Education projects win top marks for new work

Education projects are set for a bright 2026, following a strong start to the year in both new contracts and emerging opportunities across the sector.

Long-planned work under the School Rebuilding Programme is now materialising. A series of eight major DfE projects were signed off at the end of 2025 for delivery this year, involving school construction contracts in the English regions worth around £270 million and covering rebuilds and refurbishments.

Significant contracts which have got underway recently include a £69.3 m redevelopment of Upton-by-Chester High School, a flagship facility of almost 140,000 sq ft where Kier Construction is the main contractor (Project ID: 22265579). Another is the £43.8 million replacement of Gosford Hill School in Oxfordshire (pictured), where Bowmer & Kirland is the construction manager (Project ID: 22266563).

Further DfE school contracts worth around £162 million have also recently moved into construction.

Meanwhile, the long-term pipeline for work across all of the education sector has been bolstered by the launch in January of the DfE’s new £18.5 billion construction framework (CF25). Under a collaborative system, it is designed to speed up delivery and provide stable procurement and will fund new builds and refurbishments for schools, colleges, and universities across England (Project ID: 24077667).

Positive trends

The latest February Glenigan Construction Review highlights the positive trends in the sector. It notes a 29% rise in the value of education project starts in the three months to January, compared to the year earlier.

Project starts on schools – up by a third to £873 million in the period to January – were easily the largest source of new education sector work. But project starts have also risen for work on universities (up 55% to £216 million) and colleges (up 9% to £91 million).

One major further education scheme where work is set to get underway this spring is the £60 million 3 West Redevelopment at the University of Bath, where applications for a cost consultant are currently being invited (Project ID: 25360606).

Some of the strongest growth in education project starts has been seen in the East of England, where underlying starts are up 300% in the three months to January on the previous year. Scotland (up 319%), London (up 182%), the East Midlands (up 193%), and the North East (up 172%) are also providing good opportunities.

Meanwhile, the longer-term education sector pipeline should benefit from an 11% rise in the value of detailed planning approvals for the sector in the period to January over the previous three months. London, Yorkshire & The Humber, Scotland, and Wales have all seen strong rises in approvals.

The growing momentum in the sector chimes with the recent Glenigan Construction Industry Forecast 2026-27, which predicts a 15% increase in underlying education starts (<£100m) this year, followed by a further 4% in 2027.

Under the government’s Plan for Change, almost £20 billion is to be invested in the School Rebuilding Programme through to 2034-35 – involving over 500 schools and sixth-form colleges across England, with work on an additional 250 schools and sixth-form colleges also planned. In all, around £2.4 billion a year has been pledged annually.

Earlier this month, the government also announced a scheme to tie school buildings with training responsibilities, creating some 13,000 apprenticeship and T Level placements.

Significant projects

Glenigan data gives details on numerous significant school and other education projects in the pipeline.

Tenders are currently being invited for a £45 million redevelopment/refurbishment of Penketh High School in Warrington as one of 61 schools chosen under the third wave of the Rebuilding Programme. Work is due to start this summer and run for eight months (Project ID: 22266568).

Meanwhile, in Nottingham, tenders have been returned, and work is due to start this summer on a £36.8 million rebuilding of The Dukeries Academy in New Ollerton (Project ID: 25313751).

In north London, tenders have been returned on a £82.9 million rebuild and refurbishment of Enfield Grammar School. Work on the scheme, where work is set to run for eight months, is due to get underway later this summer (Project ID: 22265590).