Responsibilities and Funding for School Maintenance: School Condition Capital Funding
Local Authority Role
The Local Authority is responsible for ensuring Voluntary Controlled and Community schools remain safe, warm and dry. Governing boards manage routine maintenance, but responsibilities for major works can overlap.
For significant projects such as boiler replacement or roof repairs, the Local Authority may provide funding support. Schools receive their own capital funding, and the Local Authority (along with other large Responsible Bodies such as Multi-Academy Trusts) receives a School Condition Allocation. This allocation is based on pupil numbers from the school census and data from the Condition Data Collection (CDC2).
Detailed guidance on allocation calculations and spending expectations is available on the Department for Education website:
Funding Priorities
Funding for projects is limited, so priority is given to keeping schools open and safe for pupils.
Schools in the Building Maintenance Partnership (BMP)
- Your surveyor will discuss major replacements with us, and we may contribute to costs.
- BMP is designed for maintenance, not full replacement schemes.
- In some cases, if it is cost-effective and reduces future repairs, BMP funds may support replacements.
- We will also review your school's Devolved Formula Capital allocation for possible contributions.
Schools not in BMP
- You may need to contribute more towards replacements, as you are expected to set aside funds for this.
Major Safety Concerns
- If an issue threatens the school being safe, warm and dry, contact us immediately. We will work together on a solution.
- If you have an independent survey, we may ask NPS surveyors to verify findings for consistency.
If you have any questions, please contact Isabel Horner, Head of Schools Infrastructure Service.
