Building Schools for the Future

Building Schools for the Future is a Government programme to rebuild or refurbish all secondary schools over the next 15 years. North Solihull is in the first 'Wave' of schools to benefit from this programme nationally.

What is BSF

Building Schools for the Future is a national programme to refurbish or rebuild every secondary school in England over the next 15 years, creating world-class, 21st-century schools which will inspire learning for decades to come.

This means bringing together investment in new school buildings, investment in leading-edge Information Technology, and changes to the way pupils are taught.

To make sure that the programme brings a lasting change to education, we have thought about the changes that might affect schools over the next decades, making sure that the schools will last and meet the demands of the future - things like changing pupil numbers and changes to the way that we teach.

We are also carefully planning the way schools are built, to make sure the actual design minimise issues such as bullying by creating a better flow through the building and eliminating intimidating blind alleys. A well-designed school will bring pupils and staff together and create a cohesive environment where everyone can achieve.

We are not building new versions of old schools - we are building the new schools that our children deserve.

How we gained BSF funding

In December 2004, we became the first council in the country to have our 'Wave 1' BSF proposal approved and were awarded over £80m to transform six schools in the north of the borough.

This means that North Solihull will have some of the first new schools in this 15-year programme. Our proposal for schools elsewhere in the borough was also approved and will follow later in the programme.

Other schools in North Solihull

We are already working on a major regeneration project and, through a partnership, investing £1.8 billion of public and private funds to deliver 8,500 new homes, at least ten new primary schools and five 'village centres' (new hearts to the local community) in the north of the borough.

By winning BSF Wave 1 funding we will also be able to deliver new secondary schools which means that every child in the north of the borough will be taught in a brand new school within the next seven years.

What is happening

• Six brand new schools
• £6m investment in managed ICT services
• New curriculum design
• Schools working more closely together - collegiate working

The six schools to be rebuilt are Park Hall, Smith's Wood, Archbishop Grimshaw, Lanchester Special School, and Forest Oak and Merstone special schools.

We have already finished the first part of the project: Forest Oak and Merstone have been rebuilt on one site, near Smith's Wood school. With an attractive, useable design, specialist facilities like a hydrotherapy pool and sensory rooms, and eco-friendly features too, these schools really are fit for the future.

Lanchester, Park Hall and Smith's Wood will all be built by BAM PPP, under a type of project called a 'Private Finance Initiative'. This means that BAM PPP will also be responsible for running some facilities in the school (like caretaking and cleaning) and allows us to unlock even more investment in the new schools. Archbishop Grimshaw will also be built by BAM PPP under a traditional contract.

Construction work is now underway with Lanchester scheduled for completion in July 2008, with Park Hall and Archbishop Grimshaw following in October 2008. Smith's Wood Sports College will be completed October 2009.

Highlights from the new school plans

Archbishop Grimshaw (specialising in arts and language)

• New building for 1,400 pupils
• New chapel
• Multi use games area
• Performing arts and theatre facilities

Lanchester

• New building for 50 pupils with emotional, social and behavioural difficulties
• Becomes a co-educational school
• New pupil referral unit
• Sports facilities

Park Hall (specialising in maths and computing)

• New building for 1,400 pupils
• Multi-use games area
• ICT facilities for community use

Smith's Wood (specialising in sports and English)

• New school for 1,400 pupils
• Artificial turf pitch
• Multi use games area
• New swimming pool

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

RM (Research Machines) is our ICT partner. This means they will provide all of the computer equipment, training, staff and support needed for a leading-edge ICT system in our new schools.

What are they going to do for the schools?

• First of all they will create Pioneer Classrooms in each school. These will help show what the service will be like in the new building, giving teachers, students and parents the chance to become familiar with the new systems.
• They will work with the schools to make the best of the ICT they have now and even improve it.
• They will work with the schools to plan what new technology and systems they will need in their new school.
• They will open a training centre in one of the schools to prepare all staff for the new technology.
• They will introduce a Managed Learning Environment - this will be like a web site where students will be able work online and see what progress they are making, their records of achievement, grades and daily timetable.
• Students will have access to new computer programmes that will help teach them new or difficult topics.

What will this mean in practice?

One example is that students by the age of fourteen could easily be educated in more than one school, if for example they were a brilliant artist and wanted to benefit from Archbishop Grimshaw's art specialism. They will have access to different buildings and will be able to use their cashless catering card to have lunch no matter which school they happen to be in at the time.

How can I find out more

Parents, teachers and students can read 'Vision' magazine, attached, to find out more about this exciting programme.

BSF professionals, advisers and contractors should visit the website of Partnerships for Schools, the organisation which is co-ordinating BSF nationally, where they can download our project documentation and read more about the overall programme.