Rishi Sunak helped fund £40million pool at old private school while slashing state school budgets

Rishi Sunak during his Winchester College days

Rishi Sunak helped to fund a £40m swimming pool at his posh public school - while slashing school rebuilding budgets.

Winchester College announced in July 2020 they planned to build a “state-of-the-art” sports centre - paid for in part by “the generosity of Old Wykehamists.” Mr Sunak is an annual donor who has given more than £100,000 to the school.

Meanwhile, the National Audit Office found the Department for Education’s cumulative spending on school building had been cut by £869 million since 2019-20.

A Labour source said: "Sunak tells people that he feels their pain and shares their struggle, but he cut money to repair British state schools in the same week he made a massive donation to one of the wealthiest schools in the country.” Winchester’s annual report reveals the lavish PE facilities include a 25m swimming pool with “one of the largest folded roof structures in Europe”, as well as a rifle range and martial arts dojo.

Four state schools within a 15-mile radius of Winchester College were found to have RAAC concrete in their buildings last year. All of them stayed open for face-to-face lessons, but parts of the schools - including a school hall and food preparation areas - had to close.

In 2021 Mr Sunak - then Chancellor - unveiled plans to create or revamp 500 schools over 10 years, under the flagship school rebuilding programme. But when the RAAC crisis hit, it was announced the funding for that programme would go towards repairs to 119 schools built with the crumbling concrete.