Schools are falling into disrepair because of a lack of funds, with classrooms, playgrounds and toilets not being maintained, according to a new report.

A survey of more than 1,000 school leaders found that four out of five said they lack the funding needed to maintain their school buildings.

The school leaders union NAHT said almost a fifth of respondents reported that parts of their school estate, including specialist classrooms, laboratories, playgrounds, kitchens and toilets, cannot be maintained.

Headteachers told of struggling to deliver a 21st-century education in outdated buildings, with only one in 20 feeling they had enough money to ensure buildings met pupils’ needs.

The Northern Echo: Gosden House School in Surrey Credit: PA

Almost two in five said they had to raise funds to cover estate management and buildings.

Some of those surveyed said they were forced to use classrooms that are damp and mouldy, with some areas of schools out of bounds because they were not safe enough.

The NAHT said capital investment in school buildings has been cut by 50% in real terms since 2010, just when many buildings are reaching the end of their life cycle.

The union called for urgent government investment in school estates, saying an additional £4.4 billion a year was needed to upgrade school buildings.

The Northern Echo: Gosden House School in Surrey Credit: PA

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT, said: “The crisis of capital investment in our schools has been brewing for 14 years, and it is now clear for all to see.

“In the last year, while the Raac crisis has grabbed headlines, hundreds more school buildings have quietly slipped further into disrepair.

“Our children deserve to learn in safe, comfortable conditions. With a general election on the horizon, I urge all political parties to commit to a long-term plan backed up by serious new investment to ensure all school buildings are safe and fit for purpose.”

Tim Jones, headteacher of Spring Gardens Primary School in North Tyneside, said: “Over the last 14 years, our school, which is approaching its 100th birthday, has slowly been slipping into disrepair as funding for buildings has been cut – we are struggling to cover the cost of basic repairs.

“It’s simply unfair to expect kids to learn, and feel inspired, in classrooms that are damp and mouldy.”

Cindy O’Sullivan, headteacher of Gosden House School, a state-maintained school in Surrey which supports children with special educational needs, said: “Our Grade II listed school building is over 230 years old, and we have been supporting children with special educational needs since the 1940s.

“The building and grounds are picturesque, but it is also rickety, decrepit, and woefully out of date, with leaky pipes, a sky-high heating bill, blocked drains, and rotting single-pane windows. We don’t have the budget to maintain the building and ensure children continue to receive the outstanding 21st-century education that they deserve.”

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The Northern Echo: Undated handout photo issued by school leaders union NAHT of mould at Spring Gardens Primary School

The union is holding its annual conference in Newport, South Wales at the weekend when it will debate issues including school funding.