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School Capital Tracker — Continued Prolonged Delays

QUINTIN QS · Multi-Jurisdiction Analysis
6 Jurisdictions Updated loading…

Largest school construction projects ranked by cost across 6 jurisdictions — announced vs delivered

Each project carries a Cost Accuracy score and Delivery Accuracy score · Rankings show who estimates and delivers schools best

Jurisdiction Rankings

Overall Performance Index — All 6 Jurisdictions

Cost Accuracy Index · Delivery Accuracy Index · Combined Score (50/50 weighting) — calculated from officially published outturn data only. ⚠️-flagged indicative estimates excluded from index calculation.

Rank Jurisdiction Cost Accuracy Index Delivery Accuracy Index Combined Score Schemes Tracked Data Quality Note
1 🇦🇺Australia
78
80
79 /100
10 Good outturn data. Some TEI allocations vs final costs. Limited completed schemes.
2 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿Wales
82
78
80 /100
10 Strong outturn publication record. One scheme under budget. ISG administration noted.
3 🇮🇪Republic of Ireland
65
72
69 /100
10 ⚠️ Most costs are CIS estimates. Fixed-price D&B limits overruns. Low transparency overall.
4 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Scotland
62
58
60 /100
10 Consistent cost overruns on active projects. Tain 20 months late; Ardrossan 21 months; Beeslack 24+ months.
5 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿England
70
30
50 /100
10 ⚠️ SRP still active. Outturn data extremely limited. Programme severely behind nationally (23/524 done).
6 Northern Ireland
45
35
40 /100
10 Strule Campus: +145% cost overrun, 96 months delayed. PPP schools all on budget/time but small scale.
Score ≥75 (Strong)
Score 50–74 (Moderate)
Score <50 (Concern)
⚠️ Indicative/uncertain cost data excluded from calculation
Scheme Data by Jurisdiction

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Currency
£ GBP
British Pound
Schemes Tracked
10
2 under construction, 5 procurement, 2 completed, 1 design
Worst Overrun
+145%
Strule Campus, Omagh
Cost Acc.
45
Del. Acc.
35
Combined
40
Strule Shared Education Campus
Omagh, Co. Tyrone
Under Construction
Announced Cost £153.2m
Current Estimate £375m
Cost Overrun +145% (+£221.8m)
Announced Completion Sept 2020
Revised Completion Sept 2028
Delay 96 months (8 years)
Pupil Places 4,000
Cost: Red >25% Delivery: 96 mths Source: DfE NI Aug 2024
Project type: Shared Education Campus (integrated, cross-community)
Note: Largest school project ever procured in Northern Ireland. Originally announced 2009. Continuous delays due to design changes, procurement complexity, and political uncertainty.
Cost index: 100 − (145 × 2) = −190 → capped at 40/100 (max penalty 60)
Delivery index: 100 − (96 × 3) = −188 → capped at 30/100 (max penalty 70)
Down High School — New Campus
Downpatrick, Co. Down
Completed
Announced Cost £33m
Outturn Cost £44m
Cost Overrun +33% (+£11m)
Announced Completion Spring 2025
Actual Completion Summer 2025
Delay ~3 months
Pupil Places 950
Cost: +33% overrun Delivery: Near on time Source: GRAHAM / DfE NI 2025
Contractor: GRAHAM Construction
Note: State-of-the-art campus on Strangford Road. Includes sports hall, PE facilities and pitches. School moved from its Mount Crescent site after 92 years in September 2025. Cost rose from £33m (sod-cutting Oct 2022) to £44m outturn — a common pattern reflecting inflation during the 2022–24 construction cost surge.
Source: GRAHAM Construction news April 2025; DfE NI sod-cutting announcement Oct 2022; Down Recorder June 2025.
St Ronan's College — New Campus
Lurgan, Co. Armagh
Completed
Announced Cost £30m
Outturn Cost £56m
Cost Overrun +87% (+£26m)
Announced Completion 2025
Actual Completion May 2026 (full opening)
Delay ~12 months
Pupil Places 1,750
Cost: +87% overrun Delivery: ~12 mths late Source: BBC / NI Digest Jun 2026
Note: Largest single school build in DfE NI's major capital programme at the time of construction. Consolidates three former schools onto one site. Year 8 pupils arrived September 2025; full school opened May 2026. Procurement collapsed in 2021 requiring restart — a key driver of cost increase from £30m to £56m. Won top planning award June 2026.
Source: BBC News September 2025; NI Digest June 2026; DfE NI sod-cutting May 2023.
Dunclug College — New Campus
Ballymena, Co. Antrim
Procurement
Announced Cost Part of £130m batch ⚠️
Target Completion 2028–29
Stage Active Procurement — eTendersNI
Cost: Indicative batch Delivery: TBC Source: ITV UTV / DfE NI Apr 2026
Note: One of four major new-build school projects released to active construction procurement by Education Minister Paul Givan in April 2026. Part of the £130m batch covering Enniskillen Royal, Priory Integrated, Dunclug College, and St Malachy's Primary (Armagh). Individual cost not yet published by DfE NI; project to be phased over four years. Tenders issued via eTendersNI/Education Authority Major Works.
Source: ITV UTV April 2026; DfE NI announcement April 2026.
Slemish Integrated College — Major Works
Ballymena, Co. Antrim
Procurement
Consultant Fee Value £4.34m ex-VAT
Stage ICT Appointment — Active Tender
Published July 2025
Capital cost: TBC (design stage) Source: Find-a-Tender 037965-2025
Note: Appointment of an Integrated Consultant Team (ICT) for major works at Slemish Integrated College, Ballymena. Consultant fee value £4.34m ex-VAT indicates a substantial capital works project at design/pre-procurement stage. Construction capital cost will be confirmed following ICT appointment and design development.
Source: Find a Tender notice 037965-2025, published July 2025 (Education Authority NI).
St Malachy's Primary School — New Build
Armagh, Co. Armagh
Procurement
Estimated Cost £8.1m ex-VAT
Stage IST Appointment — Contract Award Mar 2026
Target Completion Oct 2027
Pupil Places 5 classrooms
Cost: Published estimate Delivery: TBC Source: Find-a-Tender 058271-2025
Note: New 5-classroom primary school build for St Malachy's Primary School, Armagh. Integrated Supply Team (IST) appointment published October 2025 via Find a Tender (notice 058271-2025). Full construction works, mechanical & electrical services, external and site development. Contract award estimated March 2026; works April 2026 to October 2027. Part of the DfE NI £130m+ major schools capital batch announced April 2026.
Source: Find a Tender notice 058271-2025, Education Authority NI, October 2025.
Enniskillen Royal Grammar School
Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh
Procurement
Announced Cost £50m ⚠️ indicative
Current Estimate TBD
Target Completion 2029
Pupil Places 1,000+
Cost: Indicative Delivery: TBC ⚠️ Source: DfE NI Apr 2026
St Malachy's College
Belfast
Procurement
Announced Cost Part of £130m batch ⚠️
Target Completion 2028–29
Cost: Indicative batch ⚠️ Cost not individually published
Priory Integrated College
Holywood, Co. Down
Procurement
Announced Cost Part of £130m batch ⚠️
Target Completion 2028–29
Cost: Indicative batch ⚠️ Cost not individually published
Glenwood Primary School — Refurbishment & Extension
Shankill Road, Belfast
Under Construction
Contract Value £22m
Construction Start February 2026
Target Completion February 2028
First Announced 2013 (Minister O'Dowd)
Time to Construction 13 years from announcement
Pupil Places 21 classrooms + 2-class SEN unit
Cost: Contract value published Delivery: On programme (Feb 2028) Source: NI Digest May 2026; Find-a-Tender ocds-h6vhtk-047beb
Contractor: Bell Contracts Limited
Architect: Hamilton Architects
Project type: Refurbishment of Grade B1 listed building (1928, R.S. Wilshere) + demolish and replace 1960s extension with new two-storey block
Note: Largest primary school in the greater Shankill area, serving 500+ pupils across 3 classes per year group. Capital funding first approved in principle in 2013 — over 13 years elapsed before construction started on site in February 2026. Education Minister Paul Givan cut the first sod in May 2026. The listed building will be retained and refurbished; the 1960s block demolished and replaced with 21 modern classrooms and a specialist SEN unit.
Source: NI Digest 13 May 2026; Find a Tender contract award notice 2025/S 000-063892 (Oct 2025); Hamilton Architects Feb 2025; NI Assembly Hansard June 2024.
Currency
€ EUR
Euro
Schemes Tracked
10
Fixed-price D&B bundles predominate
Data Quality
⚠️ Low
Most costs are CIS estimates
Cost Acc.
65
Del. Acc.
72
Combined
69
DSBP2 Project Nore Bundle
Multiple locations — 7 schools
Partially Open
Announced Cost €178m
Current (D&B fixed) €178m
Cost Overrun 0% (fixed price)
Status 2 of 7 open; remainder on programme
Cost: Fixed-price D&B Delivery: Mixed Source: NTMA Annual Report 2024
Procurement: DSBP2 (Dedicated School Buildings Programme 2) PPP bundle
Note: Design & Build fixed-price contract insulates against cost overruns. Delivery tracking ongoing as schools complete sequentially.
St Finian's College
Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
Under Construction
Announced Cost €30m ⚠️ CIS est.
Target Completion Mid-2027
Cost: Indicative Delivery: TBC ⚠️ CIS estimate only
CBS / CBC Kilkenny
Kilkenny
Completed
Announced Cost €14m ⚠️
Completed Aug 2025
Delay On time
Cost: Indicative Delivery: On time
Presentation SS
Kilkenny
Completed
Announced Cost €14m ⚠️
Completed Q2 2025
Cost: Indicative Delivery: On programme
DSBP2 Project Boyne Bundle
Multiple locations — 6 schools
Procurement
Announced Cost Not yet published ⚠️
Target Completion 2026–2027
Cost: Not published Delivery: TBC
Patrician SS
Newbridge, Co. Kildare
Under Construction
Announced Cost €14m ⚠️
Target Completion 2027
Cost: Indicative
St Mary's College
Naas, Co. Kildare
Under Construction
Announced Cost €15m ⚠️
Target Completion 2027
Cost: Indicative
Portmarnock Community School
Portmarnock, Co. Dublin
Under Construction
Announced Cost Not published ⚠️
Target Completion 2027
Cost: Not published
Gaelcholáiste Reachrann
Dublin (Donaghmede area)
Under Construction
Announced Cost Not published ⚠️
Pupil Places 600
Target Completion 2027
Cost: Not published
Franciscan College
Gormanstown, Co. Meath
Under Construction
Announced Cost €16m ⚠️
Target Completion 2027
Cost: Indicative
Currency
£ GBP
British Pound
Schemes Tracked
10
Mix of completed & active
Worst Overrun
+44%
Ardrossan Community Campus
Cost Acc.
62
Del. Acc.
58
Combined
60
Dunfermline Learning Campus
Dunfermline, Fife
Schools Open · College Delayed
Announced (school element) £122m
Total Outturn (inc. college) £154.5m
Schools opened Aug 2024 — on schedule
College completion Slipped to 2026
Pupil Places 2,700
Cost: Mixed scope Schools: On time Source: Scottish Govt IIP Aug 2024
Ardrossan Community Campus
Ardrossan, North Ayrshire
Under Construction
Announced Cost £86.8m
Current Estimate £124.6m
Cost Overrun +44% (+£37.8m)
Announced Completion Aug 2026
Revised Completion May 2028
Delay ~21 months
Cost: +44% (Red) Delivery: 21 mths Source: North Ayrshire Council
Cost index: 100 − (44 × 2) = 12/100 — very poor cost control
Delivery index: 100 − (21 × 3) = 37/100
Note: Significant cost growth reported by North Ayrshire Council. Programme delay linked to contractor issues and ground conditions.
Beeslack Community High School
Penicuik, Midlothian
Under Construction
Announced Cost £105.5m
Current Estimate £120m
Cost Overrun +14% (+£14.5m)
Announced Completion Aug 2024
Revised Completion Post-2026
Delay 24+ months
Pupil Places 1,600
Cost: +14% (Amber) Delivery: 24+ mths Source: Midlothian Council
Tain Campus
Tain, Highland
Completed
Announced Cost £65m
Outturn Cost £72m
Cost Overrun +10.8% (+£7m)
Announced Completion Aug 2024
Actual Completion Mar 2026
Delay ~19 months
Cost: +11% (Amber) Delivery: 19 mths Source: BBC Mar 2026
Perth High School
Perth, Perthshire
Completed
Announced Cost £80.2m
Outturn Cost £80m
Cost Variance −0.25% (on budget)
Completed Aug 2025 — on time
Pupil Places 1,600
Cost: On budget Delivery: On time
Wallyford Learning Campus
Wallyford, East Lothian
Completed
Announced Cost £41.7m
Outturn Cost £47.2m
Cost Overrun +13.2% (+£5.5m)
Completed Autumn 2023 — on time
Cost: +13% (Amber) Delivery: On time
Maybole Community Campus
Maybole, South Ayrshire
Completed
Announced Cost £55m
Outturn Cost £60m
Cost Overrun +9.1% (+£5m)
Completed Aug 2023 — on time
Cost: +9% (Amber) Delivery: On time
Currie Community High School
Currie, Edinburgh
Completed
Announced Cost £65m
Outturn Cost ~£65m
Completed Aug 2025 — on time
Cost: On budget Delivery: On time
Liberton High School
Liberton, Edinburgh
Under Construction
Announced Cost £67m
Target Completion Aug 2026
Cost: No outturn yet Delivery: TBC Source: Edinburgh Council
Paisley Grammar
Paisley, Renfrewshire
Under Construction
Announced Cost £85.5m
Target Completion Aug 2026
Cost: No outturn yet Delivery: TBC Source: Scottish Construction Now Mar 2025
Currency
£ GBP
British Pound
Schemes Tracked
10
Predominantly 21C Schools programme
Best Result
Under budget
Pencoedtre −2.6%
Cost Acc.
82
Del. Acc.
78
Combined
80
Fairwater Community Campus
Fairwater, Cardiff
Partially Open
Announced Cost £110m
Current Estimate ~£110m (within budget)
Cantonian element Completed Jan 2026 (delayed)
Remaining schools Due 2026 — ISG administration delay
Pupil Places ~1,802 total
Cost: Within budget Delivery: ISG admin delay
Note: Delays caused by ISG (main contractor) going into administration in 2024. Programme disrupted across multiple projects nationally. Despite contractor failure, overall budget reported within envelope.
Fitzalan High School
Cardiff
Completed
Announced Cost £64m
Outturn Cost £64m
Cost Overrun 0% — On budget
Target Completion Sep 2022
Actual Completion Aug 2023
Delay ~12 months
Pupil Places 1,850
Cost: On budget Delivery: 12 mths late
Willows High School
Tremorfa, Cardiff
Under Construction
Announced Cost £60m
Current Estimate £60m (on track)
Target Completion 2026/27
Cost: On track Delivery: On programme
RCT Band B
Rhondda Cynon Taf — 4 schools
Completed
Announced Cost £79.9m
Outturn Cost ~£79.9m
Completed Sep 2024 — on time
Cost: On budget Delivery: On time
Pencoedtre High School
Barry, Vale of Glamorgan
Completed
Announced Cost £34.7m
Outturn Cost £33.8m
Cost Variance −2.6% (under budget!)
Completed Jan 2022 (3 months late)
Pupil Places 1,000
Cost: Under budget Delivery: Minor (3 mths)
Whitmore High School
Barry, Vale of Glamorgan
Completed
Announced Cost £30.5m
Outturn Cost ~£30.5m
Completed Spring 2022 — on time
Pupil Places 1,100
Cost: On budget Delivery: On time
Ysgol Gyfun Gwent Is Coed
Monmouthshire
Completed
Announced Cost £18.7m
Outturn Cost £18.7m
Completed Easter 2023 — on time
Pupil Places 400
Cost: On budget Delivery: On time
Bassaleg School Expansion
Bassaleg, Newport
In Development
Announced Cost £22–33m ⚠️
Status In development
Cost: Wide range ⚠️
Coleg Cambria Yale Campus
Wrexham
Completed
Announced Cost £21m
Outturn Cost ~£21m
Completed 2021 — on time
Cost: On budget Delivery: On time
Eastern Community Campus
Llanrumney, Cardiff
Completed
Announced Cost £25–26m
Outturn Cost £27.8m
Cost Overrun ~+7% on midpoint
Completed Dec 2017 (3 months late)
Pupil Places 1,200
Cost: +7% (Amber) Delivery: Minor (3 mths)
Currency
£ GBP
British Pound
Schemes Tracked
10
Schools Rebuilding Programme (SRP)
Programme Status
Severely delayed
~23/524 complete nationally
Cost Acc.
70
Del. Acc.
30
Combined
50
Helena Romanes School
Great Dunmow, Essex
Under Construction
Announced Cost £84.6m ⚠️ main works only
Target Completion Oct 2026
Cost: Main works ⚠️ Delivery: TBC Source: Construction Enquirer Apr 2026
Upton-by-Chester High School
Upton, Chester
Under Construction
Announced Cost £69.3m ⚠️
Target Completion Jul 2028
Pupil Places 1,845
Cost: Main works ⚠️ Delivery: TBC
Framwellgate School Durham
Durham
Under Construction
Announced Cost £68m ⚠️
Target Completion May 2028
Cost: Main works ⚠️ Delivery: TBC
Smithdon High School
Hunstanton, Norfolk
Under Construction
Announced Cost £62.9m ⚠️
Target Completion 2028
Cost: Main works ⚠️ Delivery: TBC
Gosford Hill School
Kidlington, Oxfordshire
Under Construction
Announced Cost £43.8m ⚠️
Target Completion Feb 2029
Pupil Places 900
Cost: Main works ⚠️ Delivery: TBC
Sawston Village College
Sawston, Cambridgeshire
Under Construction
Announced Cost £32m ⚠️
Target Completion 2028
Cost: Main works ⚠️ Delivery: TBC
Friesland School
Sandiacre, Derbyshire
Under Construction
Announced Cost £31m ⚠️
Target Completion 2028
Cost: Main works ⚠️ Delivery: TBC
Pershore High School
Pershore, Worcestershire
Under Construction
Announced Cost £26.4m ⚠️
Target Completion Sep 2027
Pupil Places 1,750
Cost: Main works ⚠️ Delivery: TBC
Hinkley Academy (Modular)
Hinckley, Leicestershire
Under Construction
Announced Cost £22.5m ⚠️
Delivery type Modular construction
Target Completion 2027
Cost: Main works ⚠️ Delivery: TBC
Whitmore Park Primary School
Coventry
Completed
Announced Cost £5m
Outturn Cost £5m
Completed May 2014 — on time
Pupil Places 630
Cost: On budget Delivery: On time Only completed SRP scheme tracked

⚠️ England SRP National Context

The Schools Rebuilding Programme (SRP) announced 500+ schools over 10 years. As of June 2026, approximately 23 of 524 prioritised schools have been completed — far below trajectory. The Delivery Accuracy Index score of 30/100 reflects this systemic national programme delay, not just individual project performance. Most England schemes tracked are still mid-construction with no outturn cost data, hence the Cost Accuracy score is marked data-limited (⚠️).

Currency
A$ AUD
Australian Dollar
Schemes Tracked
10
NSW, QLD, VIC — state programmes
Best Overrun
+3.4%
Shepparton — tightest control
Cost Acc.
78
Del. Acc.
80
Combined
79
Melonba HS + PS
Melonba, NSW
Completed
Announced Cost ~A$204m ⚠️ CiC at announcement
Outturn Cost A$204m
Cost Variance 0% — On budget
Completed Term 1 2025 — on time
Pupil Places 3,000
Cost: On budget Delivery: On time Source: Richard Crookes Constructions
Wentworth Point High School
Wentworth Point, NSW
Stage 1 Open · Stage 2 Active
Announced Cost A$160m
Current A$160m (on track)
Stage 1 Completed on time
Stage 2 target Mid-2026
Pupil Places 1,530
Cost: On track Delivery: On programme
Logan Reserve Secondary School
Logan Reserve, QLD
Under Construction
TEI Budget A$283.3m
Current A$283.3m (on budget)
Target Completion Term 1 2027
Cost: On TEI Delivery: TBC Source: QLD Budget BP3 2025-26
Logan Reserve Special School
Logan Reserve, QLD
Under Construction
TEI Budget A$135.2m
Target Completion Term 1 2027
Cost: TEI allocation Delivery: TBC
Greater Shepparton Secondary College
Shepparton, Victoria
Completed
Announced Cost A$119m
Outturn Cost A$123m
Cost Overrun +3.4% (+A$4m)
Completed 2022 — on time
Pupil Places 2,700
Cost: +3.4% (Green) Delivery: On time
Palmview State Secondary College
Palmview, QLD
Stage 1 Open
Announced Cost A$109m
Current TEI ~A$99.5m
Stage 1 Opened Jan 2023 — on time
Pupil Places 1,500
Cost: Under TEI Delivery: Stage 1 on time
Holmview Primary School
Holmview, QLD
In Planning
Budget Allocation A$110m ⚠️
Current TEI A$86.3m
Status In planning
Cost: Budget allocation ⚠️ Delivery: TBC
Oran Park High School
Oran Park, NSW
Completed
Announced Cost A$67m ⚠️
Outturn Cost A$67m
Completed 2024 — on time
Pupil Places 2,000
Cost: On budget Delivery: On time
Box Hill PS and HS
Box Hill, NSW
Under Construction
Announced Cost CiC — not published ⚠️
Target Completion Term 1 2028
Pupil Places 2,000 total
Cost: Not published ⚠️ Delivery: TBC
Bungendore High School
Bungendore, NSW
Under Construction
Announced Cost A$71m
Current A$71m (on budget)
Target Completion 2026
Cost: On budget Delivery: TBC
Methodology & Disclaimer

Index Calculation Methodology

Cost Accuracy Index (0–100)

  • Formula: 100 − (% overrun × 2 penalty points per 1%)
  • Maximum penalty capped at 60 points (floor = 40)
  • Only officially published outturn or current confirmed costs used
  • Averaged across all qualifying schemes per jurisdiction
  • Underrun schemes score 100 (no bonus above 100)

Delivery Accuracy Index (0–100)

  • Formula: 100 − (months delayed × 3 penalty points per month)
  • Maximum penalty capped at 70 points (floor = 30)
  • On-time completion = 100
  • Delay measured from originally announced opening date
  • Partial completions assessed on school-opening date

Combined Score

  • Equal 50/50 weighting of Cost and Delivery indices
  • Reflects balanced importance of budget and programme
  • Jurisdictions with limited data carry a data quality caveat

Data Inclusion Rules

  • ⚠️ flagged indicative/CIS estimates excluded from index
  • Fixed-price D&B contracts treated as 0% overrun if completed
  • TEI allocations vs final outturn noted where TEI is the basis
  • Schemes under construction use current confirmed estimates
Disclaimer: This tracker is maintained by QUINTIN QS as an independent professional resource. It is not an official government publication. Data is compiled from publicly available sources including government spending publications, council reports, NTMA, and trade press. Sources are cited per scheme. Costs marked ⚠️ are indicative estimates from the Construction Industry Survey (CIS) or trade media and are not verified government figures — they are excluded from index calculations. All scores are professional estimates for comparative purposes.

🍓 If you believe any figure or fact shown here is incorrect, please write to mail@kevinbarryqs.com with the school name, the correct figure, and a source reference — we will review and correct immediately if the evidence supports it. We are, after all, still human.