AGENDA ITEM 7

BOROUGH OF POOLE

CHILDREN’S SERVICES OVERVIEW GROUP

11 DECEMBER 2007

PLANS FOR BUILDING SCHOOLS FOR THE FUTURE AND THE PRIMARY CAPITAL PROGRAMME

REPORT OF STRATEGIC DIRECTOR (CHILDREN’S SERVICES)

1.PURPOSE OF REPORT

1.1To advise Members of the next steps to be taken to meet Government deadlines and expectations in order to access funding under the joint Building Schools for the Future project with Bournemouth and the Primary Capital Programme.

2.RECOMMENDATIONS

2.1That the Overview Group and Project Board –

(a)agree to hold special meetings of the Overview Group and Schools for the Future Project Board to consider (a) (i) and (ii) above prior to the Cabinet meeting on 29th January 2008. (see paragraph 5 for timeline)

(b)consider that:

(i) there is a considerable amount of work to be undertaken by officers over the coming months in order to meet the Government’s challenging deadlines and successfully submit Part 1 of the Strategy for Change documents for both the Primary Capital Programme and the Building Schools for the Future project. (see paragraph 7);

(ii) at their next meetings Members will be asked to consider, in principle:

  • the vision for education of children and young people in Poole as a draft for consultation with our schools and partners. (see paragraph 6)
  • organisational changes to education in the Borough involving individual schools, again for consultation; and
  • the documentation and arrangements for comprehensive consultation with a wide range of partners on the Council’s proposals.

3.BACKGROUND

3.1 There are a number of funding sources being made available to the Council which will enable it to transform education and the school estate in Poole over the next 10 – 15 years. Changing the age of transfer for children from the Primary phase to the Secondary phase at age 11 in 2013 will be part of that transformation.

3.2The overall project ‘Schools for the Future’ currently comprises the successful Targeted Capital Bid (TCB) for Poole Grammar School, Poole High School and Parkstone Grammar School; Building Schools for the Future (BSF) project, a joint project with Bournemouth, which in Poole will include Ashdown Technology College, Rossmore Community College, Montacute School and Winchelsea School; and the Primary Capital Programme (PCP) which will involve rebuilding, remodelling or improving at least half of all our Primary phase schools. Projects for schools not listed above are included in the Children and Young People’s Services Capital Strategy.

3.3To be able to transform our schools and implement the change in the age of transfer smoothly, it is essential that these complex programmes are co-ordinated, and for BSF that this is done in close partnership with Bournemouth.

The first step towards this has been taken by empowering the Schools for the Future Project Board to have an overview of Poole’s education capital strategy and the various projects and programmes (see previous item on CSOG agenda).

4.NEXT STEPS

4.1Access to funding under PCP and BSF requires the Council to submit a Strategy for Change (see paragraph 7) document for each of these two projects within the timescales required by the Government. However, before it can do that, the Council needs to have agreed, in principle, organisational changes involving individual schools. It then has to undertake comprehensive consultation with a wide range of partners. The timescales, as always, are challenging.

4.2As PCP and BSF are dependent for their implementation on each other it would be reasonable to undertake consultation on PCP and BSF at the same time. For example, if the Council agreed in principle to close, expand, amalgamate or federate schools at the Primary phase this would have considerable repercussions for our Secondary phase schools.

4.3The deadlines for having completed the (six week) consultation period and receiving Member approval to the organisational changes and completion of Part 1 of the Strategy for Change document are March/ May 2008 for PCP and BSF respectively.

4.4In order to meet the deadlines, Cabinet will have had to have agreed the school organisational changes and consultation documentation at its meeting on 29th January 2008 at the latest. As the Children’s Services Overview Group is not programmed to meet before that date, it is proposed that a special meeting be arranged, mid to late January, to consider proposals prior to Cabinet. It may also be necessary to hold special meetings of Poole’s Schools for the Future Steering Group and Project Board and the Joint BSF Project Board.

5.TIMELINE

5.1There is considerable work to be undertaken by officers and Members over the coming months. In particular, Members will be asked to –

  • agree the rationale, outcomes and vision documents and structures for school organisation across the Primary and Secondary phases
  • agree the consultation proposals for PCP and BSF
  • agree the methodology for each consultation exercise
  • agree the outcomes of the consultation and the way forward
  • agree the methodology to be adopted as part of the PCP prioritisation exercise
  • agree the scope of the master plans required as part of the preparation for the implementation of the PCP
  • endorse the final Part 1 Strategy for Change documents for PCP and BSF
  • endorse proposals regarding Special Schools as centres for excellence
  • agree on-going work regarding the TCB project

5.2The following timeline is envisaged –

December 2007 Approve vision for education in principle and

Special SfF Steering Group note that in January 2008 decisions will need Special SfF Project Board to be taken on consultation arrangements and, in

CSOG (11th Dec) principle, on organisational changes to schools

January 2008Approve in principle the organisational changes

Special SfF Steering Group to schools and the consultation arrangements

Special SfF Profect Board

Special CSOG

Cabinet (29th Jan)

February – March 2008Comprehensive consultation

End March / beginningFeedback on consultation and approval to

of April 2008submission of Strategy for Change for PCP

SfF Steering Group (? 13th Mar)

SfF Project Board (27th Mar)

Special CSOG

Cabinet (1st Apr)

Council (8th Apr)

April – May 2008Joint approval with Bournemouth to Part 1

SfF Steering Group (10th Apr) Strategy for Change BSF

SfF Project Board (24th Apr)

SfF Steering Group (8th May)

SfF Project Board (22nd May)

Special CSOG

Cabinet (27th May)

Council (? June)

6.VISION FOR EDUCATION

6.1The Local Authority’s vision for education for children and young people in Poole schools is constantly under review in the light of expectations and new ideas from all our partners, in particular pupils and students, parents and schools, and the various government bodies. Our vision is also informed by recent developments, consultations and inspections.

6.2Although the Council is not required to submit a vision statement as part of the BSF / PCP process, a vision setting out education principles is necessary in consultations with our partners to ensure we move forward together. Our proposed vision for education is set out in Appendix 1 and Members are asked at this stage to endorse it as a basis for further development.

7.STRATEGY FOR CHANGE

7.1The content of the Strategy for Change (SfC) documentation required by the Government is challenging and local authorities will not be allowed to proceed to the next stage, and ultimately receive investment, until approval for its SfC has been received. The detail required for the SfC documentation for BSF and PCP is set out in Appendices 2 and 3 for information.

JOHN NASH

STRATEGIC DIRECTOR (CHILDREN’S SERVICES)

Contacts:

Stuart Twiss, Head of Children and Young People’s Services – Strategy, Quality and Improvement

Nicola Keynes, Senior Education Officer (Planning and Development)

Helen Rice, Project Manager (Schools for the Future)

1

APPENDIX 1

The Local Authority’s Vision for Education in Poole

Vision for Education in Poole - Context

1.The vision will be at the heart of our proposals for change. It sets direction and has an impact on the organisation of school places and the nature of the school buildings. If for example we state that all children and young people will receive an education tailored to their needs then the curriculum should reflect that and the buildings should enable the provision of just such a curriculum. If we say that we want to make transition between phases as seamless as possible then we will need to reduce manage the timing and number of transitions.

2.Given that vision is vital to the strategy for change the vision it should be meaningful and not simply a set of platitudes with which it is impossible to disagree. To that end it should focus on outcomes and answer the question – what sort of people we are trying to develop through education in Poole?

3.There are parameters to the vision that are set by government. These can be found in the following documents:

  • Children Act 2004
  • White Paper – Higher Standards, Better Schools for All
  • Education and Inspections Act 2006
  • White Paper – Further Education: Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances

4.In order to inform the BSF vision secondary Headteachers met in July 2006 to identify their key components and centered on ‘personalisation of the curriculum’ as their key element. Previous consultations have identified inclusion (not the stilted debate about having or not having special schools but rather valuing all members of the community by what we do) and community participation as two other core elements. Primary Headteachers met in November 2007 and they identified similar themes but with a focus on developing learning.

Draft Vision

5.Every child and young person in Poole will have an education tailored to his or her aptitudes and aspirations.

They will learn:

to play their part in managing their own development to achieve their aspirations;

skills that will enable them to continue to learn and achieve throughout life;

the value of living in an active and supportive community within and beyond their schools;

the value and contribution that they and all others can make to their community;

They will acquire:

values that support a free and inclusive society;

respect for others and their way of life.

Strategy for Change

6.To achieve this vision we will need to present a scheme for the structure and location of schools and further education by:

size of school;

geographical location;

location within the partnership of agencies supporting children and families;

access routes to educational pathways.

This scheme will also need to ensure:

that all aspects of personal development – mental, physical, and emotional are addressed;

that all young people have access to the education they need to achieve their potential through co-operation between schools and colleges;

that there is diversity and choice in the schools and pathways on offer;

that children and young people are safe and feel in all settings;

that schools develop in partnership with parents and their communities.

Submission to DCSF

7.According to the most recent guidance (wave 5) the final vision and strategy for change for BSF should be no more than 12 sides of A4. The Primary Capital Strategy will, we assume, require something similar.

APPENDIX 2

STRATEGY FOR CHANGE DOCUMENTATION

Building Schools for the Future (BSF) (for Secondary phase schools)

1.Context

1.1The Strategy for Change (SfC) is the first formal component of the BSF approvals process. It is designed to capture both the local authority’s strategy for 11 – 19 education services and the requirements that this strategy places upon the physical school estate. In addition, to secure coherent capital investment it formally extends BSF and the SfC developments to include all settings in which young people learn, including Further Education.

1.2Projects will not be approved unless Ministers are content that plans are transformational. Local authorities must ensure that schools can transform the learning experience of pupils and achieve a step change in educational outcomes for children and other learners. Local authorities must seek to ensure –

  • outstanding designs in a school estate rationalised and fit for the 21st century
  • improved standards in all schools
  • innovative, high quality teaching and learning for all
  • increased diversity of provision to meet parental choice and secure improved educational outcomes for all young people – including through Academies and Trust Schools where appropriate and the expansion of successful and popular schools
  • the removal of surplus places
  • school buildings and grounds that support the principles of sustainable development through their design, construction and operation
  • schools relevant and accessible to local communities
  • extensive collaboration and parental involvement

1.3The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) will also set the Local Authority a ‘remit for change’ – high level, strategic objectives, based on information it holds about the performance of the Local Authority and our schools.

1.4The SfC ties together local education and estate strategies – thus encouraging local authorities to focus simultaneously on the two principal elements of the BSF programme.

1.5The SfC must capture –

  • The key objectives of local education and corporate strategies
  • What requirements those objectives place on the school and Further Education estate and how BSF and the Learning and Skills Council’s investment will meet those requirements
  • Change management plans to support implementation and delivery

1.6The SfC has two parts –

Part 1 is the Key Challenges and Objectives section. This will show the scope of the Local Authority’s BSF transformational plan. It is the ‘what is to be done’ component.

Part 2 is the Detail and Delivery section. It will add contextual, qualitative and quantitative information to Part 1, showing how the Authority intends to achieve its objectives. It is the ‘how it will be done’ component.

Appendix 3 outlines the BSF SfC process.

2.SfC Part 1

2.1In Part 1 Ministers will be interested to see, in particular –

  • the response to the DCSF’s ‘remit for change’
  • the extent to which the Every Child Matters agenda is being addressed through and supported by BSF plans
  • plans for greater diversity and choice of schools (including Academies and Trust Schools and the expansion of successful and popular schools)
  • the removal of surplus places
  • the value added to school level provision, outcomes and community access by BSF capital funding

2.2There are three sections to Part 1 –

Chart of Each School in the Wave

In the first section, for every school in the wave the map / table / chart should show –

  • the characteristics and profile of the school now and how that is likely to change after BSF capital investment (including numbers on roll)
  • current achievement data and future targets
  • current Ofsted (or equivalent locally determined) categorisations of success or failure
  • Key Stage 2-3 and 3-4 value-added data
  • whether there are plans to expand, federate or close the school, open as an Academy, enter into Trust arrangements, open a sixth form or develop a new school
  • subject specialisms
  • what extended services the school will offer
  • the school’s present and future governance arrangements; and
  • the social and economic profile of the community served by the school.

Strategic Overview of the Education Strategy

In the second section the LA needs to briefly answer the following key strategic questions –

  • where is the local authority now in terms of educational outcomes, diversity of provision, fair access and choice, and sustainable development?
  • What added value will BSF investment provide to local educational outcomes – within and beyond the school day, including how learning will be transformed because of BSF?
  • How does the local authority propose to increase choice, diversity and access for all parents and pupils in its schools? e.g. engaging with new external partners, new governance arrangements, developing greater competition in provision, expanding successful and popular schools, linking strong schools with weak schools, providing greater community access to school facilities, etc?
  • How will the local authority ensure robust challenge to schools including strategies for early intervention in the case of underperforming or failing schools, and ensure BSF investment plays a part in addressing underperformance?
  • How will the local authority deliver personalised learning to ensure that every pupil is fully stretched and can access a broad curriculum that best suits their needs and talents?
  • How will the local authority ensure the effective delivery of the 14-19 entitlement in partnership with local LSC teams and local FE providers?
  • To what extent is the local authority ensuring effective integration of education and other services through Every Child Matters?
  • How does the local authority propose to champion the needs of all pupils, including those with SEN, underperforming groups and those who are vulnerable or at risk?
  • What change management strategy is in place and will be developed to achieve the local authority’s BSF vision (including Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and Workforce Reform in schools)?
  • How will the local authority harness the opportunity of BSF to drive down carbon emissions and promote sustainable behaviours among schools and their communities?

Note that there is not a separate section on ICT – this is because there is a clear expectation that use of ICT will be threaded throughout each of the sections above.

Proposals for the School and Further Education Estate

This final section should cover -

  • key priorities for the school estate in terms of location, size and cost including a summary rationale for prioritisation of school projects in this wave, and, where relevant, how they relate to complementary FE proposals
  • an overview of pupil place requirements and planning projections consistent with DCSF requirements and the local LSC’s revenue funding predictions
  • the headline strategic vision for ICT in terms of how it will be managed and developed
  • access and links into the Every Child Matters agenda
  • existing and planned consultations, in particular, mechanisms to draw school-level development planning and the engagement of FE providers into the BSF process
  • headline KPIs for the local authority around diversity, choice, access and education outcomes, and
  • BSF project governance and management arrangements

3.SfC Part 2