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Education: Opportunities

Building Schools for the Future

The axing of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme does not mean that all school building and refurbishment will stop. Of the 1,592 schools involved in the £55bn scheme a large number are likely to be completed with 547 unaffected and 151 designated by the government as under ‘Discussion’. 159 schools opened under the BSF programme prior to its cancellation in July 2010.

All 139 Local Authorities participating in the programme are affected, plus those who have had one school pathfinders or academies built or being built through the Partnerships for Schools Academies Framework. The 123 Academy projects still in development which have not reached financial close will be looked at on a case-by-case basis.

Education Investment to be Reviewed

The Secretary of State also announced a comprehensive Review of all capital investment in schools, early years, colleges and sixth forms which will provide details of future investment in education up to 2015.

The Review will guide future spending decisions over the next Spending Review period 2011-12 to 2014-15 and will focus on how best to meet parental demand; make current design and procurement cost-effective and efficient and overhaul how capital is allocated and targeted.

Budget Protection and More University Places

The Chief Secretary announced In May that budgets for Schools, Sure Start and spending on 6-19 year-olds would be protected from the 2010/11 Education Department spending cuts and that the ring fences around schools and Sure Start funding would remain in place for this year.

A further 10,000 university places in addition to those allocated in December 2009 are due to be created through Higher Education modernisation funding and an extra £50 million is to be allocated to Further Education colleges in most need. Together with private investment, this will secure a total fund of £150 million to invest in 50 individual schemes.

Academies Bill

The Academies Bill, outlined in the Queens Speech and currently going through Parliament, will accelerate the process for secondary, primary and special schools rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted to convert to Academies. This will be done by removing the requirement for them to consult with their Local Authority before opening an Academy. Currently, 900 schools have expressed interest in becoming academies, and a significant number are expected to open in September 2010. This number is anticipated to increase over future years.

The Bill will give Academies their share of the central funding that LAs used to spend on their behalf and the freedom to direct it where they consider it is most needed. They will continue to receive the same amount of funds as state maintained schools and existing agreements will be retained for at least 7 years as long as the Academy is successful – failing Academies could be subject to intervention or termination.

PfS to Take On All DCSF Building & Refurbishment Programmes

From 1^st October 2009, responsibility for the day-to-day management of all Government schools’ capital programmes transferred from the remit of the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to Partnerships for Schools (PfS) including:

Primary Capital Programme – Funding for the refurbishment, rebuilding or remodelling of primary schools in every Local Authority area. (Approximately £1.6 billion funding will be allocated up to 2011).
Targeted Capital Programmes – Funding split over three streams: Improving special education needs and facilities for disabled pupils; the modernisation of schools kitchens and provision of kitchens for schools lacking these facilities; and increasing diversity and raising standards. Approximately £1.8 billion will be allocated up to 2011.
Devolved Formula Capital – Funding allocated each year to primary and secondary schools to be spent by on their priorities in respect of buildings, ICT and other capital need. Approximately £1.6 billion will be allocated up to 2011.

In total, programmes transferred to PfS are worth approximately £15.5 billion up to 2011.