Contracts signed for largest BSF project to date
27 October 2008
The first phase of the largest Building Schools for the Future scheme to date – part of Kent's £1.8 billion project – has reached Financial Close, marking an important milestone in the programme to rebuild and renew secondary schools across England.
Contracts have been signed between Kent County Council (KCC), Building Schools for the Future Investments (BSFI) and Land Securities Trillium (LST) / Northgate Education (NE) to transform education in the first 10 schools and develop proposals for a further 25 schools in Gravesham, Thanet and Swale. The contract has an estimated capital spend of £600million.
Tim Byles, Chief Executive of Partnerships for Schools, said: "BSF is a national programme, but with a distinctly local flavour. It is a programme that is tuned to local needs and aspirations, and as such there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The flexibility afforded by BSF means that we see both large-scale projects which will be delivered over a number of phases– such as Kent – and, increasingly, growing opportunities for local authorities to start transforming education in their area beginning with smaller, more targeted schemes.
"Today's milestone brings the number of local authorities to have signed deals with a private sector partner to 23, illustrating the momentum and pace of delivery that is now beginning to build in BSF.
"BSF continues to be an attractive proposition to the private sector market. New figures show that there are now 25 active LEP bidders in Waves 4 to 6, demonstrating the increased interest in bidding for work as the programme ramps up towards the delivery target of at least 200 schools a year from 2011 onwards."
Notes to Editors:
- The first 10 schools to be transformed in Kent are:
• Charles Dickens School, Broadstairs
• Community College Whitstable, Whitstable
• Dane Court Grammar School, Broadstairs
• Herne Bay High School, Herne Bay
• King Ethelbert School, Birchington
• Northfleet School for Girls, Gravesend
• Northfleet Technology College, Gravesend
• St George's CE Foundation School, Broadstairs
• St John's Catholic Comprehensive School, Gravesend
• Thamesview School, Gravesend - KCC will now form a Local Education Partnership (LEP) with LST, NE and BSFI to manage the delivery of the programme.
- The agreement will provide a boost to the Kent construction industry and offer employment opportunities. As part of the deal, 400 apprenticeships will be offered to young people.
- More information about the Kent BSF Programme is available at bsf@kent.gov.uk
- Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is the largest single schools capital investment programme for over 50 years.
- The aim is to rebuild or renew England’s state secondary schools estate during the lifetime of the programme.
38 BSF schools have now opened, with over 1,000 secondary schools engaged in the programme, between design and delivery. More information about schools already open can be found at: http://www.partnershipsforschools.org.uk/programme/school_search.jsp - Partnerships for Schools (PfS) is the delivery organisation for Building Schools for the Future. PfS was established in April 2004 as a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), and is operated and funded under a joint venture between DCSF (formerly DfES) and Partnerships UK. PfS is a 100-strong organisation, with specialist expertise including educationalists, designers, ICT specialists, commercial managers and project management.
