Five schools in Harrow will get government cash to tackle urgent repairs or improvements including issues with fire safety, electrical works, and faulty heating systems.
One school has been suffering from poor ventilation, which has led to “excessive heat” and created “challenging conditions” for pupils and staff.
Earlier this month, the Department for Education (DfE) announced £1.2bn of funding for school infrastructure repairs through the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF). More than 70 schools across London will benefit from the support this year, five of which are located in Harrow.
The funding is “vital” for schools like Rook Heath, a secondary school in the south of the borough, which has been struggling with poor ventilation and a “lack of adequate heating”, which have so far remained unsolved due to financial constraints.
The school said it is “thrilled” with the funding and that it will create a “safer, more comfortable learning environment”.
A spokesperson said: “This vital government funding will enable us to address urgent fire safety and electrical works, as well as much-needed heating and ventilation improvements. Despite allocating a significant portion of our budget to building maintenance, historical issues have remained unresolved.
“Several areas of the school lack adequate heating, forcing reliance on costly and inefficient portable heaters. Meanwhile, poor ventilation in other spaces leads to excessive heat, creating challenging learning conditions for students and staff alike.”
The funding will also be used to complete urgent works on fire safety and electrical infrastructure, including upgrading the fire alarm system, rewiring, and modernising lighting. Rook Heath has been dealing with disruptions caused by faulty alarms and power outages, and said the money will help “eliminate health and safety risks” around the school.
The spokesperson added: “This funding will not only help us realise more of our school improvement plans but will also create a safer, more comfortable learning environment for current and future generations.”
Four further schools across South Harrow, Hatch End, Wealdstone and Stanmore will receive funds, with repairs including a boiler replacement at Bentley Wood High School, fire alarm and emergency lighting replacements at Hatch End High, and electrical improvements at Whitefriars and Earlsmead schools.
The funding forms part of the government’s Plan For Change, with projects set to begin this summer and be delivered by spring 2026. The Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said the government is “determined to give them the best possible start in life” and the investment is about “showing children that their education matters”.
Harrow Council was approached for comment but did not respond ahead of publication. Shadow Portfolio Holder for Education and Children’s Services, Cllr Stephen Hickman, described the funding allocation as “beginning the important work of restoring our essential public infrastructure”.
He added: “School children in Harrow deserve safe, warm and high-quality classrooms to give them the best start in life. Staff, students and parents of Bentley Wood High School, Rooks Heath School, Whitefriars School, Earlsmead Primary School and Hatch End High School will all be relieved to know their schools will be receiving the much-needed repairs to make them fit for learning.”
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