School Rebuilding Programme

Approval for our rebuilding programme bid

We are delighted that much needed improvements to our science block are a step closer after our school was chosen by the Department for Education to receive a grant under the School Rebuilding Programme.

We applied to the DfE for funding to replace or refurbish the block, and out of thousands of applications, we were among the 239 successful schools in last year’s submission window. It means our project has now been provisionally prioritised.

It is a hugely positive step, but it also highlights the challenging conditions we have in the SMIT Block, particularly after heavy rainfall and the susceptibility of the flat roof to leak. It will not be a quick process; the government has committed to deliver 50 projects a year for five years.

Schools will be reviewed and prioritised according to the condition of their buildings and other criteria. There will also be due diligence checks as part of the process and we will keep everyone updated as this progresses.

It is an exciting opportunity to address a part of our school where there is the most acute need which can only be met by rebuilding or significant refurbishment.

Baroness Barran, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the School System, contacted our school with the good news.

“I am pleased to confirm that, following careful consideration based on the condition of its building, the school has been provisionally prioritised for the programme,” says the letter.

The DfE said the first schools from the most recent announcement should experience delivery of the project between April 2023 and March 2024.