Rundown schools risk ‘irreparable’ harm to pupils, UK children’s laureate says

Exclusive: Frank Cottrell-Boyce says Conservative funding freeze over 14 years has created ‘enormous’ equality gap

The poor state of school buildings is exposing pupils to “irreparable” harm, the UK’s children’s laureate has said, after a Guardian investigation revealed that more than 1.5 million students in England were being taught in dilapidated schools.

The award-winning screenwriter Frank Cottrell-Boyce said the Conservative party’s decision to freeze funding per pupil in England for 14 years had left the country with an “enormous” equality gap.