Rachel has welcomed the announcement of funding for vital refurbishment works to St Francis Catholic Academy in Bedworth.

The school is set to benefit from the government’s investment of up to £35.4 million to conduct vital repairs to schools across the West Midlands, through the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF). The fund will pay for essential repairs in schools including fixing crumbling roofs, replacing unsafe window frames, and removing dangerous asbestos, following years of neglect by Conservative-led governments.

Following the announcement, Rachel said,

From our crumbling schools to our neglected town centre, Bedworth residents are impatient for change in our town after years of decline under the Conservatives.

 

So I’m delighted that the government has announced they will be funding these important repairs at St Francis Catholic Academy, which follows hot on the heels of other recent announcements including an upgrade to Goodyers End Lane GP Surgery, a new school-based nursery at Keresley Newland Primary School, and £20 million to regenerate Bedworth town centre.

 

After fourteen years of neglect and decline, we now have a Labour government that is investing in our town again. It’s really exciting, and I cannot wait to see the finished results.

School refurbishments will be delivered during the 2025 to 2026 financial year, with the first upgrades expected to begin this summer.

A further £1.4 billion will back the acceleration of the School Rebuilding Programme, with a commitment to kickstart projects at 100 schools this year alone, as the Labour Government seeks to fix the foundations of the school estate. This programme will rejuvenate schools by delivering new, high-quality facilities that will raise the standards of education through new sports halls, IT rooms, school kitchens, and playgrounds that children and staff can enjoy for years to come.