The 39 schools in Greater Manchester to get vital repairs - including 10 in Oldham

Vital funding has been announced for work on 39 schools in Greater Manchester - several of which were at risk of having to close buildings due to disrepair and safety issues.

Ten of those school are based in Oldham.

The Greater Manchester projects are among 117 schools in the north west that will receive a total of more than £62m funding to upgrade buildings.

The works are part of £1.8bn national investment confirmed today to ‘improve learning environments’.

The Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) will be used to complete larger improvements to their schools such as upgrading heating systems, replacing roofs or rewiring electrical systems.

Among the schools named is Harper Green School in Bolton which risked closure due to water getting in through a failing roof.

Similar problems have persisted at Fiddlers Lane Community Primary School in Salford, who said a dilapidated roof led to fears of school closure.

Parrs Wood High School in Didsbury will also be able to complete fire safety and compliance works to address what were described as ‘life safety matters’.

Other schools that are looked after by councils, multi academy trusts and large voluntary aided school groups across England will also benefit from almost £1.2 billion to support them in similar large improvement projects through School Condition Allocations.

The government said the funding for schools will mean ‘newer roofs, heating systems and top of the line classrooms for schools up and down the country ensuring children are learning in high quality environments built for the future’.

Schools Minister, Damian Hinds, said: “From day-to-day maintenance to long lasting structural improvements this funding will support schools in the North West in providing high quality learning environments for all our children.

“We want every child to realise their potential and great school buildings are just one part of our work to drive up standards across the education system - with more pupils in good and outstanding schools than ever before.”

Allocations were informed by government’s condition data collection, which the they described as ‘one of the largest and most comprehensive surveys or school building condition in Europe, to target funding to where it is most needed’.

Here are all the schools in Oldham which have been allocated funds:

The Hathershaw College –  Partial electrical refurbishment
Werneth Primary School – Partial electrical refurbishment
North Chadderton School – Heating distribution replacement
Kingfisher Special School – Replacement of boiler plant and hot water plant and controls to two plant rooms
St Anne’s CofE Lydgate Primary School – Partial electrical refurbishment
Oldham Sixth Form College – Partial replacement of heating system
Fir Bank Primary School – Fire safety and compliance
Littlemoor Primary School – Replacement of boiler plant and controls
Broadfield Primary School – urgent fire safety improvements
Blackshaw Lane Primary & Nursery School – Replacement of defective roof coverings

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