Three schools welcome named as part of Conservative Government’s School Rebuilding Programme

Threemore schools in South Tees are set to welcome extra investment to improve facilities as part of the Conservative Government’s School Rebuilding Programme.

Lingdale Primary, Lockwood Primary in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland and Nunthorpe Academy in Redcar have been named as three of the latest 239 schools across England set to benefit from the Conservative Government’s tenyear School Rebuilding Programme, which has invested over £13 billion to maintain and improve schools since 2015.

400 schools have been announced so far, with a further 100 expected to be confirmed in future years, delivering on the Conservative’s manifesto commitment to give every child access to a great school and a world-class education.

Work to rebuild the schools announced will start immediately, creating jobs, apprenticeships, and training opportunities around the country, backed by £1.8 billion this financial year.

Simon Clarke, Conservative MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, said: “It is fantastic news today that two more schools in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland will benefit from the next phase of the Government’s £13 billion School Rebuilding programme.

“Both Lockwood Primary School and Lingdale Primary School now join Skelton Primary on the list.

“This is excellent news for all the schools involved and I look forward to seeing these transformational schemes through to the end.”

Jacob Young, Conservative MP for Redcar, said: “The quality of facilities in schools can have a significant impact on a student’s learning and I have been working closely with the Conservative Government to secure investment in our schools to offer children the best opportunity to succeed.

“That is why I welcome the news that Nunthorpe Academy will benefit from the latest round of the School Rebuilding Programme, backed by £1.8 billion in 2022–34 to rebuild and refurbish 239 more schools across the country, including updating and modernising buildings by creating state of the art sports halls, music rooms, science labs, and dining areas.

“This investment will improve the experience of students across the country – helping them to learn, develop, and achieve their full potential.”

Lesley Lawson, headteacher at Lockwood Primary, said: “We are absolutely delighted.

“Our school was built in 1984 for 75 pupils - we currently have 180 - and while the school has been extended in the time since, we really hope we’re able to get the necessary improvements to our school for the benefit of all our pupils.”

Sarah Thornton, headteacher at Lingdale Primary, said: “This is great news for everybody involved with the school - the children, the staff and really the entire community.

“To be able to give our children the facilities they need is fantastic. Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, said: “Education is a top priority for this Government.

“That is why, despite facing challenging economic circumstances, we are investing a record amount in our schools and colleges. Today’s announcement will transform hundreds of schools across the country and ensure they are fit for the future.

“The additional funding, alongside fantastic new facilities, will mean our brilliant teachers can get on with what they do best – and inspire the next generation.”

The School Rebuilding Programme is backed by £1.8 billion of government funding this financial year, helping to rebuild and refurbish primary, secondary, and specialist schools, in addition to sixth form colleges around England.

The funding will help to deliver state of the art learning environments for pupils, such as new classrooms, science labs, sports halls, and dining halls. The majority of the projects are set to be completed in three to five years. Each school in the programme has been selected based on the condition of its buildings, making sure the greatest improvements are delivered for schools that need them the most and maximising children’s chances to gain the skills and knowledge they need.

The new buildings will be more energy efficient for future winter resilience, helping schools keep bills down and meeting our Net Zero commitments.

Selected schools include primary, secondary, special schools, and 1619 institutions, with over half of the successful schools in the Midlands and North, levelling up education across England.

Construction of new buildings at some of the previously announced schools is already underway, with a number of projects almost completed.

As well as delivering world-class learning environments for pupils, the School Rebuilding Programme will also create opportunities, jobs, and apprenticeships – from the construction industry to suppliers, businesses will be offering training as part of their involvement in the projects.