However, the cost of schools is rising as they open in more expensive areas, and as the programme includes more costly Special and Alternative Provision Schools.
NAO chief Amyas Morse said the DfE has “made clear progress by opening 174 schools, many at relatively low cost” and is “improving its approach with each successive wave of proposals but will need to tackle a rising cost trend as the programme continues to grow.”
He also noted that lessons must be learned from “problems that have arisen in a few early wave schools, especially where these have revealed failures in governance and control.”