Thirty-four academy trusts have received a share of £530 million in government funding aimed at promoting green initiatives. This funding, part of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, will support 222 projects focused on reducing fossil fuel reliance through the installation of heat pumps, solar panels, insulation, and low-energy lighting.
Of the 222 projects, 47 are school-related, with these initiatives securing a combined total of £37 million. Councils account for over 70 funded projects, which may also include school improvements, although specifics were not provided.
The largest individual grant of £4 million was awarded to Benfield School and Sports Centre, part of the NEAT Academy Trust in Newcastle. The Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership trust received six grants totaling just over £2 million, benefiting multiple schools within its network.
Significant grants were also awarded to larger trusts, including £1.6 million to United Learning’s Barnsley Academy, £1.2 million to Star Academies, and £516,000 to the Elliot Foundation Academies Trust. These projects are set to be completed over the next two years.
Impact of Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme on schools
Launched in 2020, the £2.5 billion Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme has already funded over 1,000 projects. The government has pledged to spend more than £12 billion on energy efficiency by 2028. The current projects are part of phase three of the scheme.
Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance Lord Callanan said, “From school corridors to the businesses that power up our economy, we want to make sure buildings of all shapes and sizes are supported to deliver net zero… we are standing steadfast behind our public sector and local businesses, providing the help they need to make the switch to cleaner, homegrown energy.”
Full list of schools receiving PSDS grants
| NEAT Academy Trust: Benfield School and Sports Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne | £4,062,807 |
| Wickersley Partnership Trust, Durham | £833,051 |
| Bishop Wheeler Catholic Academy Trust: St Mary’s Primary School, Knaresborough | £134,048 |
| Church of England Diocese of Leeds: St Peters Church of England Burmantofts Primary School | £221,006 |
| Coast and Vale Learning Trust: Filey School, North Yorkshire | £1,978,268 |
| Impact Education Multi Academy Trust: Newsome Academy, Huddersfield | £778,649 |
| Owlcotes Multi Academy Trust: Pudsey Waterloo Primary School, Leeds | £517,267 |
| United Learning Trust: Barnsley Academy | £1,610,358 |
| Wellspring Academy Trust | £223,453 |
| Liverpool Joint Catholic and Church of England Academies Trust: The Academy of St Francis of Assisi, Liverpool | £807,222 |
| Sea View Trust, Blackpool | £2,252,786 |
| True Learning Partnership, Stockport | £2,459,518 |
| Archway Learning Trust: Bluecoat Aspley Academy, Nottingham | £1,636,792 |
| Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi Academy Trust, Nottingham | £1,170,000 |
| Birmingham Diocesan Multi Academy Trust | £597,726 |
| Leigh Trust: Marlborough Primary School, Birmingham | £1,202,431 |
| Active Learning Trust: Kingsfield Primary School, Cambridgeshire | £310,708 |
| Atlas Multi Academy Trust: Adeyfield Academy, Hertfordshire | £1,001,727 |
| Danes Educational Trust, Hertfordshire | £127,145 |
| Sigma Trust: Stanway School, Essex | £252,914 |
| Acer Trust: Wood Green Secondary School, Oxfordshire | £1,138,720 |
| Aletheia Academies Trust: Stone St Marys School, Dartford | £580,878 |
| Bosco Catholic Education Trust: St. Paul’s Catholic College, Sussex | £561,000 |
| Diocese of Chichester | £534,491 |
| Diocese of Portsmouth and Winchester | £184,521 |
| Hook Norton Church of England Primary School, Banbury | £196,348 |
| Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership: More Park Catholic Primary School, West Malling | £134,375 |
| Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership: Our Lady of Hartley Catholic Primary School, Hartley | £183,613 |
| Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership: St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Aylesham | £191,500 |
| Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership: Stella Maris Catholic Primary School, Folkestone | £220,308 |
| Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership: St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School, Margate | £285,336 |
| Kent Catholic Schools’ Partnership: St Simon Stock Catholic School, Maidstone | £1,038,762 |
| Oxford Diocesan Board of Education | £792,075 |
| Royal Latin School, Buckingham | £185,763 |
| Aspire Academy Trust: Mount Hawke Academy, Cornwall | £201,118 |
| Cornwall Education Learning Trust | £79,789 |
| Gloucester Diocesan Board of Education | £220,104 |
| Olympus Academy Trust, Bristol | £637,983 |
| Queen’s Park Infant Academy, Dorset | £441,235 |
| Salisbury Board of Education: Coombe Bissett Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Wiltshire | £75,111 |
| Salisbury Board of Education: St George’s Primary School, Dorset | £65,255 |
| Ted Wragg Multi Academy Trust: All Saints Academy, Plymouth | £674,275 |
| Torquay Boys’ Grammar School, Devon | £1,824,000 |
| Bridge Academy Trust: The Bridge Primary School, Islington | £879,428 |
| Elliot Foundation Academies Trust | £516,340 |
| River Learning Trust | £1,771,854 |
| Star Academies | £1,217,388 |
To see how we’ve supplied and installed LED lighting at more than 70 locations, with a total project value of around £6m from PSDS phase one, take a look at our case study here.
