Funding your modular building

At TG Escapes, we specialise in creating bespoke, sustainable modular buildings for the education sector. From nurseries to colleges, we create cost-effective, environmentally conscious building solutions that align with your educational and financial needs. When looking to secure the funding you need for a new educational building there are several avenues to consider, and some key resources to make use of.

Your Funding Options

Whether you’re dealing with unsuitable existing buildings or require additional space to deal with expanding pupil numbers or specialist SEND needs, there will be a range of avenues through which you can seek funding:

• Local Authority Funding: Local authorities distribute funding through the Basic Need programme. This initiative provides financial support for expanding existing schools or establishing new ones.
• School Capital Funding: Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) and School Condition Allowance (SCA) funds are two ways that schools can apply for and receive funding to construct new facilities on their site.
• Grants: There are many groups within the UK offering funding to schools, usually for specific needs, be that creating sports facilities or helping pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.

From government programmes to charitable initiatives, there will be several opportunities to secure the necessary funds for your new school building. Our team wants to be of assistance to all schools needing funding to get the new building their staff and pupils require.

For schools and trusts facing urgent capacity challenges but limited capital budgets, leasing offers a practical alternative to upfront purchasing. Under the IFRS16 Maintained Schools Secretary of State Finance Lease Class Consent 2024, modular buildings can be procured through finance leases, a well-established route within the education sector that aligns with DfE expectations for prudent financial management.

Working with our public sector funding partner, we can help cash-strapped trusts avoid significant upfront capital expenditure and spread the cost of a new building over the term of the lease. This is particularly valuable for schools looking to expand their SEND provision quickly, where the cost of delay — including expensive out-of-area placements — can far exceed the cost of building local capacity.

How it works

Our leasing arrangements allow your trust to receive a fully designed, manufactured, and installed building while spreading payments across a predictable schedule. You’ll retain the asset for its full lifespan, and because our buildings are specified to net zero in operation as standard, your ongoing energy costs stay low — meaning more of your budget goes directly to supporting students.

Illustrative leasing costs

To give you a sense of what’s possible, here are indicative annual costs over a 10-year term for our Inclusive Learning Hubs, purpose-built SEND facilities designed in partnership with leading SEND architects:

Costs exclude VAT. Exact figures will depend on your project’s specification and site requirements.

This predictable cost structure makes it far easier for business managers and trust boards to plan effectively. When compared to the cost of out-of-area SEND placements — which can reach up to £142,000 per student per year — building local capacity through a leased modular SEND classroom represents a compelling invest-to-save proposition.

If you’d like to explore whether leasing could work for your project, get in touch with our team for a complimentary design and viability consultation.