The BSF programme was originally set up with targets to put 35% of schools through a major remodelling exercise, with a further 15% receiving a lighter refresh, comprising repairs and maintenance, decorations and new loose furniture.

Given the average age of the school building stock (70% are over 25 years old), a longstanding maintenance ‘time bomb’, and widespread evidence that poor building environments negatively affect educational outcomes, the refurbishment programme could easily end up being focused on just solving the bricks and mortar problems.

However, refurbishment projects can be central in driving through educational reform, and there are an increasing number of striking examples of how very effective learning and true value for money is being delivered in refurbished rather than purpose-built space.

There are many other challenges associated with refurbishment. Given the rapidly evolving sustainability agenda, now driven in part by the Carbon Reduction Commitment, improving the energy and carbon efficiency of the existing building stock will need to be a major component of the future schools programme, incentivising this as a one-off opportunity to decarbonise the schools sector. Furthermore, in an environment where public funding is scarce, ensuring that a refurbishment-based project portfolio can be made attractive to private funders will be significant, requiring a flexible approach to risk management.

With the prospect of independently managed ‘free schools’ being introduced, the use of buildings other than purpose-built schools is being actively considered. Independent schools have a history of converting residential buildings for educational use, albeit often used very conventionally. However, there are a growing number of examples of highly successful conversions of former industrial and commercial buildings in Sweden and the USA which provide effective settings for radically different approaches to teaching and learning. If this model is to become more widely used in the UK then more flexibility is required in meeting the requirement to deliver environments that are fit for purpose, as well as overcoming the challenges set by the current town planning system.

This guide identifies the issues that face policy makers, teachers, parents, governors and their professional advisors when they are considering how to modernise their schools within existing buildings.