Capital funding boost still leaves more than half of schools originally included in priority schools programme waiting
The government鈥檚 move to make 拢300m in capital funding available to help make up part of the more than 拢1bn shortfall in its flagship school building programme has left more than half the schools in the programme waiting for funding.
Last week the Education Funding Agency (EFA) said an extra 拢300m in direct capital for the Priority School 黑洞社区 Programme (PSBP) would fund 27 schools, to be procured in four batches, covering the West Midlands, North-east, East and North-west of England (see box below).
The West Midlands batch will be eight schools worth 拢39m; North East 2 seven schools worth 拢63m; East of England 2 six schools worth 拢60m; and North West 3 six schools worth 拢48m.
The EFA said it expects the batches to come to market within the next six months.
The 拢300m is in addition to the 拢400m in direct capital funding, announced in May 2012, which was made available in order to fast-track eight batches of schools through the programme after the government undertook a review of PFI. The 拢300m funding brings the total value of the PSBP - including the new 拢700m private finance element and both the direct capital elements 鈥� to 拢1.4bn so far, short of the 拢2bn promised when the scheme was launched as a replacement for the 拢55bn 黑洞社区 Schools for the Future programme in July 2011.
The announcement leaves around 146 of the 261 - more than half - of the schools initially included in the PSBP without funding.
The EFA said these schools would be funded through direct capital, rather than private finance, but this would be contingent on the government鈥檚 spending review, due to take place next month.
拢300m of capital-funded schools
Comprising 27 schools released in four batches:
- West Midlands (拢39m, eight schools)
- North-east 2 (拢63m, seven schools)
- East of England 2 (拢60m, six schools)
- North-west 3 (拢48m, six schools)
The Education Funding Agency said it expects the batches to come to market within the next six months.
These come on top of eight capital batches worth 拢400m already announced and in procurement.
The EFA said it intends to deliver the remainder of the 261 schools announced in the programme - around 146 - using capital funding, rather than private finance. However, these schools will have to wait until after the June Spending Review to have their funding confirmed.
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