Planning Categories
Schools capital priorities - composite list
Introduction
This is a list of school capital priorities, which reflects accommodation deficiencies in the schools' estate. These have been presented by school authorities and recognised by the Department as warranting appraisal or planning for major capital funding (that is, greater than £300,000 capital cost).
The list of schools is updated on an annual basis and comprises those schemes that have not been allocated capital funding and may be at any stage of the appraisal/planning process.
The schemes have been identified and prioritised by category in consultation with Education and Library Boards, School Trustees, the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education and individual school representatives. There are 5 categories within the composite list and they are determined by the nature of the deficiency.
Categories 1-3 reflect the high priority schemes that have been selected for economic appraisal analysis. On completion of an economic appraisal, projects advance to a Contenders List. All projects on the Contenders List compete for funding, whether through Public Private Partnership or from the Department's capital budget.
Categories 4-5 do not have as high a priority as schemes in categories 1-3 and no action can be taken to progress these schemes. No further schemes will, however, be added to these categories.
Category 1 - Unmet demand
Additional schools on identified sites or extensions to existing schools where there is clear evidence that there is unmet demand created by insufficient places to accommodate pupils at suitable schools within a defined area.
Category 2 - Essential works to effect rationalisation
Rationalisation proposals which replace sub-standard accommodation and are essential to effect the rationalisation (other elements of such projects may be considered for inclusion in Category 3 if appropriate).
Category 3 - Serious sub-standard accommodation
Schools which suffer significantly as a result of several serious accommodation inadequacies such as:
- old, poorly maintained and/or undersized classrooms creating in some instances, health and safety risks and/or serious curriculum deficiencies;
- serious overcrowding caused by increased enrolments;
- large proportion of accommodation in poorly maintained temporary classrooms;
- serious unsatisfactory ancillary accommodation;
- a serious shortfall in indoor PE facilities.
Inadequacies in primary and special schools could also include:
- poor site and/or play facilities again creating health and safety risks; and
- absence of dining/assembly hall.
Schools meeting this criterion usually require a major extension, major refurbishment or complete replacement.
Category 4 - Sub-standard accommodation in schools
(i) schools which have general sub-standard accommodation inhibiting delivery of the curriculum in non-specialist accommodation;
(ii) secondary schools which have sub-standard accommodation associated with a shortfall or deficiency in PE facilities.
Category 5 - Overcrowding and undue reliance on temporary accommodation (Incorporating Special Schools)
Schools qualifying under this criterion will have an excessive number of temporary classrooms resulting from enrolments substantially in excess of permanent capacity. However, such temporary accommodation would be reasonably well maintained, ie it would not be considered sub-standard.
