Commenting following the government's announcement of cash to upgrade buildings, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “This is not new money, but funding previously announced in the 2021 spending review. 

“It falls well short of what is needed after more than a decade of underinvestment and the government has itself admitted that the risk of collapse in some school buildings is now ‘very likely’. 

"This repackaging of previously announced funding only goes to highlight the shocking absence of a plan by the government to deal with the worrying condition of parts of the school estate. 

"What we need is absolute clarity that wherever such risks exist, they will be addressed immediately and that the necessary funding will be made available to do this and help ensure the safety of pupils and staff.”