Secondary building programme increases momentum

ENGLAND – The 50th school built or refurbished under the flagship Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme was opened in January by schools minister Jim Knight – the latest milestone passed in the unprecedented project to modernise the entire secondary school estate in England.

Sedgehill School, a newly built 1,750 pupil specialist performing arts college in Lewisham, was finished a year ahead of schedule – alongside seven other BSF schools opening this term in Bristol, Knowsley, Leicester, Manchester and three in Sheffield.

It means that BSF is now ahead of the latest local authority projections that 47 schools would be open by the end of March 2009.

In all, nearly a third of all secondary schools are currently involved in BSF, across 80 local authorities – with £9.3billion (NZ$27.8 million) being invested over 2008-11.

The opening comes as the second annual report on the evaluation of BSF by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) was published concluding it has “gathered momentum” in the last year and there has been “significant progress” to improve the efficiency.

The report finds that the vast majority of heads involved think that BSF is the key to improving results and expect it to improve teaching; and as well as giving parents, students and local communities access to wider services.

It also shows positive feedback from teachers and pupils in four BSF schools up and running – finding that young people are prouder of their schools and the new buildings are raising their aspirations.

The report sets out a number of recommendations to further improve and strengthen the programme.

Schools minister Jim Knight said: “BSF is building a new generation of secondary schools springing up around the country, with outstanding facilities right at the heart of their local communities – and our progress is backed by the PwC report.

“It’s time the critics stopped living in the past and looked at what is happening on the ground. We are seeing a genuine revolution in schools in this country. The unprecedented increase in capital funding to over £8billion (NZ$24 million) a year by 2011, is reaping dividends with more new schools opening this year than at any time in generations.

“The 50th BSF school is another significant milestone. Month-by-month, term-by-term BSF is building momentum – giving pupils, teachers and parents outstanding facilities and transforming the face of education.

“BSF is the key to raising aspirations and standards – and the centrepiece of our education reform programme. By 2011, at least 200 BSF schools will be opening every year.

“We are looking to bring the remaining local authorities into the programme as soon as is practicable and expecting the vast majority of local authorities to finish their projects by 2020.”