Schools and learning

Frequently asked questions about Building Schools for the Future

Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is a new approach to capital investment in school buildings to support transformation of education. It is intended to provide all secondary schools with 21st century facilities over 10-15 years from 2005. Whilst some schools will be rebuilt, some will be remodelled and some will receive minor refurbishment.

However, BSF is not merely a building programme. It is an education-led change programme which will provide a significant opportunity to re-think secondary education provision, set ambitious targets for change and agree Local Authority (LA)-wide strategies for achieving them.

The project sizes range from £50m - £150m plus £1450 is reserved per pupil for ICT equipment provision.

Effective cross agency working will be vital for success; many organisations and the construction industry will need to work together in order to achieve success and to work within the specified time frame.

This document provides answers to some frequently asked questions around the scope of the programme, what is different about the schools we envisage and how funding will be distributed.

Context & Scope

• Why does the programme focus on secondary schools rather than primary?
  
  Primary schools are usually much smaller than secondary schools and the scale of investment needed to improve primary school premises is more likely to be found from within the capital funds provided to authorities. However, secondary school accommodation is on a different scale. Many schools have well over 1,000 students, with more than 100 adults working on a complex campus.
  
  Recent capital investment has done much to improve primary schools. New classrooms have allowed infants to be taught in smaller classes; and there are now reduced class sizes for many 7 to 11 year-olds. These investments have, in turn, supported big improvements in literacy and numeracy, and in teaching and learning generally which is why the focus of the BSF programme are secondary schools. The DfES will continue to make additional investment available for primary schools through the Primary Capital Programme.
• How will the Primary Capital Programme align with the BSF programme?
  
  The local authority must implement a robust strategy for the whole primary estate to enable it to lever in additional funding. The local authority must provide an exemplar of best practice in integrating comprehensive primary, secondary and special school capital investment within a strategy for county-wide regeneration. This will impact on educational standards, safety, health, civic engagement, employment and equity.
• If it makes sense to have a Campus or an All-through school; will that be possible?
  
  Yes, in fact one of the exemplar designs is specifically for an all through school although the others could be adapted.
• Are special schools included in this approach?
  
  Yes, BSF includes the secondary and all-age special schools in Hertfordshire. Our proposals under BSF will show how we plan to meet the needs of all children in Hertfordshire including those with special educational needs and disabilities. All our special schools will benefit to some degree and plans for our mainstream schools set out how they would increase capacity and access for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs.
• How will Voluntary Aided (VA) schools fit into BSF?
  
  Our plans under the BSF programme will include VA Schools and we will work with the relevant diocese or individual non-diocesan schools on their vision. We also plan to work with local VA partners to determine an overall strategy, particularly in relation to VA bodies’ contributions.
• What is the interface between Academies and BSF?
  
  There are new arrangements for delivering Academies. In a BSF area, Academies will usually be delivered through BSF, whilst in a non-BSF area Academies will be delivered through the Partnerships for Schools (PfS) framework.
  
  Transition arrangements are in place for those Academies already in procurement. Waves 4-6 LAs will generally deliver their Academies through BSF unless there is a need to fast-track them.
  
  In Hertfordshire there are unlikely to be academies as it does not meet the threshold of need in order to qualify.

Schools

• Will the provision of community services on school premises distract schools from their core purpose of educating children?
  
  No, ultimately, the governing body has responsibility for deciding whether the school should offer additional activities and services and what form these should take, so they would need to be satisfied that the services are appropriate. We have seen in schools already providing these services that they support and complement the main teaching and learning activities within the school and therefore help governors and teachers provide the core service of education. The provision of such services can have a beneficial effect on children’s learning. They can reduce burdens on teachers by dealing with pupils’ wider problems, leaving teachers to concentrate on teaching. They encourage parents to become more involved in the school and in their children’s learning.
• What level of ICT is expected to be delivered by BSF?
  
  The ICT vision is a critical component of an LA’s local education vision and a considerable percentage of the capital expenditure is dedicated to it. BSF expects that the ICT vision should be appropriate to a 21st Century school.
• What does DfES mean by 21st Century facilities?
  
  Education is a recognised priority, not just for the Government, but also for society as a whole. It is the key to preparing students and young people for the emergence of the knowledge economy and its increased demands for skills and human capital.
  
  Despite the importance of successful education, many school buildings are of poor design, are dull and uniform. Many have an institutional look and are inappropriate to the way education will be delivered in the future. To succeed in raising educational standards and improving attainment levels we need to examine how to make our existing schools better and to ensure that new school buildings are well designed and built to be suitable to the needs of education in future years.
  
  If schools are to provide excellent educational facilities for the next 20 to 30 years, designs for new school buildings and major adaptations need to take account of current and likely future developments in education and technology. Schools, LAs and designers need to be aware of key drives for change in schools, including the likely impact of a more diverse curriculum at 14 and above. They also need to consider new ways of learning and methods of teaching and also the impact of ICT. Other issues include; opening up the school to other pupils and the community as a whole and the inclusion of pupils with special educational needs into mainstream schools.
  
  As new school buildings will serve their communities for many years to come it is important that they are high quality, attractive buildings. Design quality encompasses a number of issues, but should include sustainability, flexibility, adaptability and value for money.

Funding

• What is the level of funding provided by BSF and over what period?
  
  The overall national funding under BSF is £2.2 billion in 2005-06. Beyond that, funding in particular years will depend on the outcomes of future public spending decisions. However, the Government has committed to the aspiration of providing 21st Century facilities for all secondary school pupils within 10 to 15 years.
• Is funding ‘ring fenced’ to ensure it is focused on the schools and not used elsewhere?
  
  Yes, in that it will have to be used for specific secondary projects to achieve strategic renewal in secondary schools.
• How will you ensure that the Programme fits with other funding streams?
  
  Achieving greater community use of schools’ learning and sports facilities and, where possible, co-locating other services such as health, childcare, neighbourhood renewal and other community activities, can be complex. The strategic planning necessary to renew the secondary school estate will provide an opportunity to plan and draw in funding from other sources such as neighbourhood renewal, for these important wider needs and services.

Working together

• How are the Learning and Skills Councils (LSC) involved?
  
  Planning such transformations has had to involve key partners such as the LSC alongside other stakeholders. The close collaboration and alignment between schools, local education authorities, local LSCs and further education colleges will ensure a full breadth of curriculum for 14-19 year olds.
• How can I be involved in influencing decisions?
  
  There is a programme of communications and meetings with stakeholders. This is an extensive programme and we will seek to engage with people at the right time and in the best way, taking full account of their views.

Ensuring improvement

• How are the designers and building contractors selected to build the schools?
  
  There will be a full open competition to appoint the providers such as architects and builders, who will form a partnership with the Authority to deliver our BSF plans. Providers will be periodically reviewed and if necessary open to competition to ensure that we continue to receive value for money.