School building collapse causing death or injury ‘very likely’ following years of underfunding, warns watchdog

A building collapse at an English school resulting in death or injury is “very likely” following years of national underfunding, a public spending watchdog warned in a damning report published on Wednesday.Around 700,000 children in England are attending schools in need of major repairs, as “years of underinvestment” by the government have led to an overall decline in the condition of buildings, said the National Audit Office (NAO).It added that despite the “critical” risks posed to the safety of pupils and staff, the government lacks enough information about the nation’s stock of school buildings to manage the issue.