Every year, the Department for Education gives money to schools to help them maintain and improve the condition of their grounds and buildings. There are two funds for this purpose: the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) and the School Condition Allocation (SCA). Each school can only access one of these forms of funding, with eligibility determined by the size and type of establishment you run. 

The School Condition Allocation is a vital form of funding for many schools and multi-trust academies. Here we explain everything you need to know, from what SCA funding can be spent on to who is eligible and how school condition funding works.

How does School Condition Allocation funding work?

The School Condition Allocation is a capital funding grant that’s designed to improve the learning environment for students. It’s issued to the eligible bodies responsible for maintaining educational buildings rather than being paid directly to the schools themselves. 

Exactly what the grant can be used for depends on the type of body the funding is paid to, but broadly speaking, the money is intended to keep school buildings in good working order. It can be used to:

• Improve the condition of buildings
• Address critical health and safety issues
• Comply with building regulations
• Make energy efficiency improvements

There’s no need to apply for the SCA and the amount you receive will depend on the number of students in your trust.

Who is eligible for SCA funding?

School Condition Allocation funding is paid to:

• Local authorities
• Large multi-academy trusts (MATs)
• Local voluntary aided bodies
• Special post-16 institutions
• Non-maintained special schools   

To be eligible for SCA funding, multi-academy and voluntary-aided trusts must have at least five open schools and 3,000 students. In special schools, the number of students is multiplied by 4.5 to reflect the lower pupil numbers these schools usually have and the more complex facilities. That would make a special school with 700 pupils eligible for SCA funding.

The SCA is paid automatically and is a guaranteed source of annual income. Smaller voluntary aided bodies and multi-academy trusts, single academy trusts and six-form colleges are not eligible for SCA funding. Instead, they must apply for the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) by preparing and submitting bids. 

What can SCA funding be spent on?

The official guidance from the Department for Education is broad. It states that the grant must be used to ‘maintain and improve the condition of school buildings so children can learn in a safe and effective environment’. It must also be spent on capital expenditure, which means you must buy new assets or upgrade and maintain the assets you already have. 

Examples of how schools can spend SCA funding include:

• Building compliance – Ensuring the school complies with all the relevant regulations and guidance.
• Security, safety and safeguarding – Upgrading security and safety measures in the school.
• Building condition – Making structural repairs, replacing the roof, installing electrical upgrades, refurbishing the toilets, etc.
• Energy efficiency – Taking steps to reduce energy usage through improvements to heating and lighting systems and enhancing the insulation.
• Accessibility and mobility – Making accessibility improvements to your school buildings and grounds.
• Outdoor learning spaces – Improving sportsfields and play areas. 

Planning how to spend your SCA funding

Given the broad range of options available, from minor repairs to capital refurbishment, determining how to spend your School Condition Allocation is not always straightforward. That’s why it’s beneficial to work with a strategic premises partner. We help you prioritise your spending across your school estate and optimise the value you generate from your funding. 

At Eddisons Education, we help you by:

• Performing building condition surveys to determine the current condition of your school buildings, grounds and systems and your short, medium and long-term priorities
• Creating a property maintenance and expansion strategy based on our findings
• Producing a fully costed list of projects ranging from repairs to new buildings
• Managing and administering your projects 

Read more about the School Condition Allocation (SCA) and Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) and get in touch to find out how we can help your school or multi-academy trust make the most of its funding.