£307m investment set to unlock upgrades for England’s run-down colleges

The government has pledged that young people across England will see major upgrades to their colleges, backed by a £307 million investment it says will turn the page on years of neglect.

The government’s aim

From repairing leaky roofs and fixing broken windows to updating worn-out heating systems, the government says that all 175 colleges will benefit. Each college is set to receive individual allocations in the summer. This will range from £6,000 for smaller institutions to £7 million for large college groups for the next academic year. The goal is for all colleges to be given the flexibility to decide how the funding is spent, so it can be directed where it is needed most.

According to the Department for Education, these upgrades will restore pride in England’s colleges and break down barriers to opportunity for students. It says there will be fewer disruptions to lessons, more comfortable learning environments, and better spaces for students to focus and succeed. The DfE believes modernised colleges will be key to delivering on the Prime Minister’s target for two-thirds of young people to be taking a gold standard apprenticeship, higher training or heading to university by the age of 25.

The government has increased the fund by £5 million since last year, after colleges called for a reliable annual allocation to help them plan and maintain their estates. It is part of a £1.7 billion investment from the government’s Industrial Strategy for colleges to modernise buildings by 2030.

Skills minister, Jacqui Smith, said:

“The young people in these colleges are the engineers, bricklayers and designers of the future, and they and the dedicated staff teaching them deserve the best possible environment to learn and succeed.

“This £307 million investment will repair and modernise facilities across all 175 colleges in England, giving young people the spaces they need to build the skills they need for good careers, helping to drive economic growth.”

How colleges are already benefiting

Cheshire College South & West used its allocation last year to move towards decarbonising all of their campuses. It also made improvements to ventilation systems and the Crewe campus reception.

Helen Nellist, deputy principal of Cheshire College South & West, said:

“We’re very grateful for this funding, which has allowed us to make significant improvements across the College.

“The redesign of our reception area has strengthened the safeguarding of learners by improving visibility and access control, and we’ve also been able to refurbish key facilities such as toilets and changing rooms. Additional upgrades to lighting, energy efficiency and ventilation have improved safety, comfort and sustainability.

“This investment is making a real difference for our learners, staff and visitors.”

Julian Gravatt, deputy chief executive, Association of Colleges, said:

“This funding for college estates is sorely needed, and we are pleased to see that every single FE college will benefit, and crucially, that individual colleges will be able to decide how the money is spent.”

Part of a wider plan to boost skills and opportunities

This investment follows the announcement of £570 million to increase capacity in colleges to train the next generation of skilled workers.

More widely, the government’s Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper sets out plans to unlock opportunity for young people and drive growth for the country by improving the quality of further education. This includes the proposed introduction of structured professional development for further education teachers. The white paper also sets out an expectation that colleges deliver at least 100 hours of face-to-face English and maths teaching for those who haven’t passed those GCSEs.

It also announced the creation of V levels as a brand new vocational pathway. The Department for Education say these new qualifications will provide clearer, stronger options for young people. The intention is for students to be able to mix and match academic and vocational subjects, setting them up for the jobs of tomorrow.

What happens next?

The government pledge to distribute the funding to colleges in due course.