Condition of the School Estate in England The results of the Property Data Survey Programme (PDSP) were published on 6th February. There have been a series of Parliamentary Questions on the PDSP in England. Asbestos was specifically excluded from the PDSP

Comment:

• It is extraordinary that at the end of the two year audit DfE cannot say either how many schools or buildings are in a good, satisfactory, poor or bad condition or how much it will cost to bring the whole estate up to a good condition. The Parliamentary questions confirm that the data is unclear and confusing so that it is almost impossible to have a true picture of what condition the school estate is in.
• In comparison the condition of the School Estate in Scotland is presented in a clear, understandable manner.
• Asbestos was specifically excluded from the PDSP. As it can be one of the most expensive items in maintaining, refurbishing or demolishing a school, it means that any financial forecasts will be meaningless.
• One must question whether it is intentional to mask the scale of the problem

An audit has never been undertaken to determine the extent, type and condition of asbestos in UK schools. In England the Government took the decision to specifically excluded asbestos from their two year audit of the condition of school buildings which was completed in February 2015. However in 2008 the Department for Education estimated that around 70% of schools contain asbestos, and they based their estimate on the age of the building and the floor area. Since then DfE have stated that more than 75% contain asbestos. That gives a misleading impression as a list has been collated by Freedom of Information (FOI) requests submitted by individuals and the media to Local Authorities from 2009 to 2014 . The actual percentage is significantly greater at 86%.