A newly constructed school in Devon that cost the government £31 million is set to be demolished before it has ever been used for teaching, following the discovery of serious structural defects. Matford Brook Academy, located within a 2,500-home development south of Exeter, was built in 2021 but has been deemed unsafe due to foundation instability and missing bolts, according to a Department for Education (DfE) assessment.

The school was initially scheduled to welcome its first students in 2023. However, structural issues forced the initial intake to attend a nearby school while temporary modular classrooms were installed on the academy grounds. A more permanent two-storey interim building was later constructed and expanded to accommodate pupils, but the academy will continue operating from these temporary facilities until at least 2028.

The project’s primary contractor, ISG, which held over £1 billion in government contracts, went into administration in 2024 amid ongoing construction challenges. The DfE conducted a site review and concluded that the original building was too flawed to meet safety and compliance standards, leaving demolition as the only feasible option.

Local resident Clive Wyeth criticized the handling of the project, describing it as a "total waste of taxpayers’ money." He noted that the building had already undergone a previous reconstruction due to ground subsidence and expressed frustration over the lengthy delays and need for temporary accommodation. "I reckon there’s about 20" temporary classrooms on site now, he said.

Alan Connett, Liberal Democrat county councillor for the area, called for greater transparency from the government regarding the causes of the structural failures and the associated costs. He urged oversight bodies such as the National Audit Office or the public accounts committee to investigate the matter. Devon County Council clarified that all funding for the school’s construction came from the DfE, noting that the academy, operated by the Ted Wragg Trust, is not directly managed by the council despite its responsibility for education in the county.

Sir Mel Stride, shadow chancellor and a Conservative MP whose party was in government when the contract was awarded, expressed concern over how a new building could be found unfit before being occupied. He emphasized the need for accountability in the handling of the project.

The DfE announced plans to appoint a “trusted contractor with a strong track record” for the rebuild of Matford Brook Academy. Meanwhile, the school said that expansion of the temporary accommodation, including eight classrooms, a library, and a meeting room, is expected to be completed by September to better serve current pupils. The academy emphasized that its priority remains the wellbeing and education of students, stating that “a school is about far more than its buildings, it is the people who bring it to life every day.”