45 Somerset schools being repaired through £3.4m DfE grant

The Department for Education (DfE) provides local authorities across the UK with grant funding to maintain the condition of schools under its control (i.e. schools which are not part of larger multi-academy trusts).

Somerset Council was awarded £3,408,603 for urgent repairs within the current financial year, which was confirmed when its capital budget was approved in March.

The council has now published a list of the schools which will receive a share of this funding, with the bulk of the necessary repairs being carried out over the summer holidays where possible.

Under the Education Act 1996, the council is legally bound to ensure Somerset school-children can learn in "safe and well-maintained buildings" within walking distance of their home address.

Where school condition grants will not prove sufficient, the council can submit a bid to get a given school onto the government's school rebuild programme - as is currently being attempted with Wellsprings Primary School in Taunton.

Nicola Johns, the council's lead building surveyor, said the funding would be used to "address high-priority school building condition issues", ensuring children do not have to study in temporary classrooms or other such facilities for long periods.

She said in her written report: "The DfE allocation is sufficient only to undertake some of the highest priority items in the programme.

Herne View Church of England Primary School on Ditton Street in Ilminster (Image: Google Maps)

"As a result, much of the proposed work is for the replacement of items that are beyond economic repair for the council.

"The objective of this project is to rectify the most critical building condition issues as identified in condition surveys, ensuring that building components do not fail and significantly reducing the risk of school buildings becoming unusable due to deteriorating condition - which may in turn cause operational issues for schools and pose health and safety risks and compliance breaches.

"The programme will address specific building condition issues, such as structural issues, the renewal of windows, doors and roofs, boilers and heating systems, lighting and electrical systems lift replacement, drainage and playground/ court surfacing work."

Entrance to Wadham School off Ashlands Road in Crewkerne (Image: Daniel Mumby)

The full list of schools which will be repaired using the current grant as it follows:

1. All Saints Infants School, Dulverton
2. Barwick & Stoford Community Primary School
3. Beech Grove Primary School, Wellington
4. Birchfield Primary School, Yeovil
5. Bishop Henderson Primary School, Coleford
6. Bowlish Infants School, Shepton Mallet
7. Cannington Primary School
8. Catcott Primary School
9. Charlton Mackrell Primary School
10. Cotford St Luke Community Primary School
11. Coxley Primary School
12. Creech St. Michael Primary School
13. Curry Mallet Primary School
14. Deane Discovery Centre, Blagdon Hill
15. East Coker Primary School
16. Eastover Primary School, Bridgwater
17. Fairmead Special School, Yeovil
18. Fiveways Special School, Yeovil
19. Hamp Infants School, Bridgwater
20. Herne View Church of England Primary School, Ilminster
21. Hinton St. George Primary School
22. Milverton Primary School
23. Nether Stowey Primary School
24. North Newton Primary School
25. Northfields Education Centre, Bishop's Hull
26. Oake, Bradford & Nynehead Primary School
27. Oaklands Community Primary School, Yeovil
28. Parkfield Primary School, Taunton
29. Reckleford Community Infants School, Yeovil
30. Rockwell Green Primary School
31. Shepton Mallet Infants School
32. South Petherton Junior School
33. St. Lawrence's Primary School, Westbury-sub-Mendip
34. St. Mary's Church of England VC Primary School, Bridgwater
35. St. Paul's Junior School, Shepton Mallet
36. The Yeovil Centre pupil referral unit, Yeovil
37. Upton Noble Primary School
38. Vallis First School, Frome
39. Wadham School, Crewkerne
40. Walton Primary School
41. Wellsprings Primary School, Taunton
42. Westonzoyland Primary School
43. Wincanton Primary School
44. Wiveliscombe Primary School
45. Wookey Primary School

The council has not released details of the individual repairs or budget allocations for each site, citing commercial sensitivity.