Free school capital funding confirmed for seven schools

Released 22/12/2011

The 24 free schools opening in September come at a capital cost of £130m, according to the DfE

Funding confirmed for seven free schools

The Department for Education has published details of the capital funding for seven free schools, opened in September 2011, where the cost of building works have been finalised and contracts signed.

The estimated total capital costs for the first 24 free schools that opened in September 2011 range from £110m to £130m. The upper estimate of £130m equates to 2.6% of the department’s capital budget for 2011-12, which is £5.1bn.

Many of the 2011 schools have opened in temporary accommodation or require additional building work, which will take place over the coming months and years. As the final capital costs for the remaining schools have not been finalised, and contracts remain unsigned, the Department for Education says it is unable to release capital cost estimations for these schools.

The Department for Education’s website states: “It would not be sensible to release capital cost estimations for these [remaining] projects until a price has been agreed and contracts have been signed. To do this would effectively ‘show our hand’ on what we expect to spend on a project. This could jeopardise value for money for the taxpayer.”

Details of the capital costs for the seven confirmed free schools can be found on the free school pages of the Department for Education website. Updates will be made to the capital spreadsheet on a rolling basis.

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