30
feature
schools, colleges & universities
tackling the education maintenance backlog
More than 200,000 building elements across England’s school estate are now classed as deteriorating or at risk of failure, according to a new FOI dataset gathered and analysed by Portakabin. The data, collected from local authorities, shows over 181,000 elements in poor condition and a further 22,000 that have reached end of life or require urgent replacement. From ageing roofs and brickwork to outdated heating systems and electrical infrastructure, the findings point to a significant maintenance backlog across the education estate. Portakabin explores what this means for students, from temperature control and air quality to pressure on school budgets, and looks at how modular buildings are being used to quickly upgrade or replace ageing facilities...
An FOI dataset analysed by Portakabin, gathered from local authorities, suggests that schools throughout England are operating with thousands of elements that are deteriorating, energy inefficient or no longer aligned with modern teaching needs. With more than 200,000 of the almost four million recorded elements, now classed as Grade C or Grade D. School condition grades are typically defined as follows: • Grade A refers to elements that are in good condition and operating as intended,
with no significant defects. • Grade B refers to elements that are generally sound but may show minor signs of wear and tear, with only limited maintenance required. • Grade C refers to elements that are in poor condition, often showing major defects or not performing as they should. These issues usually require significant repair or replacement in the short to medium term. • Grade D refers to elements that have reached the end of their life or are at risk
of imminent failure, meaning urgent replacement is needed. The data shows there are more than 181,000 Grade C issues across school buildings in England, alongside over 22,000 Grade D issues. These more serious categories can include ageing roofs, decaying brickwork, poor thermal performance, outdated heating systems and ageing electrical installations, all of which can increase running costs and impact day-to-day learning environments.
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 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
