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Building schools for the future to be accelerated and streamlined under new proposals

DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES News Release (2008/0072) issued by The Government News Network on 9 April 2008

- Next steps in secondary school building programme -

- BSF waves 7-15 local authority consultation published today -

Every local authority could have the opportunity to join Building Schools for the Future (BSF) earlier, under proposals to accelerate entry into the programme published for consultation today by Schools Minister Jim Knight.

Over 1000 school building projects in 72 local authorities are already under way in the first six waves of BSF, to give all secondary school pupils world-class teaching and learning facilities.

And the Government now wants the remaining 76 local authorities to join the once-in-a-generation programme as fast as possible.

Under existing plans, wave seven will be launched in early 2009, with funding coming on stream in 2011. But a handful of remaining local authorities would not see any BSF building project start until wave 15.

Today's public consultation on managing waves seven to 15 and deciding the order in which those authorities not yet in the programme will join BSF. It includes proposals that:

* all local authorities will have a chance to join BSF as soon as they have strong plans to deliver at least an initial, streamlined project of four or five schools - including tackling the most under-performing or failing schools and those in pockets of deprivation;

* BSF will have a wider range of criteria to decide how projects should be prioritised - including areas with major social regeneration and development projects; schools with the poorest infrastructure to avoid costly short-term patch and mend; and areas which are planning wider community facilities, including Children's Centres, extended school facilities and broader provision for young people;

* local authorities will join BSF in a rolling programme when they are ready - rather than waiting for formal, set year-on-year launches;

* some projects will no longer be required to include schools in the same geographical part of a local authority area. This would give local authorities greater flexibility to invest in schools and target funding exactly where it is needed; and

* neighbouring local authorities should work closer in setting up Local Education Partnerships (LEPs), to get the most efficient procurement, planning and building programmes in place.

Jim Knight said:

"Our record investment over the last 11 years has already swept away historic underinvestment in secondary schools facilities. Building Schools for the Future takes this further and aims to transform the shape of education for future generations.

"Today's consultation asks important questions on how best to manage the remainder of the programme.

"The early waves of BSF have already wider local authority areas with the highest level of need. We now want to target children and schools with the greatest needs, wherever they live, to benefit as soon as possible.

"Instead of waiting, we want to give them more scope to target pockets of deprivation and underperforming schools now - by giving the remaining local authorities the chance of early entry as soon as they are ready.

"Now that local authorities' original expressions of interest are over four years old it is right to take stock again - to reflect our 14-19 reforms; the expanded academy programme; extended schools facilities; and ambition for housing wider community provision within schools to be the norm.

"We have been open about the lessons that we have learnt from the early stages. Partnerships for Schools and our other partners have made massive strides in strengthening the management, procurement and planning of projects - and we are seeing the benefits month-by-month and week-by-week."

12 BSF-funding schools have opened so far - as well as over 1100 primary, secondary and special schools, built or almost completely refurbished since 1997 outside the programme. By 2011, at least 200 new or refurbished schools will be opening a year.

Overall schools annual capital spending is set to rise seven-fold in real terms from under £700million in 1997-98 to £6.669billion this year, with funding rising again to £8.235billion in 2010-11. The three year settlement includes another £9.3billion earmarked for BSF over the next three years.

The consultation runs until July 4. All 76 local authorities, that have not yet joined the programme, will be invited to revise their existing expressions of interests between August and October - which will decide how projects will be grouped in the future.

The next authorities to enter programme will be announced next spring and the exact roll-out will continue to be dependent on future public spending decisions.

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The consultation runs from 9 April until 4 July. It is available at: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/consultations/

2. Building Schools for the Future is the largest capital investment programme in schools for 50 years. It aims to renew all secondary schools in England provide world-class teaching and learning environments for all pupils, teachers and communities in England, subject to future public spending decisions.

3. Building Schools for the Future's first six waves have been launched, and 90 projects in 72 authorities have now been started in the programme, prioritised on social and educational need. Additional "One School Pathfinder" funding has been allocated to a further 39 authorities which are later in the programme, to enable them to renew their neediest schools, and 81 authorities have academies open or in development. In all, about 1000 schools are now being renewed through these strategic programmes, including around 180 which are becoming Academies. To date, 12 schools with BSF funding have been completed, a further 35 are expected to open in 2008-09, and 18 schemes have reached financial close. There are also around 90 Academy projects currently being delivered via BSF or the National Framework.

4. The £21.9billion funding settlement for 2008-09; 2009-10 and 2010-11 was announced last October. For more information visit: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2007_0185

5. Partnerships for Schools is the delivery agency for Building Schools for the Future. PfS was established in April 2004 as a non-department public body and is operated and funded under a joint venture between the Department for Children, Schools and Families and Partnerships UK.

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