A COLLEGE in Basingstoke has been given funding to improve the condition of one of its buildings.

Queen Mary's College, in Cliddesden Road, will be awarded £570,000 part of the Government's Condition Improvement Fund.

The money has come from a Department for Education capital fund which is aimed at addressing significant condition needs in schools and colleges.

A total of £110,025,987 worth of funding has been awarded to the South East region, with it going towards more than 100 projects.

Mark Henderson, the college's principal, said: “£570,000 awarded to Queen Mary’s College from the Condition Improvement Fund will be used to make repairs to the fabric of one of the site’s state of the art facilities. 

"Funding of this nature will ensure that we are able to maintain the high quality learning environments where our students learn and thrive.”

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Basingstoke Gazette: Google Map image of Queen Mary's College in Basingstoke

Basingstoke's MP Maria Miller has welcomed the funding, she said: “Basingstoke’s schools have been transformed over the past decade, up from just 52 per cent rated good or outstanding in 2010. Today nine out of 10 schools are rated 'good' or 'outstanding'.

"This additional investment from the Government ensures that that pupils have a safe, well-maintained, and high-quality facilities to study in.”

A spreadsheet on the Department of Education's website reveals that the funding will be used for 'urgent replacement of defective roof coverings'. 

A statement about the funding on the Government's website reads: "The priority for the Department for Education (DfE) in administering the fund is to address significant condition needs – that is, keeping education providers’ buildings safe and in good working order. This includes funding projects that address health and safety issues, building compliance and buildings in poor condition.

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"The fund also supports a small number of expansion projects. These are for academies, sixth-form colleges and VA schools rated good or outstanding by Ofsted that can demonstrate a need to expand."

Further details of funding will reportedly be published at a later date.

For further guidance and information, visit gov.uk/guidance/condition-improvement-fund.

If any schools in Basingstoke have further enquiries, staff can enquire via the Education and Skills Funding Agency customer help portal, at customerhelpportal.education.gov.uk.