DCSF consultation may accelerate BSF entry
09 April 2008
**Please note that the consultation referred to in this press release has now closed**
Partnerships for Schools has welcomed the publication by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) of a consultation document which includes proposals to accelerate entry into the Building Schools for the Future programme.
Commenting on the DCSF consultation, Tim Byles, Chief Executive of Partnerships for Schools, said:
"Building Schools for the Future is already beginning to transform the face of education for thousands of young people, their teachers and the communities they live in. At its heart, BSF is about improving the life chances of all young people, no matter what their background or their abilities.
"At the outset of BSF, the two key criteria determining the order in which local authorities joined the programme were, quite rightly, academic attainment and social deprivation. As a result, the areas of greatest need are now being tackled, and having reached this mid point of the programme, with around half of local authorities already engaged in BSF, it is right to consider whether there are additional criteria that should be taken account of in determining when the remaining authorities should join the programme.
"Today’s consultation is a welcome step to addressing these issues, and could allow local authorities to join BSF when they can demonstrate they are ready to do so rather than in "waves" made up of a number of authorities at a time. This means that more local authorities could be able to join the programme earlier than was previously possible."
The consultation is set against a backdrop of accelerated delivery in BSF:
- Six-month reduction in pre-procurement timescales coupled with more robust preparation in advance of joining the programme
- Proposed two-month reduction in procurement phase timescales, delivering up to £250m savings
- Acceleration of a number of local authorities originally due to join BSF in 2008 – 2009 with a fast-track start date this summer
The DCSF consultation can be found at: www.dcsf.gov.uk/consultations/
MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
Amy Leonard, Communications Director, Partnerships for Schools: 07960 116966, Nicky Old, Senior Communications Manager, 020 7273 0031
