Children’s lives could be at risk as figures show only one in six new schools have sprinklers.
Of 673 built under the Priority Schools Building Programme from 2011 to this year, sprinklers are fitted in only 105.
The figure is even worse in free schools, where just one in 15 new builds – 25 out of 384 – has them.
That is despite Government guidance that all but “a few low risk schools” must have the safety systems.
Ministers revealed the figures, which have grown steadily worse under the Tories, in a parliamentary answer to Labour MP and former teacher Stephanie Peacock.
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She said: “It beggars belief we even have to debate having the highest standards of fire safety in schools.
“The ridiculous thing is we spend far more rebuilding and repairing schools after fires than we would have paid to install sprinklers.
“It is absurd the Government won’t stump up the cash to keep them safe.”
Nadine Houghton, the GMB union’s national officer for schools, said: “These revelations are absolutely terrifying. This exposes a Government with a callous disregard for safety.”
More than 7,000 fires led to almost 250 casualties in the last decade at educational premises.
Fears around safety were heightened after 72 people died in the Grenfell Tower tragedy in West London in 2017.
The British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association says it would cost £100,000 to fit a typical school with sprinklers, similar to the cost of carpets.
Lower insurance bills would recoup that over the lifetime of the building.
