Five council maintained schools in Redcar and Cleveland are to share a funding pot totalling £481,899 to go towards repairs.
The local authority said the money was from a school condition allowance allocated by the Education and Skills Funding Agency, part of the Department for Education, and included a “carry forward sum” of £50,800.
The annual allowance is made available for keeping school buildings safe and in good working order by tackling poor condition, building compliance, energy efficiency, and health and safety issues.
Redcar and Cleveland Council only maintains six primary and one special school, with the remainder of the borough’s schools having been converted into academies and therefore separately funded.
Funding allocation
Belmont and Highcliffe primary schools, in Guisborough, will see investment of £105,000 and £140,000 in 2026/27.
Hummersea Primary, in Loftus, will receive £140,000 worth of repairs, while two other schools, Lockwood Primary and Newcomen Primary, in Redcar, will receive smaller sums of £5,000 each towards repairs.
Other monies have been allocated more generally towards a contingency/emergency works fund, detailed condition surveys and fees.
A report approved by the council’s cabinet – ‘Investment in Our Schools’ – said: “It should be noted that the programme allows the targeting of resources at need, such that some schools undergo building element replacement one year but may then see little or no investment in another, as the condition need dictates.
“In the event of surplus resources being available through cost savings, other identified condition works will be prioritised to be addressed.”
The report also confirmed four schools were included in the DfE’s rebuilding programme.
This allows schools to bid for investment in re-builds, although projects can take many years from conception to completion.
One of those included, Skelton Primary Academy, was first announced in 2021, although diggers only moved onto the site earlier this year with the replacement building due to be completed in spring 2027.
Early stage feasibility studies are being carried out on behalf of Lingdale Primary Academy, Lockwood Primary and Nunthorpe Secondary Academy.
The report said: “The programme of school maintenance is now relatively modest due to funding available so this is managed in house.
“Options to broaden the scope of works have been discounted as to do so would need to draw on council borrowing.
“Instead, bids have been submitted to the DfE’s rebuilding programme.”
The report further referenced basic need funding for mainstream schools, which is intended to address capacity shortfalls should they be experienced in local education authority planning for school places.
It said the DfE had not awarded recent funds, but a total of £700,000 remained unallocated from previous grant awards.
The report said: “This is important in assisting our investment in school capacity as the council has a legal duty to ensure sufficiency of places in light of housing development, demographic change and parental choice impact on the need for pupil places in particular parts of the borough.
“This funding can be aligned with Section 106 planning agreements secured on major housing developments to help address place planning issues.”
Meanwhile, so-called ‘high needs’ capital funding of £1.231m had been announced in March for Redcar and Cleveland for SEND provision in the borough to be used on an ad-hoc basis.
The report discussed current school place pressures which were primarily affecting secondary schools in the east of Redcar, Marske, Saltburn and to a lesser extent Guisborough, while ruling out the building of a new standalone school.
It said: “The delivery of additional school places can only realistically be achieved through working with our academy providers to evaluate need and potential to provide additional places.
“The development of a new school would not be sustainable due to the forecast medium to long-term reduction in pupils on roll.
“However, opportunities to secure further funding for SEND places will be considered should the DfE open future rounds for application.”
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