicking here.
The Schools North East ‘Manifesto for North East Education’ calls on policymakers to take a ‘long term view’ of education with stable and sufficient funding to enable our schools to sufficiently deal with the post pandemic environment. This is available to read here.
