What is Building Schools for the Future?

Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is a national initiative that aims to rebuild or refurbish all secondary schools in England within the next 15 years. Over £45 billion is being spent to make BSF the biggest investment in education for over 50 years. BSF will allow local authorities to provide world class teaching and learning environments that meet the needs of pupils, teachers and communities in the 21st century.

With technology taking an increasing role in education and community, there is a need for increased flexibility and adaptability in educational facilities as new generations develop skills and adapt to a changing world.

BSF provides an opportunity to rethink how education is delivered and to ensure that students and teachers have the right environment and facilities to reach their full potential.

National BSF Programme

The national programme is administered by Partnerships for Schools (PfS), an independent body established by the department for Children, schools and Families (DCSF). PfS support and assist local authorities in developing and delivering their BSF programmes.

The key role for PfS is to ensure that investment in secondary schools is based on robust educational strategies and that BSF schools and Academies are well designed, are built on time at a reasonable cost to the taxpayer, and are properly maintained over their lifetime.

What does this mean for Blackpool?

Blackpool entered the programme in October 2007 as a Wave 5 Authority and since this time have been working on strategic planning documents and visions for the future which have been approved by Partnerships for Schools and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) You can view our Strategy for Change by clicking on the links below.

Strategy for Change Part 1

Strategy for Change Part 2

BSF in Blackpool is being developed by a dedicated project team comprising of core staff and subject matter experts who are working in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders including schools, Diocese, professional associations and additional council departments.

The project is delivered to a highly detailed procurement plan. This was updated in February 2010 but is still subject to change. 

The following websites provide further information relating to the BSF Programme and associated areas of interest.

Partnerships for Schools
www.p4s.org.uk

Department for children, schools and families
www.dfes.gov.uk/

The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE)
www.cabe.org.uk

Teacher's website resource
www.teachernet.gov.uk