BSF
How will the recession
and next year’s election
impact upon BSF? Tiffany
Cloynes and Vincent
King explain
HE BUILDING Schools for the
T
Future (BSF) programme which
was launched by the government in
2004, will see every state secondary
school in England – around 3,500
in total – rebuilt or remodelled. This
represents the largest single schools
capital investment programme for more than 50 years.
The programme is an ambitious one indeed.
Already, 1,100 new schools have been built, rebuilt or
refurbished, and the amount of money spent per pupil
since Labour came into power in 1997 has risen from
BSF: What does
£2,900 to more than £5,850.
But the recession could change everything. The
pressure is on for the government to rein back public
spending to reduce the level of national debt – expected
to reach a record £175 billion in 2009/10. This is bound
to have an impact across all public services, and a
massive investment like BSF could well come under
the future hold?
scrutiny if budget cuts are required. In addition, we
also have the election next year; would the result of any
review differ depending on who wins?
Labour
BSF; these will be able to fast-track smaller projects build the schools have just been received. Combining It also delineates the relationship between the council
BSF was a flagship New Labour policy introduced to split their building programme and to make projects the projects should achieve economies of scale and the and the governing body – something that is essential to
by Tony Blair in 2007, and so it should be no surprise more manageable. sharing of skills, expertise and innovation, as well as have in place given the distinct roles of the two parties.
that the programme has wide support across the Although making improvements to outdated schools accelerate progress. After all, the interest of the governors begins and ends
current government. The prime minister has repeatedly will always involve a significant financial investment at the school gates, while the local authority has an
emphasised the government’s commitment to keeping over a sustained period, the time and cost to complete
Conservatives
interest in the school estate as a whole.
it properly funded and on track. This is consistent with individual schemes is likely to continue to reduce as The Conservatives’ current campaign has been focused The governing body is able to request that the local
the government’s aim to continue and, in some cases, more schemes reach financial close. Momentum has on drastic cuts in spending, and we would be forgiven authority exercises its rights in the principal project
accelerate public sector spending on capital projects to certainly built quickly this year; 86 schools that have for fearing that education budgets might be vulnerable. documentation, but the local authority may use its
help the economy and to safeguard jobs, particularly in benefited from BSF are now open – more than double However, the majority of the rhetoric is about discretion on whether to act in accordance with the
the construction sector. the number in December 2008 – and 37 deals have now reducing bureaucracy and rationalising delivery models governing body’s request because of its interest in the
As a result, it is apparent that investment in BSF is reached financial close. And despite the pressures of the rather than cutting investment per se. This is likely to project as a whole.
continuing across the country, with the Comprehensive economic downturn, several large schemes have been be very closely aligned with Labour proposals, and, If the governing body is consulted from an early
Spending Review settlement for 2008 to 2011 setting signed this year, with current local authority projections indeed, is aligned with the current trend for faster and stage, governors will have a greater understanding of
aside £9.3 billion for the programme over the three seeing 115 BSF schools opening in 2009/10 and 165 more financially efficient BSF projects. what is going to happen and how the school is going
years. Moreover, in July, schools secretary, Ed Balls, in 2010/11. A Conservative government is likely to aim for to be built; the local authority, meanwhile, will have
announced that a number of local authorities had been A number of other trends are also emerging that the end of “big government”, with more devolved a better idea of how the governing body wants to run
given the go ahead to join the programme. are likely to improve the cost-effectiveness of BSF administration and local accountability; for example, the school and how the project can fit with existing
Although the national programme has been projects. These include joint projects, where local they show strong support for the academy schools plans.
prioritised, it has been stressed that this is not aimed at authorities team up to deliver mutually beneficial model, where funding goes directly to the school by It is vital that local authorities gain buy-in from
curtailing BSF. Instead, it is intended to enhance value educational establishments, such as Salford/Wigan and way of a local sponsor. stakeholders and use the school’s information to
for money for schools and for the taxpayer, and should the one which is currently being undertaken by Bolton In their most recent policy Green Paper on education, innovate as much as practicable and to feedback into
not pose a problem for authorities that are not yet in and Blackburn with Darwen, where the final bids to the Conservatives state that they will protect any BSF the design process. But establishing effective lines of
funds that are already committed when they take office. communication with the governing body is not without
They propose a re-allocation of up to 15 per cent of its challenges, due to the number of schools which can
Union address: NUT
BSF funds which are not yet committed to create a new be involved in a BSF project.
fund for academy schools (as part of a programme of For example, in Rochdale and Salford, 16 schools
new academies), which they claim will be allocated were receiving an ICT managed service. Even if only
Licence to teach is unworkable
in a more flexible manner. The party will not give a two representatives were selected from each school, the
Christine
not only misleading but downright wrong. In this
context, a licence to practice is unnecessary.
Blower explains
Rather than introduce a licence to practice, the
government would have done far better to introduce
a comprehensive professional development strategy
‘
All too often, schools feel as if they have
been inundated with paperwork outlining the
why her union
detail of the project, and are expected to turn
for all teachers based on the principle of an individual,
funded entitlement for each teacher.
is fighting the plans to
We have called consistently for a decade-old
around their approval far too quickly
recommendation from a government inquiry, that
introduce a ‘licence to
teachers should be entitled to sabbaticals once every
seven years. definitive view about the level of funding for capital local authority would still be dealing wit
teach’
In contrast, the licence to practice will be investment for the period beyond 2011.
awarded by headteachers against a backdrop of We are also likely to see more private sector
’
h more than 30
people who are not always accustomed to scrutinising
legal documents.
inequitable CPD funding, which currently ranges participation as a result, particularly in terms of skills The best way to address this is to ensure early
from approximately 0.5 to 14 per cent of school development and branding, and schools may well be run involvement of the governing body in the process, and
The NUT is campaigning against government plans, budgets. by those with professional management experience. that requires a significant amount of communication
contained within the White Paper, for teachers to be The licence to practice would be conferred by and planning. For example, the project timetable
relicensed every five years from September 2010. headteachers against this far-from-level playing
Making BSF simpler
needs to be reconciled with governors’ meetings
The plan for a new licence to practice would field. In addition, a minority may be tempted to use So BSF looks set to continue, whatever the government and school holidays, overlaying the project schedule
start with NQTs, teachers who are returning to the licence as a short-cut for capability procedures looks like next year. However, local authorities will be over the consent required and the necessary flow of
their jobs after a break from the profession, and against teachers. under pressure to streamline the BSF process and make information.
then supply teachers, before a national roll-out. If a In essence, whereas a funded entitlement to CPD it a great deal more efficient, as will public services
teacher disagrees with a verdict, they can be given has the capacity to raise teachers’ learning and status, across the board.
Conclusion
a temporary licence while appealing against the the licence to practice will be seen by teachers as Unfortunately, BSF projects tend to hit difficulties The major issue with much of the BSF programme is
decision through a tribunal. another nonsense proposal; only there to demonstrate as a result of poor communication or relationships that in too many cases the schools themselves have
While there may be an argument for teachers the government’s lack of trust in teachers. between a school’s governing body and the relevant been neglected as key stakeholders. This has led to the
who have been out of the profession for years to There are far too many hoops for teachers to jump local authority. All too often, schools feel as if they have creep of inefficiency into the process – something that
have some additional training before returning to through already. The government itself says that the been inundated with paperwork outlining the detail any future government will want to eliminate as soon
the classroom, I cannot see the need, or use, of this teaching profession is the best it has ever been. of the project, and are expected to turn around their as possible. BSF is trying to streamline the processes,
scheme for teachers already working in schools. Questioning teachers’ abilities yet further and not approval far too quickly. but if governing bodies are left at the wayside, it will be
It may have slipped Ed Balls’ notice but there providing additional funding for CPD will simply This comes as a result of the principal project difficult to effect real change.
are no shortages of accountability measures against demoralise a profession which is already pushed documentation, to which the school is not party. This can only be achieved by facilitating the coming
which teachers are judged, including performance to the limit and will have no impact on raising However, in order to gain approval for the scheme, together of the local authority and the leadership of
management, Ofsted, capability procedures, school standards. It is also bureaucratic and unworkable. the local authority has to show that the agreements the school or schools involved. Any political party
performance tables, local authority interventions, Neither teachers nor headteachers want the additional are in place, and the school has to consent to allow that can establish a truly effective means of helping
and performance-related pay. burden of this proposal. any construction to take place, and, later, to ensure all stakeholders communicate will save money and
That is already a very comprehensive list, yet operation and the delivery of services. time, while still drastically improving the educational
the impression given by the introduction of such a • Christine Blower is general secretary of the This is set out in the governing body agreement, provision for children. SecEd
scheme is that teachers are left pretty much to their National Union of Teachers. Visit www.teachers. which gives the governing body certain rights and
own devices and are answerable to no-one. This is org.uk establishes a process for the day-to-day running of the • Tiffany Cloynes and Vincent King are partners in the
school. real estate and commercial teams at Cobbetts LLP.
10 SecEd • November 12 2009
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16