Frequently Asked Questions

What is Building Schools for the Future (BSF)?
How many secondary schools are in the Bournemouth and Poole BSF programme?
How much investment is available for Bournemouth and Poole schools?
Will all schools be completely rebuilt?
When is construction expected to start?
Will schools be closed?
Will lessons be disrupted during the building works?
How will it affect my child?
Are present pupils in schools earmarked for BSF improvements suffering by the LA cutting back on investment in those schools?
How will BSF improve the standard of education and attendance levels?
What consultation will take place and with who?
What will BSF mean for the local community
Won’t the provision of community services on school premises distract schools from their core purpose of educating children?
What is an Academy?
What happens if the Council or Government change politically - will the BSF scheme be scrapped?

What is Building Schools for the Future (BSF)?

Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is part of the government’s national programme to transform education standards for secondary aged students.

All secondary schools and special schools with secondary provision are expected to review their curriculum and organisation to help drive up standards. A key strand of the BSF programme is government funding to support capital investment to rebuild or refurbish all secondary schools and provide new Information and Communications Technology (ICT) systems in all schools over a 15-year period.

Borough of Poole and Bournemouth Borough Council have joined together to create ambitious plans for significantly improved facilities at our secondary and special schools across the boroughs.

Through the BSF programme, we aim to give parents a wider choice of schools with higher standards, and to give our young people the best start in life. We see Information and Communications Technology (ICT) as a key driver in helping to deliver a transformation in our education provision.

How many secondary schools are in the Bournemouth and Poole BSF programme?

9 schools will be receiving funding for building works or refurbishment at this stage, as part of Wave 6.

However, all 24 secondary schools in Bournemouth and Poole will participate in the BSF programme, signing up to the transformational vision for education now, with investment following in later waves.

How much investment is available for Bournemouth and Poole schools?

We are expecting £120million for the schools in Wave 6.

Will all schools be completely rebuilt?

No. At a national level the Government is providing funding based on the following split:

50% new build
35% major refurbishment
15% minor refurbishment

Locally, we will be looking at each school on an individual basis to determine whether it needs rebuilding, refurbishing or some minor remodelling work.

When is construction expected to start?

Construction on the Wave 6 schools is expected to commence in 2011, with completion of the first buildings anticipated for 2013. This may seem like a long way off but there are a number of complex procedures to go through before the actual building works can start.

Will schools be closed?

At this stage we are unable to say. It will depend on the results of our pupil projections for the next 10-15 years which take into account proposed housing developments, trends and birth rates. BSF schools are required to only allow for a 5% surplus, so if our extensive research tells us a school may not be sustainable in the long term, we will need to look at alternative arrangements.

Please be assured that all other options will be considered first, and all stakeholders consulted, before any decisions are taken to close a school.

Will lessons be disrupted during the building works?

All school building programmes will be managed to protect the delivery of the curriculum for all students.

Some lessons will need to be decanted to temporary accommodation while building works take place, however the Council will be working closely with schools and contractors to ensure that disruption is kept to a minimum at all times. Where possible, intrusive survey work and major demolition will take place during school holidays and outside of school hours.

Health and Safety standards will be set at a very high level for this project and form an important part of our contractor selection process.

How will it affect my child?

BSF will provide Bournemouth and Poole with modern school facilities that meet 21st century standards - students will benefit from new ways of learning and improved facilities. Above all, the aim of BSF is to transform the education outcomes - and therefore life opportunities - for young people across the boroughs, to ensure that every child can fulfil their potential.

Are present pupils in schools earmarked for BSF improvements suffering by the LA cutting back on investment in those schools?

No - Borough of Poole, Bournemouth Borough Council and the schools are still investing according to identified priorities in all schools.

How will BSF improve the standard of education and attendance levels?

The BSF programme is based on the theory that while there are good levels of attainment in poor buildings and poor attainment in relatively good buildings, all students will benefit from improved facilities and a modern learning environment.

The new facilities will empower teachers to teach to the best of their ability, and students will become more motivated to learn in an environment that encourages engagement.

What consultation will take place and with who?

A programme of communications and meetings with key stakeholders is currently underway with our first ohase of public consultation scheduled for 6th June - 18th July 2008. Over the next few months we will be more actively involving teachers, parents, students and the wider community in developing proposals for new facilities and transforming local education. There will be further phases of consultation throughout the life of the project.

What will BSF mean for the local community?

The community will benefit from extended access to school facilities and resources. Schools developed as 'extended schools' will offer a range of facilities for the community such as childcare, leisure, performing arts, adult learning classes and access to ICT and computers.

BSF will also provide a more engaging learning environment for students, helping to reduce absenteeism and truancy within the local community.

Won't 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.

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.

The school/Local Authority will need to secure the additional funding streams to provide these community services.

What is an Academy?

The purpose of an Academy is to challenge underachievement and deliver real improvements in standards.

An Academy is set up as a company limited by guarantee with charitable status. Private sponsors, who have to contribute up to Â£2m, and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) provide the capital costs for the Academy. The new building must be innovative in design and built to high environmental standards. The full running costs are met by the DCSF and the school is no longer under the direction of the Local Education Authority.

Academy sponsors are able to appoint a majority of governors (like most Church schools) and Academies have freedom from some of the legislation which applies to all other stated funded schools. Academies receive almost all their day to day funding directly from the central government rather than via the Local Authority. Academy building programmes used to be managed separately outside the BSF arrangements but have now been brought under BSF building procurement arrangements.

Academies are for children of all abilities. They have the flexibility to be innovative and creative with the curriculum, timetabling, staffing and governance drawing on the experience and expertise of the sponsors.

Like all other mainstream schools, Academies are expected to admit pupils with special educational needs and disabilities as appropriate, and their admission arrangements need to reflect this.

They are inspected by Ofsted.

What happens if the Council or Government change politically - will the BSF scheme be scrapped?

We do not expect political changes to affect the agreed commitment to fund the BSF scheme.

Bournemouth Borough Council & Borough of Poole - Building Schools For The Future

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