In January 2023, there were 21,600 state schools in England, educating 8.4 million pupils. Between them, these schools have around 64,000 buildings, which vary in age and design.
Overall, the condition of the school estate is declining, and there are safety concerns about some types of buildings.
The ‘responsible body’ in control of the school, usually the relevant local authority, academy trust or voluntary-aided body, must manage the condition of its buildings and ensure they are safe.
The Department for Education (DfE) has overall responsibility for the school system in England. It sets the policy and statutory framework and has ultimate accountability for securing value for money from the funding provided to schools, including for school buildings. DfE distributes funding to local authorities, academy trusts and voluntary-aided bodies, and also delivers some programmes itself.
