Pre-Engagement
Lessons learned added to this page in July 2008 appear in bold.
Key lessons learned include:
Be prepared well in advance of entering the programme: Local authorities and schools need to be well prepared as far as possible in advance of entering the programme. It is never too early to start thinking about educational transformation: you cannot wait until the new schools open.
Establish a clear and meaningful governance structure: Successful BSF projects have all had a project owner, a project board and a core project management team. In addition, a steering group will help to ensure that key stakeholders are represented. To ensure that the board is streamlined, accessible and capable of making quick and effective responses, it must have effective delegated powers, and there also should be clarity about responsibilities throughout.
Clear scheme of delegations: To ensure that projects are not unnecessarily delayed at key decision points, a clear scheme of delegated authority for decision making should be agreed at the outset. Where decisions need to be taken by Cabinet/Executive, or the full Council, then the relevant processes should be included within the timetable, with contingencies in place, should the project not align with proposed meeting dates.
Multi-disciplinary teams: A good BSF project team will be multi-disciplinary, with a clear education focus. You will need to draw on a wide range of skills from different sources at different times. PFI experience is useful but not vital - this can come from advisers.
Lead from the top: An effective BSF team must be well-resourced and led from the top. 4ps offers a free skills audit to help identify the resources needed, and training for new project teams.
Corporate commitment and leadership are critical: Buy-in from the most senior officers and members is essential if BSF is to be a success, both nationally and locally. Access to senior figures throughout the project is key, but this is particularly important at the approval and negotiation stages. Senior-level buy-in to the use of the LEP model, standard documentation and PFI are crucial.
From Wave 4 onwards, as a direct result of realising the importance of corporate buy-in and leadership to the success of BSF projects, PfS has introduced the Memorandum of Understanding. This is an agreement, signed by the chief executives of the local authority and PfS, which confirms mutual obligations and the respective roles and responsibilities in delivering BSF both nationally and locally.
Project team funding: Local authorities should ensure that they budget effectively for the resource requirements of their project team and that the level of resources required is continually monitored. A poorly-planned or under-resourced project will cost more in the long run in terms of time, costs and quality of work.
Establish a single location for the core team: Where this is not possible, make good use of mobile communications tools (such as handheld organisers and laptops) and web-based document sharing technology.
Use of consultants: Consultants can and will make a real and positive difference to your scheme, but you should not rely on them to run the process for you. It is important that local authority project teams take ownership of their own processes and get to know the bids well. Local authorities should make effective use of the BSF adviser frameworks or other frameworks such as Catalist for the appointment of advisers at an early stage in project planning.
Create a project plan and keep it updated: It is essential to create a project plan and keep it updated weekly. The plan should break down the project into key stages and have a clear critical path of the activities that must be completed in order for the project to be successful.
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The project plan should be based on a realistic assessment of how long each activity will take, to ensure that it gives the Project Team the best chance of delivering effectively.
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Add approval dates and key milestones into the project plan as early as possible. Some will have fixed dates and others will need to coincide with Cabinet meetings, and to avoid school term times, local elections etc.
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A realistic timetable that is clearly understood - and owned - by the project board will allow the project team to keep focussed on maintaining momentum, especially straight after key stages have passed.
Establish a risk register: A risk register is a critical part of the project management process, and should be monitored and updated regularly by the Project Team and reviewed at least monthly by the Project Board.
Scope your project well: The scope of the project should be determined by the local authority's Strategy for Change and how best this can be delivered. The importance of robust pupil place planning and a truly up-to-date asset management plan (AMP) are also essential in ensuring that the right objectives are set.
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4ps offer free support to local authorities in these early stages, focusing on successful project delivery. Local authorities are encouraged to use Gateway 0 to identify any key project and programme issues at the outset.
Ensure that your education strategy aligns with national objectives: It is important to remember that BSF is a national programme; there are national objectives and timescales that must be met, as well as meeting local priorities and needs. As such, delivery requires activity to be co-ordinated at both local and national levels. Local authorities should ensure that they have engaged with the Office of the Schools Commissioner (OSC) (who advises local authorities on promoting diversity and choice), the regional Children Services Adviser and the regional SEN Adviser.
Align the project with the wider corporate strategy: BSF provides local authorities with an opportunity to look at how integrated services can be further developed. It is important that the BSF project sits firmly in the context of the local authority's wider corporate strategy and that any opportunities for co-location and integration of services are explored at an early stage.
A project that is aligned with corporate strategies will run more smoothly at approval stages. Where we have observed gaps between functions at local authority level, and indeed between the key central bodies, this has always resulted in delay.
Maintain a focus on the outcome: At any stage of BSF, it can be easy to focus too closely on the immediate future, especially when working with advisers and consultants. Remember that BSF is about creating new learning environments for the pupils, teachers and members of the public in your community. Consider giving individual Project Team or Project Board members responsibility for a continuing focus on outcomes.
Learn from others who have already embarked on BSF: Speak to people who have been through the process, utilise their experience and any potentially specific template documents already produced (School SfCs, ICT in D&B, affordability, PPM etc.) to assist in developing your own scheme.
Identify programme 'champions': It is important to do this as early as possible to keep the focus on the key aspects of BSF and to manage any arising tensions. Key roles include:
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An Education Champion who will ensure that the project remains focus on the education outcomes that are to be achieved, ensuring a focus on teaching and learning. This role may also include ensuring that the schools are actively engaging in change management activity in advance of any investment.
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A Design Champion (not necessarily a design professional) who will work with the CABE enabler on the appointment of a client design adviser for the local authority and will challenge designs to be innovative and transformational as well as high-quality and sustainable.
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An ICT Champion who will ensure that the ICT is integrated into the educational transformation and can monitor the effectiveness of the change management programmes in the local authority and schools.
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A member champion, often one with responsibility for Education or Regeneration, who will promote and support BSF through votes and approvals processes, and can act as a useful single contact for communicating with the elected members.
Schools
Develop your Strategy for Change with the schools: Developing your Strategy for Change (SfC) in consultation and partnership with schools is a key first step. (The SfC was known as the Education Vision in Waves 1-3.)
Address school organisation issues early. If you are considering a major re-organisation of your school estate (e.g. rationalisation or three-to-two tiers), you must have clear plans in place before entering BSF. It is also important to note that decisions on changes to the organisation of the estate must have been taken by the time that ITPD (Invitation to Participate in Dialogue) stage is reached. Contact the DfE School Organisation Unit at Darlington for advice.
Demands on headteachers and teaching staff: As early as possible, inform the schools that will be involved in BSF as to the likely demands on staff time - this will allow them to plan free time for their headteachers and other staff. The more engaged a school can be in development of their BSF proposals, the more likely it is to reflect the needs of their own school community.
Capacity in schools can become an issue during shortlisting and evaluation of bids so it is important that the relevant headteachers and staff are aware of upcoming demands on their time. This should be reflected in the overall project plan to ensure there are no gaps - the impact of school (and teachers') holidays on BSF can be significant.
Dedicated resourcing at a school level: Schools may well need financial support in order to free up time and personnel for consultation, school visioning and evaluations, and this should not be underestimated. A variety of approaches have been taken to address this in projects to date and you should discuss this issue with other local authorities and your PfS Project Director/Education Director prior to developing the solution for your project.
Effective relationships between schools and local authorities are critical: Keep schools, headteachers up to date with approvals, status, progress, submissions, etc. It is important that schools are engaged with the BSF process and understand how it works going forward. From this point on, celebrate milestones, and use the opportunity to communicate information about the next steps.
ICT
Conduct an ICT review: Becta's ICT self-review framework allows schools to assess their current use of ICT, benchmark it against best practice, and create an action plan for improvement through BSF.
Engagement: Engage school management teams and staff from the outset - do they fully understand the educational ICT opportunities presented by BSF? Key ICT staff and influencers should also be involved at bid evaluation stage.
Design
From the outset: Make sure the 'design' element is included from the very beginning and not just when the school designs are tabled.
Consultation: Involve as many people as early as possible in design consultation. This can be done through workshops with architects, pupils, parents and schools staff; relevant local authority departments and regeneration initiatives. Designs will only be transformational if the key stakeholders, especially school staff and students, have been inclusively consulted and undergo a comprehensive change management programme.
Communications
Effective and continuous communication is essential: Establish a communications and consultation plan that links directly into the project plan as early as possible. The plan needs buy-in from the top and conscientious administration throughout the life of the scheme.
Keep lines of communication open: This is particularly important with members, governors, stakeholders, schools and bidders. It is also helpful to set reminders to provide them with regular updates as well as at key milestones / decisions.
Internal communications is key: Document sharing and risk management are important for keeping all parties and the project board up to date.
No surprises: As part of the communications plan, regularly brief governing bodies to ensure no surprises (and therefore delays) occur when it comes for their agreement and approval.
Contact with major stakeholders: Keep in contact and consultation with major stakeholders. Inform bidders of any changes to the education strategy, project documentation or evaluation criteria as and when finalised.
Communication with governors: if governors only meet once or twice a term, the local authority and school need a communications plan about how governors are kept involved: nominate a BSF governor representative (who may also attend meetings, consultations etc.)
Manage stakeholder aspirations and expectations and help them understand how BSF works: Don't raise false hopes by promising a new school to every headteacher, governor and pupil; it is easier to work with stakeholders who understand the affordability boundaries but remain motivated and excited about the thought of fit-for-purpose buildings than with a disaffected and disappointed group who thought they were getting a completely new school but won't.
De-mystifying BSF: Schools and local stakeholders can often be mystified by the different language and acronyms that engaging with BSF involves. Take time early in the process to explain how BSF works and inform them of what the key processes and organisations involved are. The Introduction to BSF guide, and the Roles and Responsibilities and A-Z pages on this website should be helpful with this.
Consultation
Ideas for consultation: Keep up communication and buy-in with road shows, open evenings and training sessions for governors, parents, pupils and the community. One BSF team regularly attended school fetes, parents' evenings and other public functions, to keep the community up to date with their progress on BSF.
Pupil consultation: Provide funding to students to enable their involvement, and integrate pupil consultation into school timetable / curriculum to ensure that it is done. Arrange focus groups between architects and students - this is good practice for architects and helps students to look at and in think about their environment in a different way.
Pupil involvement: Involve the pupils and wider education community in thinking about their impact on the local and wider environment.
School staff consultation: Visits to other schools will help school staff visualise what could happen with BSF funding. Provide INSET days to enable planning and discussion around BSF.
Community consultation: Seek views from parents and the community, through open evenings or a notice in local press: this will ensure ownership and pride in the facilities.
Consultation with schools and consultation by schools are different.
Consult with the general public: Start early and keep people informed throughout the process: many local authorities have dedicated press officers and a BSF section on their website - this is an effective tool for managing the engagement with the private sector prior to entering the procurement phase.
Engage with wider stakeholder groups sufficiently early: Involve Diocesan authorities early on, and agree proposals with Local Learning and Skills Councils (LLSCs) and further education (FE) colleges to ensure collaborative post-16 and 14-19 places and arrangements. Establish your PE & Sport Stakeholder Group as soon as possible.
Engage with potential joint investors: Academy sponsors, Primary Care Trusts, LLSCs and sport, art and culture organisations could all deliver investment and funding through the LEP. Investigate the possibilities in your area, and engage with potential partners as early as possible.
