Spotlight 1 : Changes to school maintenance funding

S2e Spotlight Series 1: Changes to school maintenance funding - DOWNLOAD

A look at why the current system exists and the implications of changing it

The Department for Education (DfE) has indicated its intention to review the system for issuing capital maintenance funding, specifically highlighting the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF).  

Inspired by this news our Head of Insights examines the current school maintenance system, explores why it exists and evaluates the implications of changing it. While the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) receives much of the interrogation, the analysis seeks to provide a holistic view of why the current model exists and the wider implications of a possible change to CIF.  

Executive Summary: 

Against a backdrop of an ageing school estate with unknown structural liabilities and the impending need to decarbonise, the DfE faces difficult spending decisions. These constraints prohibit the revival of large capital projects on the scale of the previous Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. Consequently, attention has turned to existing maintenance funding as the government seeks alternative solutions to improve the school estate.  

Current school maintenance funding evolved following an independent Review of Education Capital led by Sebastian James in 2011. This review recommended adopting principles of proactive building maintenance, strategic estate management and prioritising funding to condition need. As a result, maintenance funding was redirected from individual schools, towards Local Authorities and larger multi-academy trusts, while smaller trusts were required to bid annually for their funding. 

A subsequent review acknowledged the bid-based model’s imperfections but deemed it an acceptable temporary measure while condition data collection programs were being implemented. However, inflationary pressures have since increased, resulting in CIF funding being allocated only to projects with the most urgent needs. This has undermined the focus on cost-effective preventative maintenance 

Our analysis suggests that CIF has persisted in its current form due to funding availability, faith in condition data, the size and scale of the school estate, and the number of responsible bodies within a complex system. Improving the system would require either increasing funding to ensure all responsible bodies have sufficient capital for maintenance or a restructuring of how funds are awarded.  

The review of maintenance funding is a welcome indication of the government's commitment to improvement. Any changes should acknowledge both the challenges and successes of the current system, adopting a collaborative approach to leverage expertise that currently exists in school estate management. 

To read the full report please click here.  

About S2e’s Spotlight Series:  

This report is part of S2e’s Spotlight Series, a collection of interrelated reports exploring the school estate, offering a deeper analysis of its current condition, the challenges it presents and how they might be overcome.   

At this pivotal time for all public sector spending, we are taking the opportunity to reflect on the decisions and factors that have shaped the school estate and what we might hope for in the future. While numerous reports examine the effects of changes to core school spending over time, the impact of fluctuating capital investment and programme reform is rarely evaluated with the same level of rigor. Through this series, we aim to address this gap by providing informative reviews of key topics that influence the school estate. 

S2e works exclusively in the education sector. We are committed to delivering the best service for our clients, underpinned by the latest developments in education. Our insights pull together the most relevant information, old and new, to generate analysis that enables more informed conversations around capital spending in education.   

If you would like to receive our latest insights, please subscribe here.  

If you have any questions, our team of building surveyors, architects, engineers and health and safety specialists can assist across all areas of education estate and energy management.  Contact us on 0116 5070130 or email enquire@s2e.org.uk.