Since the Government launched T Levels in 2020, more than £300 million has been made available for providers to deliver their courses and make necessary improvements to their estates.

Designed in tandem with businesses and employers, T Levels are two-year, level 3 technical qualifications designed to give students the skills that the industry needs. They bring together classroom learning and an extended industry placement.

All providers with a 16 to 19 funding contract can deliver T Levels, and so far the capital fund has been available in two parts:

• the Building and Facilities Improvement Grant (BFIG) which providers have needed to bid for

• the Specialist Equipment Allocation (SEA), awarded to providers using a formula and automatically allocated without the need to bid.

 The next round of applications for a BFIG is expected to open at the end of 2022 and will support T-level delivery in 2024-25.

What can a BFIG be spent on?

• Estates improvement project – to improve estate condition, including refurbishment and/or remodelling.

• Estates improvement project with expansion – to increase gross internal floor area, such as by adding a mezzanine or an extension to existing space.

 The DFE says BFIG are intended “to deliver capital projects which will best support you to teach T Levels as part of your wider curriculum, as well as attract and retain students.”

The benefits of seeking professional help

Applications can be complex and time-consuming, however, and for the best chance of success it is advisable to seek professional help from qualified chartered surveyors for education such as Surveyors to Education (S2e).

This is recognised in the BFIG criteria, which allows a proportion of funding to be spent on professional expertise.

Important to know:

1. BFIGs can only be spent on improving facilities to support the delivery of T Levels. For example, if existing facilities are not suitable.

2. The maximum overall grant in the latest (2023-34) round was capped at £4 million per provider, with a minimum project value of £200,000 per application.

3. Applicants will need to match fund up to 50% of the project value from their own or third-party resources. Other funding from central government cannot be used. S2e can advise on applying to make a contribution that is less than the full 50%.

4. Where an academy is part of a Multi Academy Trust (MAT), the MAT will need to apply on behalf of the academy.

5. Schools, academies and MATs may also apply for other central government capital funding, for example, to improve the condition of their estate.

Evidence required

An idea of the complexity of applications can be seen in the requirement to provide evidence of “how you intend to achieve value for money, efficiency, and effective use of your estate across the various projects you intend to deliver, which may be over several years.”

Application guidance also notes: “You must develop your project to the point where the costs, benefits, and delivery risks are clear and realistic. This should be to at least Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) stage 2, or equivalent standard, with supporting cost and designs, including floor plans and elevations, as well as an outline specification of works and materials. You must be able to commit to a firm budget and delivery plan.”

S2e is ready to advise on all aspects of the process to help schools and sixth form colleges make successful applications for T Level capital funding.

For further information or advice please contact us today on 01530 877969 or email enquire@s2e.org.uk.