News
Tuesday September 15 2026
Back to School
Planning for the Future of Education Estates
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.
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.
Planning for the Right Places
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:
- More than 42,000 new school places
- Over 650,000 sq m of new and improved education floorspace
- Projects for more than 50 education partners
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.
Looking Ahead to Education Estates 2026
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.
Authors
Matthew Blythin MRTPI
Director
Mathew joined DHA as one of our original graduate intake in 2004. He has a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Westminster, having previously studied Geography at the University of Birmingham.
Laura Jackson MA
Associate Director
Laura joined DHA in 2004 as part of our original Graduate intake. She holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) Degree in Geography and Sports Science from Loughborough University, and an MA in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Westminster. She is also a member of the RTPI.