15.09.2026
As schools across the country welcome pupils back for the start of a new academic year, attention turns once again to the quality, capacity and suitability of the learning environments that support them.
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The education sector continues to face a complex set of challenges. While overall pupil numbers are forecast to decline nationally over the coming years, demand remains strong in many areas as a result of housing growth, ageing school buildings and increasing requirements for specialist and SEND provision.
The Government has set out an ambitious programme of investment to address these challenges. More than 500 schools are already included within the School Rebuilding Programme, with a further 250 expected to be selected. Supported by almost £20 billion of investment between 2025/26 and 2034/35, the programme represents a significant pipeline of school rebuilding, refurbishment and campus modernisation projects.
Alongside the School Rebuilding Programme, the Government's wider [2025 Spending Review] and [Education Estates Strategy] set out significant investment in England's education estate. This includes £2.6 billion between 2026/27 and 2029/30 for additional mainstream school places where they are needed, approximately £2.3 billion a year for school maintenance by 2029/30, and £38 billion of wider education capital investment between 2025/26 and 2029/30.
SEND provision represents a particularly significant priority, with the Government committing £3.7 billion to create 60,000 additional specialist places through new special schools, the expansion of existing schools and specialist facilities within mainstream settings.
The challenge is not simply one of providing more school places. The focus must be on delivering the right facilities, in the right locations, and ensuring education estates are equipped to meet changing community needs.
Major housing developments will continue to generate demand for new and expanded schools, while many existing campuses require redevelopment, modernisation or adaptation to improve accessibility, sustainability and educational outcomes.
At DHA, supporting education providers through these challenges has been a core part of our work for many years.
Over the past decade, we have helped deliver:
Our multidisciplinary teams work with the Department for Education, academy and school trusts, local authorities, contractors and development partners to support the planning and delivery of education projects across the country. From estate strategies and site appraisals through to new schools, campus redevelopments and school expansions, we help turn long-term ambitions into deliverable projects.
On 20th and 21st October, DHA will be attending Education Estates 2026 in Manchester and in the lead up to the event, we will be sharing a series of education-focused articles, project highlights and case studies, showcasing some of the schools and education estates we have helped deliver over the years.
From School Rebuilding Programme projects and SEND provision to school expansions and estate strategies, we'll be exploring some of the key challenges and opportunities shaping the future of education infrastructure.
If you're attending Education Estates this year, we'd be delighted to connect and discuss how early planning advice, stakeholder engagement and coordinated technical expertise can help unlock successful education projects.
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