Press release: Schools of the future move a step closer for Bristol

16 December 2005

Bristol City Council today announced the selection of Skanska as the preferred bidder for the Bristol section of the flagship Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. The initiative will see the launch of a new strategic partnership in Bristol to deliver radical improvements in the quality of schools and other education facilities in the city over a 10 year period. 

The first phase of the partnership will see the rebuilding of Brislington Enterprise College, Hartcliffe Engineering Community College, Speedwell Technology College and Whitefield Fishponds Community School. The programme is funded through central government Private Finance Initiative (PFI) credits worth £150.7 million together with some £9.5m of the council's own funds.

The BSF programme is being pioneered nationally by Bristol together with three other local authorities known as "pathfinders". Bristol is the first of the four to announce its preferred bidder.

Councilor Jos Clark, the council's executive member for children's services, said: "We received three high quality bids from contractors and are delighted to select Skanska as our preferred bidder and our new strategic partner who will quickly set about reproviding and maintaining the four new schools and associated facilities for 25 years. Not only will we see exciting, bright new buildings with top-class facilities but the enhanced ICT provision will enable greater ability to provide improved teaching and learning opportunities.

"This is an exciting step as it is a key element of the council's policy to transform secondary education in Bristol. The management of the school buildings, which will also be taken on by Skanska, will free up more time for teaching staff to teach."

The council has been working over the last 12 months with Partnerships for Schools, the central government body responsible for the BSF programme, in the procurement exercise which has seen the submission of three bids from private sector consortiums. The council's cabinet has now approved the selection of Skanska.

Partnerships for Schools Chief Executive Richard Bowker said: "I am delighted to see the next stage of the Bristol City Council programme for transforming education being delivered and to congratulate Bristol on its achievement. We look forward to signing final contracts with Skanska in the new year and importantly to see new schools capable of delivering real change being created. What is exciting about this programme is that it enables for the first time Bristol to look forward to a period of sustained investment in its estate, which will form a key part of its strategy in addressing acknowledged shortfalls in attainment. It also gives a clear signal that the BSF programme really has arrived."

Skanska will now be working with the council and Partnerships for Schools in finalising their proposals with the formal establishment of the Local Education Partnership (LEP) due in the spring. The LEP, made up of Skanska, the council and Partnerships for Schools, will initially be operational for 10 years.

Simon Hipperson, Business Unit President, Skanska Infrastructure Development, said: "We are delighted to be chosen by Bristol City Council as their partner to help deliver the school programme. We develop schools in the UK, Scandinavia and America and are very excited about using our experience in co-operation with the council to support the drive to transform education in Bristol."

The LEP will use £8.6 million of funding for new ICT provision on the four sites as well as north Bristol's new Redland Green School.  Enhanced community leisure facilities are planned for the Hartcliffe and Speedwell sites in conjunction with the main proposals.

The first of the four schools to be completed under the programme is expected to be Speedwell by September 2007 followed by Whitefield Fishponds from Spring 2008 and Brislington in Autumn 2008. Hartcliffe will follow later.  Each of the four schools will be provided with integral sprinkler systems.

In addition to mainstream provision on the four sites, 50 places for pupils with Severe Learning Difficulties and 30 places for 14-16 year-olds at risk of exclusion have been incorporated into the proposals for the Hartcliffe Education Campus. Facilities for 20 pupils with Complex Learning Difficulties will be available at the Brislington site.

Notes to editors

1. The other three councils taking part in the first wave of pathfinder authorities are Sheffield, Bradford and Greenwich with Southwark and Lewisham.
2. Partnerships for Schools is a Non Departmental body (NDPB) set up in April 04 by the Department for Education and Skills to manage the Building Schools for the Future Programme. The BSF programme will see the rebuilding and renewal of 3,500 secondary schools across England over a 15 year period. It will also combine world class ICT solutions to help transform education delivery and importantly address the poor state of repair and fitness for purpose of much of England's secondary school estate.
3. Four other city schools have been or are being build under PFI schemes. Henbury School opened in September 2005, Portway is set to open in the new year and Bedminster Down and Monks Park are due to open at Easter 2006.
4. The initial central funding will provide:

• At Brislington Enterprise College a new building at the rear of the existing school will be built for 1485 pupils plus a sixth form of 250 and 20 children with Complex Learning Difficulties.
• Speedwell will also have a new building for 1080 pupils plus a sixth form of 100 with the possibility of attached additional leisure facilities to include a fitness suite, dance studio, reception and a possible children's area.
• Whitefield Fishponds with 1080 11-16 places in a new building.
• At Hartcliffe the plan is a 945 place secondary school, a 200 place vocational centre, a nursery, a student support centre for 14-16 year-olds at risk of exclusion and SLD provision for 50 pupils. It will be known as Hartcliffe Education Campus.

For more information or interviews call Helen Morgan on 0117 9222732.