The National Association of Headteachers has today responded to the Northern Ireland Audit Office’s report, ‘Managing the Schools’ Estate’, published on 11 November, 2024:

Jackie Bartley, President of the school leaders’ union, NAHT, said:

“School leaders have long been warning about the cumulative impact of underinvestment on the condition of their schools for many years. Members report shocking failures in turnaround for essential maintenance, prioritisation of maintenance issues that places financial considerations ahead of the wellbeing and comfort of our children and timescales of capital investment that means that delivery times for capital investment projects are a generation away.

"If we truly value our education system and, primarily, the children that we serve in our schools, we must direct much, much more money towards our schools’ estate.”

NAHT’s Northern Ireland National Secretary, Dr Graham Gault, said:

“For as long as we can remember, politicians from all parties in Northern Ireland have trumpeted how much they value education and have promoted their political campaigns with promises of investment in our schools and education system. The Audit Office’s report confirms, however, what our members have been telling us for many years; their schools have fallen into disrepair, essential maintenance is not carried out and long-term capital investment is appallingly slow. Every party in the Northern Ireland Assembly must now step up to the promises that they have all written about in successive manifestos; education must now be specifically prioritised with additional resource going to the Department to address the £450m maintenance backlog and to start making meaningful inroads on the  significant backlog of approved capital projects.”

Joanne Whyte, Principal Clarawood School, and NAHT’s Vice President said:

“While the SEN community are scrambling around trying to source additional accommodation, the existing estate is crumbling, literally. We have our most vulnerable children attending schools where there are heating, water and structural problems as a result of lack of investment in basic maintenance. Lack of heating means lack of hot water, a basic need for personal hygiene and handwashing. 

“Crumbling plaster and infrastructure in our schools is leading to mould, damp, and mice! The special school estate is not fit for purpose for the children who attend, and the dedicated staff who care for them.”