Education construction activity increases

The education construction sector is showing signs of increased activity with a surge in contract awards.

Glenigan’s construction market intelligence has recorded a 49% increase in the value of main contracts awarded at an underlying value (projects valued up to £100 million) for education construction projects in the three months to September 2025 compared to the preceding quarter.

There was a small fall in the value of project starts and detailed planning approvals at an underlying level, but the long-term outlook is improving.

Glenigan economics director Allan Wilén says: “While there has been a short-term downturn in the education sector, with project delays holding back immediate performance, there is some cause for optimism in the future, with schemes such as the school rebuilding programme set to provide a much-needed boost to the sector over the next few years.”

Schools pipeline

The school rebuilding programme will inject nearly £2.8 billion over the decade up to 2031 (Project ID: 20264300).

In the latest quarter, schools’ projects valued at £934 million started on site, and there is plenty more work in the pipeline.

Glenigan’s construction research has identified 331 schemes for schools up to sixth form valued at between £1 million and £100 million with detailed planning approval and due to start on site in the next 12 months.

Top regions

The South East has the largest number of approved school schemes due to begin in the next year, with 49 projects at an underlying level coming up.

Procurement is at an advanced stage on a number of these projects, which range widely in value.

Tenders are due for return on November 7 for a £2.2 million extension of Keldmarsh Primary School in Humberside (Project ID: 24328809). Work should start before the end of this year.

Development of a £28 million Special Educational Needs School at Vermont Close in Southampton (pictured) is at the same stage, with construction expected to begin in the New Year (Project ID: 24288044).

London has the next largest pipeline. There are 49 approved school projects in the capital with construction due to begin in the coming 12 months.

These range from a £9.7 million extension of Park School in Ilford, where Mulalley was recently confirmed as contractor (Project ID: 24232055), to the £51.3 million Rosedale scheme in Hillingdon, where main construction should commence in January (Project ID: 21337496).

College and university workload

Project starts for college and university work both declined in the latest quarter, but there is still a sizeable pipeline of work at an underlying level due to begin in the forthcoming 12 months.

Glenigan’s construction research has identified 59 college schemes. These range from the £91.2 million College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise on the Greenmount Campus at Antrim in Northern Ireland (Project ID: 21216700). Procurement has just begun with a start due next March.

University work has tailed off as the number of foreign students recedes since Brexit, but there are still 98 schemes at an underlying level with approval and scheduled to commence in the next 12 months.

This includes major schemes such as the £87.8 million first phase of the University of Warwick’s Science and Engineering Precinct, where Kier was recently appointed construction manager (Project ID: 25340310).

 Improving outlook

The recent rise in activity has been partly influenced by the start of the academic year, but Glenigan’s research shows there is still plenty of education construction projects work coming up.