LATEST NEWS
DfE rolls out Construction Framework 25 (CF25) worth up to £18.5bn
The Department for Education has formally launched its new Construction Framework 25 (CF25), set to run from January 2026 for six years, with a potential two-year extension.
Replacing the expiring CF21, the framework covers design-and- build for new schools, refurbishments, colleges, universities, and ancillary community facilities across England. Valued at up to £15.4bn (£18.5bn inc. VAT), it divides into high- and low-value bands (up to £12m+ and £15m thresholds) across 10 regional lots.
Procurement emphasises quality (70%), cost (20%), and social value (10%). Suppliers were appointed late 2025, enabling faster delivery of education projects amid ongoing estate modernisation. This long-term setup aims to drive innovation, consistency, and investment in sustainable builds. Industry observers note it arrives as enrolment pressures ease in primaries but rise in secondaries and SEND provisions.
Free schools programme slashed as funding shifts to SEND and rebuilds
The government has significantly scaled back the free schools building programme, redirecting resources to prioritise special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) expansion and the £38bn education estate investment through 2030.
Falling primary enrolments since 2019 and projected secondary declines from 2026 prompted the cut, with a further 250 schools earmarked for rebuilding under the Schools Rebuilding Programme. Applications for the next wave open early 2026.
A £3bn SEND boost takes precedence, addressing rising demand for specialist places. Critics argue this risks limiting new mainstream capacity in growth areas, while supporters highlight the need to tackle backlog repairs and RAAC issues first. The shift underscores a policy pivot towards refurbishing existing stock over new free school openings, aiming for safer, more inclusive environments.
Willmott Dixon breaks ground on £15.6m Crowborough SEND school
Willmott Dixon has started construction on a new £15.6m special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) school in Crowborough, East Sussex. Procured via the Procurement Hub 2 Framework, the two-storey steel-frame building will provide state-of-the-art facilities for expanding SEND places in the county. Due for completion in winter 2026, it sits adjacent to an existing primary SEND school, which remains operational throughout.
The project responds to surging demand for specialist provision, incorporating modern learning spaces designed for accessibility and inclusion. Funded under broader DfE estate improvements, it exemplifies targeted investment in high-needs education infrastructure. Stakeholders welcome the timely delivery, as local authorities grapple with placement shortages.
4 Winter 2026 issue 4182
Government boosts school maintenance funding with inflation-linking and £2.6bn for new places
In a major policy update from the 2025 Spending Review, school building maintenance funding will now rise annually with inflation, reaching around £2.3bn by 2029-30 to tackle the longstanding repair backlog.
This marks a shift from fixed allocations to indexed support, addressing the £13.8bn+ condition deficit identified in recent audits. Additionally, £2.6bn is earmarked from 2026-27 for mainstream school places to meet future demand. The changes build on earlier £1.8bn injections and the ongoing Schools Rebuilding Programme, which continues to prioritise RAAC- affected sites and poor-condition buildings.
Education leaders praise the long-term predictability, but warn that sustained capital beyond 2030 will be essential to prevent deterioration. The approach aligns with wider decarbonisation efforts and net-zero goals for the estate.
AI and digital twins transform UK school design and operations
AI is reshaping educational building design and operations across the UK, with new schools, colleges, hospitals, and offices increasingly incorporating digital twins—virtual replicas that mirror real structures in real time through IoT sensors, BIM integration, and live data feeds.
These advanced systems enable predictive maintenance by analysing usage patterns, equipment performance, and environmental data to forecast failures before they occur, reducing downtime and repair costs. Energy optimisation becomes dynamic: digital twins can auto-adjust HVAC, lighting, and ventilation during holidays, low-occupancy periods, or peak learning hours, while simulating scenarios to minimise consumption and support decarbonisation.
In education, early adopters—including universities and school estates—are piloting AI-enhanced twins to cut operational expenses, boost sustainability credentials, and elevate learning conditions through improved indoor air quality, thermal comfort, and adaptive spaces tailored to student needs. The Department for Education’s emphasis on greener builds under frameworks like CF25 strongly supports this trend, as digital integration helps estates comply with net-zero targets by tracking embodied and operational carbon, optimising resource use, and enabling lifecycle efficiency from design through to long-term management.
Industry experts forecast a wider rollout in 2026, transforming static school buildings into intelligent “living systems” that continuously learn from occupant behaviour, sensor inputs, and performance metrics to evolve smarter over time. Challenges persist, including robust data security protocols to protect sensitive information, addressing skills gaps in facilities teams for effective adoption, and ensuring interoperability across legacy systems.
Nevertheless, the potential remains transformative: smarter, more efficient school estates that deliver cost savings, enhanced wellbeing, and genuine progress toward sustainable infrastructure—reimagining delivery far beyond traditional bricks-and-mortar approaches.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24
