A new survey by the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has found that half of headteachers in England report parts of their school are either out of use or unfit for purpose due to issues such as leaks, damp, mould, asbestos, ageing boilers and malfunctioning fire doors.
Among those whose schools are affected, almost three-quarters (73%) say they have toilet blocks that are either closed (8%) or not fit for purpose (65%). One headteacher said: “I have toilets that urgently need replacement, and I do not have the funds to do so. There is a collapsed drain and every time it rains the playground is flooded.”
Two in five (41%) say facilities for children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send), including dedicated classrooms, sensory rooms and outdoor spaces, are unfit. Of those with unfit buildings, nearly two-thirds (64%) say their playgrounds are unsuitable (56%) or closed (8%). Another headteacher added: “We have rooms closed to children, walls covered in mould, a leaking roof, sinking floorboards, unfit windows and a condemned playground.”
The poll of 326 headteachers also found that almost all (96%) said they did not receive sufficient capital funding to maintain their buildings. The National Audit Office estimates it will cost £14bn to restore school buildings in England to a satisfactory condition.
NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman said: “We know the UK government inherited a school estate in a mess, and we recognise there is additional investment planned through the new 10-year estates strategy. This survey shows the sheer scale of the challenge ahead.” The Department for Education said it is “providing long-term investment, rising to almost £3bn per year over the next decade, to improve the condition of our schools and colleges.”
