The government will provide £500 million to “futureproof” school buildings by making them more energy efficient.
An elementary school may expect to get about £16,000, while a secondary school would receive around £42,000. On average, universities and colleges that provide advanced degrees will get £290,000.
It was announced by the Department of Education that school and university money will be disbursed in December and January, respectively.
The government suggested potential enhancements such as “improvements could include installing better heating controls, insulation to reduce heat loss from pipes, or switching to energy efficient lighting.”
The government’s confirmation that school districts would no longer get energy subsidies came as no surprise.
The Department for Education (DfE) has provided further information on the £2.3 billion funding rise from the Autumn budget review, of which £2 billion is entirely new money.
The press announcement said that beginning in April of next year, all schools, including academies, maintained normal schools, and special schools, would get increased financing.
There will be a roughly five percent rise in per-pupil funding for public schools in the coming fiscal year, compared to 2022-23.
The average elementary school with 200 students would earn an additional £28,000, while high schools with 900 students will receive an additional £170,000.
There will be an additional £400 million for councils’ high needs budgets to help kids with impairments or special needs in school.
The source of the £500 million is unclear; it may be fresh money or money that was already available. Education Secretary Gillian Keegan stated, “We’re putting this cash in the hands of school and college leaders quickly, so they can decide what work is needed and so that our brilliant teachers can focus on teaching in a warm and safe environment. “Education is rightly a top priority for this Government and we will continue to strive to provide every child with a world-class education.”
Although the investment would “not pay energy bills in the immediate future,” as Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, put it. As of the end of March, the government plans to discontinue the energy assistance program that has been in place to help schools and colleges manage growing expenses, which has caused us great anxiety.
The loss of this assistance would subject them to exorbitant and astronomical rises in their energy costs, forcing them to reduce their spending on schools. Increases in energy efficiency can be financed, but this is a long-term project that won’t solve the problem right now.