A-Z of BSF

A small number (in the BSF programme usually two) of schools chosen by the local authority as a cross-section of the type of schools the LEP will be likely to deliver. Designs developed during the procurement process form a significant part of the evaluation process to select the private sector partner.

Until May 2007, the SOC considered individual statutory proposals for changes to schools (e.g. new schools, school closures, enlargements and additions of nurseries and sixth forms). This role has now passed to the local authority.

During a local authority's production of its Strategy for Change (SfC), each school within the local authority's BSF Wave will also be required to start developing its own School SfC, showing how the school will support the delivery of the local authority's objectives and remit, in light of its own needs and circumstances.

The process for and limits on the disposal of school playing fields is set out in Section 77 of the School (Standards and Framework) Act 1998. Any formal application to dispose of a playing field is thus called a 'Section 77 application'.

The title given in the Competitive Dialogue process to the consortium that is selected to deliver a local authority's BSF programme, subject to successful negotiation of the final contractual forms and financial structure of the Local Education Partnership. See also 'Preferred Bidder'.

Special Educational Needs: Secondary-age SEN schools, and some 'all through' (i.e. taking pupils of all school ages) schools, are included in BSF.

Strategy for Change: see also.

The agreement between the co-shareholders in the LEP (the local authority, BSFI and the Private Sector Partner (PSP) that governs their formal business relationship as shareholders in the LEP, and provides the basis for joint working within the LEP, including their individual rights and obligations. This is a standard BSF document, produced by PfS.

Standardisation of PFI Contracts: Guidance documentation and approved drafting produced by PUK on behalf of HM Treasury, which sets out national standards for PFI contracts. The fourth edition (SoPC4) was updated in April 2007 and is binding on all PFI-funded projects where the Preferred Bidder was appointed after May 2007.

The Sorrell Foundation was set up in 1999 with the aim of inspiring creativity in young people and improving the quality of life through good design. It delivers workshops for young people - including the Joinedupdesign for BSF programme - and hosts a Young Design Centre within Somerset House which helps young people explore what they want from design at school and in their daily lives.

Strategic Partnership Agreement: The contractual agreement between the local authority and the Local Education Partnership (LEP) which sets out the details of the partnership working between them and defines key terms such as exclusivity and the new project approval process. The SPA is a standard BSF document, produced by PfS.

Sport England is a non-departmental public body and National Lottery funding distributor. Sport England is committed to creating a world-leading community sports development system and increasing participation in sport. Partnerships for Schools, together with the Youth Sport Trust (see also) and Sport England have jointly funded three PE & Sport Adviser posts, whose remit is to work strategically with PfS Project Directors in BSF local authorities and across the sector.  The focus of the  postholders is to carry out the advocacy role for PE and Sport with BSF at a national level; to ensure that the potential for PE and Sport within BSF is maximised through a coherent and co-ordinated approach.

Special Purpose Vehicle:

see also

The company that will be established by the LEP to operate and manage individual parts of the BSF project. The SPV's sole purpose will be the delivery of that specified part of project work, using PFI funding.

Like Partnerships for Schools, SSAT is a non-departmental public body. Its aim is to give more young people access to a good secondary education by building networks, sharing practice and supporting schools, particularly within the specialist schools and Academies system.

Specialist Schools and Academies Trust: see also

Shakespeare Schools Festival:

see also

The Shakespeare Schools Festival is a registered charity, founded in 2000 by Director, Chris Grace. It is the UK's largest youth drama festival with four schools a night each performing a 30-minute abridged Shakespeare play in a professional theatre. Since starting in 2008 with just eight schools, SSF has put 3,075 secondary schools on the stage in 203 different theatres across the UK. To date, 65,000 11-16 year olds have experienced the Festival.

The Festival introduces young people to the excitement and discipline of live theatre. Through workshops and performance it helps them to appreciate Shakespeare, to aim high and to take pride in their achievements. Recent research with teachers who have experienced SSF found:

• 83% of teachers found the skills and exercises from the directors' workshop transferable to other classes
• 94% of teachers found that the Festival had positively enhanced drama in their school
• 96% of teachers said the Festival enhanced their pupils' understanding of their play (many use the Festival to support SATS, GCSE or BTEC)

Partnerships for Schools organised an SSF showcase event in the House of Commons in May 2008. For more detail about the event, read the press release.

Standard Specifications, Layouts and Dimensions:

A series of guidance notes which set out the standards of performance for a range of elements in schools and show how these standards might be delivered through design examples. The aim is to disseminate best practice and avoid 'reinventing the wheel' every time a school building is designed, so that consistently high-quality and value for money environments can be delivered. The aim is not to stifle innovation by being too prescriptive and other solutions - possibly based on new products or technologies, or reflecting local factors - may equally comply with the performance specification and could be used.

The documents currently available in the series are:

SSLD 1: Partitions in Schools
SSLD 2: Floor Finishes in Schools
SSLD 3: Toilets in Schools
SSLD 4: Lighting Systems in Schools
SSLD 5: Roof Coverings in Schools
SSLD 6: Internal Stairways in Schools 
SSLD 7: Internal Doorsets in Schools 
SSLD 8: Sprinklers in Schools  

This refers to support to local authorities for borrowing for capital purposes, paid through a revenue stream by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). The monthly payment made by the local authority to the provider over the lifetime of the project for the services received under the Project Agreement.

The SfC is the first formal component of the BSF approvals process. It is designed to capture both the local authority's strategy for secondary education and the requirements that strategy places upon the physical school estate.

The SfC is submitted in two parts: Strategy for Change Part 1 (SfC1) articulates the local authority's education vision for the delivery of its local BSF programme. The SfC1 should also include a Communications Plan that sets out how the local authority proposes to manage relationships with its stakeholders throughout the ensuing procurement period. Strategy for Change Part 2 is produced by the local authority to develop its education vision by applying it to its existing schools estate, and indicating what changes it wishes to make to specific facilities to deliver that vision.

SfC replaces the Education Vision and Strategic Business Case that were submitted by local authorities in Waves 1-3.

This refers to capital grant usually paid by DCSF to local authorities through the standards fund.

This refers to support to local authorities for borrowing for capital purposes, paid through a revenue stream by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). The monthly payment made by the local authority to the provider over the lifetime of the project for the services received under the Project Agreement.