My school is rickety and decrepit - head teacher

NAHT said almost a fifth of respondents reported parts of their school estate cannot be maintained

A head teacher has expressed concern about her "woefully out-of-date" school after a report suggested schools are falling into disrepair because of a lack of funding.

According to the survey from the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) classrooms, playgrounds and toilets are not being maintained.

Cindy O’Sullivan, head teacher of Gosden House School, Surrey, said: "We don’t have the budget to maintain the building."

Natalie Bramhall, cabinet member for property, waste and infrastructure at Surrey County Council, said: "We are working at pace to address the condition concerns at Gosden House School."

The Department for Education (DfE) said schools and sixth form colleges will benefit from £1.8bn to help maintain buildings.

The NAHT survey of over 1,000 school leaders found four out of five said they lack the funding needed to maintain their school buildings.

Some of those surveyed said they were forced to use classrooms that were damp and mouldy, according to NAHT.

Gosden House is a state-maintained school which has supported children with special educational needs since the 1940s.

Ms O’Sullivan said: "The building and grounds are picturesque, but it is also rickety, decrepit and woefully out of date, with leaky pipes, a sky-high heating bill, blocked drains and rotting single-pane windows."

Some of those surveyed said they were forced to use classrooms that were damp and mouldy

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT, said: "Our children deserve to learn in safe, comfortable conditions."

The union has called for an urgent government investment in school estates.

A DfE spokesperson said: "We offer additional emergency support on a case-by-case basis to schools which face significant issues that could risk building closures."

They said it was up to responsible bodies, such as local authorities and trusts, to make their own decisions on investment in their schools each year.

Ms Bramhall said: "We are committed to ensuring the maintenance and safety of all school buildings we are responsible for and are scheduled to invest circa £17m across the Surrey school estate in the current financial year, which is partly funded by the government condition allowance."