Nine 'crumbling' schools to be renovated in region but critics say it won't make up for years of underfunding
Nine schools and sixth form colleges in the region will receive funding to replace crumbling classrooms, dilapidated sports halls and dining rooms, it has been announced.
Government bosses announced 239 schools nationally would receive the renovations in addition to the 161 which were previously given the go-ahead by ministers.
It means 400 out of a possible 500 projects have now been selected for overhauls, through the department's school rebuilding programme.
Speaking during a visit to Coundon Court School in Coventry, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: "We've looked at the condition of the school estate and had bids come forward.
"There are some schools that are 1950s or 1960s-style, they're not particularly energy efficient either - which is why we had an announcement last week to have some short-term funding to help with the energy crisis, over the winter, to get some efficiency (measures) in.
"There's much more modern methods of construction now, triple-glazing, heat pumps, they're going to have solar panels in this school (in Coventry).
"A lot has changed in terms of modern methods of construction in the intervening period."
Schools which have been selected for the scheme includes Baxter College, in Kidderminster, Pheasey Park Farm Primary School and Early Years Centre, and Fortis Academy, in Great Barr.
Bloxwich Academy, on Leamore Lane in the Walsall borough, and Blessed William Howard Catholic School in Stafford will receive funding alongside Perryfields Academy in Oldbury, Ocker Hill Academy in Tipton, The Pedmore High School in Stourbridge and Beacon Hill Academy in Dudley.
ll the latest rebuilds will be net-zero in operation.
Ms Keegan added: "There's 500 schools in total, 239 announced today - that takes the total to 400 - and there'll be another 100 to come, so if a school hasn't been successful, there's still a chance."
Coundon Court has been home to a high school since the 1950s, but before that the site was the family seat of George Singer, who patented the curved forks still in use on bicycles today.
School leaders successfully bid for an earlier tranche of rebuild money, and are part-way through replacing its worn-out concrete post-war classrooms with a modern campus-style layout for more than 2,000 pupils - which is due to be finished by 2027.
The Education Secretary also said funding for mainstream schools will increase by more than £2 billion in 2023/24, while there are other measures to retain and replace teachers, after Ofsted warned of the impact of staffing pressures in the sector.
The funding allocations for the school rebuild scheme will be announced in the near future.
Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson said schools are facing "extraordinary challenges" and parents are "right to be worried".
She said many schools are "not fit for the future" and teachers cannot focus on education if they are "having to manage inadequate facilities".
Ms Phillipson said: "This isn't just about fixing immediate problems.
"It should be about making sure all of our children have a brilliant environment in which to learn because they need that if we are really going to drive up standards in all our schools and make sure that children get the best start in life."
