- Ashfield Comprehensive School & Kirkby College in Ashfield are 2 of 50 schools across England set to benefit from the Conservative Government’s £1 billion ten-year rebuilding programme.
- 500 schools are expected to be rebuilt over the next decade, delivering on the Conservative’s manifesto commitment to give every child access to a great school and world-class education.
- With construction for the first round to begin in autumn, these projects will create jobs, apprenticeships, and training opportunities around the country as we build back better.
Lee Anderson MP has welcomed the announcement that Ashfield Comprehensive School & Kirkby College have been selected as 2 of 50 schools that will be rebuilt or repaired as part of the second round of the Conservative Government’s School Rebuilding Programme.
The ten year programme will provide the funding to transform 500 schools across England, delivering on the Government’s commitment to level up opportunity around the country by giving every child access to the best classrooms, wherever they go to school.
The School Rebuilding Programme is backed by at least £1 billion of government funding; helping to rebuild and repair of primary, secondary, and specialist schools, in addition to sixth form colleges around England.
The funding for Ashfield Comprehensive School & Kirkby College will help to deliver modern learning environments for pupils, including options 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.
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.
Alongside this announcement, the Conservative Government has also confirmed that from 2022-23, per pupil funding will increase to an average of £6,150 per secondary school pupil and £4,800 per primary school pupil.
For pupils in the East Midlands, this means average funding will increase to £5,230, a per pupil funding boost of £152 compared to current levels.
These announcements build on the Prime Minister's landmark levelling up speech delivered on Thursday 15 July - in which he set out how investing in education will help to create a better quality of life for people in every part of the UK, so everyone can access the opportunities they need to succeed regardless of their background or where they grow up.
Commenting, Lee Anderson MP said:
“Every child deserves to learn in a world-class school, so they can get a good education and the best possible start in life.
“This extra funding to help rebuild Ashfield Comprehensive School & Kirkby College will deliver that for children in Ashfield – giving them the best possible learning environment so they can focus on what really matters, their education and catching up on lost learning after the pandemic.
“At the last election I promised to fight for more investment in our schools and children’s future – and this funding shows how I am delivering on that for the people of Ashfield”.
Commenting, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said:
“The environment children are taught in makes such an enormous difference to their education.
“This programme will give thousands more young people the chance to learn in world class school facilities, levelling up opportunity and making sure every young person has the chance to succeed, progress and fulfil their potential.
“As we build back better after the pandemic, with buildings that are net-zero in operation, this major ten-year rebuilding programme will help to shape the education of not only children now, but for years to come”.
