Thirteen free schools on list of government-funded refurbishment projects for 2020-21

A total of 13 free schools have benefited from the latest round of government funding for refurbishment work, while one academy trust has seen 11 of its institutions receiving money for improvements, an analysis by Education Uncovered has revealed.

One of the free schools to be funded for improvement work in 2020-21 opened just seven years ago, having cost £12.1 million in capital overheads alone.

The detail in new data provided by the government on the beneficiaries of its Condition Improvement Fund for the coming academic year seems likely to be controversial among schools, as questions continue over wider ministerial commitments on refurbishments.

On Monday, as the Prime Minister announced “over £1 billion” to fund the first 50 projects in a new ten-year school rebuilding prorramme, the government separately announced which schools had won funding under its already-established Condition Improvement Fund.

This funds refurbishment works in the academies sector – including free schools – as well as among sixth-form colleges and “non-diocesan voluntary-aided schools”.