The short answer
Yes, if the school is eligible and the bid shows a real condition or safeguarding need with evidence specific to the school, such as incident or police reports. DfE says local crime statistics or unqualified opinion are not enough. The minimum project is £20,000 for primary and special schools and £50,000 for secondary schools, and the 2027 to 2028 round closes at midday on 15 December 2026.
On this page
A new perimeter fence with gates is one of the larger capital projects a school takes on outside its buildings. For academies in small trusts and voluntary aided schools, the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) is often the only realistic way to pay for it. This note sets out what DfE’s guidance says about fencing and safeguarding bids, and how to give one the best chance.
Who can apply
CIF is for schools that do not receive their own School Condition Allocation. For the current round, DfE’s information for applicants lists:
- stand-alone academies;
- academies in a trust that runs fewer than five schools or teaches fewer than 3,000 pupils;
- voluntary aided schools in a VA body or group within the same size limits;
- sixth form colleges;
- schools with a signed academy order expected to convert to a CIF-eligible body by 1 April 2027.
Maintained community and voluntary controlled schools go through their council’s capital programme instead, and larger trusts fund fencing from their School Condition Allocation.
Key dates and limits
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| 2027 to 2028 round closes | Midday, 15 December 2026 |
| Start your portal application | At least 14 working days before the deadline |
| Minimum project, primary and special schools | £20,000 |
| Minimum project, secondary, all-through and sixth form colleges | £50,000 |
| Maximum project | £4,000,000 |
| Scoring | Project need 55, project planning 20, project cost 25 |
Dates and limits are from DfE’s apply for CIF page and its information for applicants.
A single run of replacement fencing at a primary school can fall below £20,000. Council awards for single failed runs in 2023 and 2024 were often between £16,000 and £20,000, so a whole-perimeter scheme with gates is the more natural CIF project.
What DfE says about safeguarding bids
The information for applicants is direct about this. It says safeguarding projects often involve additional security measures, and that if a condition project addresses safeguarding issues you need robust evidence to support the urgency or need. It gives incident reports and police reports as examples.
It also says what will not count: statements of unqualified opinion that there may be a safeguarding risk, and local area crime statistics. Evidence must be specific to your school. Where access improvements involve the road, DfE asks you to work with the council’s highways department.
Building the evidence
The strongest fencing bids show that the current boundary has failed and that the failure puts people at risk. Gather:
- A condition survey of the existing fence and gates, with photographs, describing rust, missing panels, leaning posts and failed locks.
- An incident log: trespass, damage, arson, pupils leaving the site, with dates.
- Police or crime reduction adviser letters about your site, if you have them.
- Your security risk assessment and the boundary walk recommended by DfE’s protective security guidance.
- A drawn plan of the boundary, showing each run, its length and the proposed fence type and height.
Getting the cost right
Project cost is worth 25 points. Use a priced specification from a contractor or surveyor rather than a round number, and show how you will keep the site secure while work is under way. Ranges from our cost calculator are a good starting point for a first budget; replace them with a quote before you submit.
If the bid fails
Feedback on unsuccessful bids usually points to weak evidence. Keep logging incidents, repair the worst stretches to keep the site safe, and bid again with a fuller case. Many schools also phase the work, funding the most urgent stretch from revenue or devolved formula capital.
For the rules that sit behind a fencing decision, see school fencing regulations, and for specification detail, school security fencing.
If you need a contractor to survey and price the boundary for a bid, use the form below.