Education Secretary Michael Gove has announced that the £2bn Priority Schools Building Programme will help several North London schools rebuild or have significant improvements.
Nationally, 261 schools will benefit from the programme, with 42 in need of immediate attention receiving capital grants, and the rest being deliver by a PFI model which the Education Department are working on with the Treasury.
Buxton School, George Mitchell School, Hawkswood Primary PRU, Selwyn Primary School, and St Joseph’s Catholic Infant School in Waltham Forest will all receive funding.
Waltham Forest Council will spend a further £30m on two other schools – Willowfield School in Walthamstow, and Leytonstone School – both of which were cancelled BSF schools will be rebuilt and remodelled respectively.
Leader of Waltham Forest Council, Cllr Chris Robbins, said: “The plans we have for Willowfield School, Walthamstow and Leytonstone School promise to be first-rate, and hearing that we’ll be able to overhaul five more of our schools is fantastic news.”
Pardes House Primary School in Barnet is the only other school in North London to make the list.
Gove said: “Last year I invited bids to a new programme from schools in need of urgent repair. 587 schools applied for the programme on the basis of their condition need. Today I can confirm that 261 schools will be rebuilt, or have their condition needs met through the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP).”
“The condition need of some schools is so severe that urgent action is necessary. I have decided to make a limited amount of capital grant available to address the needs of the highest priority schools in the programme. 42 schools – those in the very worst condition and all special schools included within the programme – will be taken forward straight away using capital grant.”
On school design, Michael Gove said: “We are determined to reduce the wasteful processes of the past. That is why we have developed new baseline designs which will speed up the process and increase efficiencies.”
“I have previously expressed my strong support for the Government’s agenda on reforming the PFI model and we are working closely with the Treasury to ensure the PSBP is aligned with this model in providing cost effective and more transparent delivery of services.”
Pardes House Primary School is one of those whose condition is so severe it will receive an immediate capital grant.
