Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has expressed outrage at the crumbling state of school buildings across England, describing the learning environments as unacceptable and damaging to children’s education.
Speaking to The Mirror, Phillipson shared stories from her visits to struggling schools, including pupils being taught in converted stationery cupboards and makeshift classrooms in dinner halls. These conditions, she said, are deeply disruptive and limit both students’ ability to learn and teachers’ ability to teach effectively.
“Children have told me themselves — it’s hard to concentrate when you’re packed into a stuffy, overcrowded room or shivering through lessons in winter,” Phillipson said. “It’s simply not good enough.”
Her comments come as Labour unveiled a sweeping new infrastructure initiative designed to tackle what Chancellor Rachel Reeves described as “the decay that has seeped into our everyday lives.” The 10-year strategy will funnel billions into overhauling essential public buildings — including £38 billion earmarked to modernize 750 schools by the end of the decade. Annual maintenance spending for schools is set to increase to nearly £3 billion by 2035.
From Concrete Crisis to Classroom Chaos
The investment announcement follows public outrage over the widespread use of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in public buildings — a lightweight, low-cost material now linked to serious structural safety concerns.
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More than 100 schools were forced to close or partially shut down over the past two years after RAAC was discovered in ceilings and walls, prompting emergency measures to prevent possible collapse.
Phillipson recalled visiting schools where maths classes had been relocated to dining halls and where steel girders were propping up aging roofs. She compared the scenes to her own schooling experience — lessons in freezing portacabins in winter and sweltering heat in summer.
“That image — children learning under temporary supports holding up the roof — is symbolic of a government that let things fall apart,” she said. “We cannot allow that to continue.”
Building for the Future
Phillipson confirmed that the government has now identified and addressed all known cases of RAAC in schools. But she emphasized that Labour’s plan goes beyond quick fixes — aiming instead for long-term transformation.
On Thursday, she joined Chancellor Reeves in Kent at Wrotham School, which is undergoing a £42 million reconstruction. Headteacher Michael Cater said the impact on students is immediate. “When young people walk into a new facility, they know their education matters,” he said.
Wider Public Investment
The government’s ambitious infrastructure plan includes more than just education. The NHS will see reinforced concrete eliminated from all affected facilities. Meanwhile, England and Wales’ prisons will receive at least £600 million annually to improve safety and address rising concerns in the justice system. Courts will also benefit from additional funding to speed up legal proceedings.
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Reeves said that strong public infrastructure is vital to driving economic growth and restoring national confidence.
“For far too long, we’ve seen public buildings crumble and public services strained. That’s what happens when you fail to invest,” she said. “This plan will help us rebuild Britain’s foundations.”
A Turning Point After Years of Underfunding
Unions and advocacy groups have welcomed the announcement. Paul Nowak, General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress, called it a long-overdue commitment.
“Britain’s infrastructure has suffered from chronic underinvestment for more than a decade,” Nowak said. “This plan represents a real opportunity to rebuild after years of Conservative mismanagement. We need to grab it with both hands.”
Labour’s leadership is positioning the initiative as a pivotal moment for public services, and Phillipson insists that ensuring children have safe, well-equipped schools is just the beginning.
“We owe it to every child in this country to give them the best possible environment in which to learn, grow and thrive,” she said. “That starts with rebuilding our schools — literally.”
