First BSF pupil referral unit opens in Lambeth
21 November 2008
The CEO of Partnerships for Schools, Tim Byles, joined teachers, students, and representatives from the London Borough of Lambeth today (Friday 21 November) at the official opening of the first pupil referral unit in England to be built under Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.
Park Campus is a specialist alternative provision unit supporting Lambeth’s mainstream schools by providing education for up to 80 11 to 18-year-olds who have a wide range of social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. The aim of the new school in West Norwood is to support even more young people back into Lambeth’s mainstream secondary schools.
New leadership at Park Campus in recent years has already lead to significant successes. In the past six months alone four young people have been helped back into mainstream schools. The new purpose-built site is set to help even further - for example, there are no remote areas outside the school where pupils can loiter unobserved because the need for supervision has been taken into account into the design.
Cllr Paul McGlone, Lambeth’s cabinet member for children and young people, said: “It’s absolutely essential we tackle challenging pupils and this innovative new site - the first of its kind in the country - will help us do just that. This is the latest leap forward for Lambeth schools - three more mainstream secondary schools have already been launched, we have a top quality school for pupils with special educational needs and large scale improvements are in store for the borough’s primary schools too.”
Speaking at today’s Tim Byles, said:
“I’m delighted to be back in Lambeth for the second official opening of a new BSF school in eight months.
“Building Schools for the Future is all about inclusiveness, providing safe, welcoming and inspiring learning environments - such as we are in today - to ensure that every young person fulfils their potential, no matter what their background, no matter what their needs.
“Lambeth is testament to this approach. Two of the first BSF schools to open are specifically designed to cater for the special educational and social needs of the borough’s students, improving the lives of some of our most vulnerable young people.
“For too long alternative provision has been the Cinderella of the education world, despite the fact that it educates around 135,000 students a year. Through BSF we have an opportunity to bring alternative provision out of the shadows, to ensure that teachers and students in this important sector have access to the range of facilities and equipment necessary so that every member of the school community can unlock their talents.
“What we are seeing in Lambeth, and across the country thanks to BSF, is that alternative provision is being transformed into a vibrant and successful part of the education system, working in close partnership with mainstream schools, special schools and with children’s services, to meet the needs of each and every young person and set them back on the path to success
“Central to the approach outlined in the government’s Back on Track agenda are the themes of identifying problems early on, and improving the quality of the alternative educational provision that young people receive outside mainstream schools.
“Park Campus is already demonstrating that it is ahead of the game on this with its focus on identifying, and tackling, challenging behaviour through its specialist teams – and supporting students to get back into mainstream schools as soon as they are ready.
“The emphasis on putting schools back at the centre of their community is something which I know Park Campus is totally committed to. Staff will be sharing their knowledge and experience with fellow education professionals, and the school itself – with its wonderful music, ICT and sports facilities worthy of a West Ham footballer, will be available beyond the school day to local residents and clubs.
“So congratulations to all involved in making Park Campus – the 42nd BSF school now open - a reality.”
Park Campus’s headteacher Richard Leonard said: “Historically alternative education provision within the borough has been housed in older, not fit for purpose buildings and finally to move into a specially designed new building has turned the vision of all our stakeholders into reality.”
Notes to Editors:
The school will provide education for up to 80 11 to 18-year-olds. It includes accommodation for Behaviour and Education Support Teams (BEST) in the Behaviour Improvement Programme (BIP).
The new building, designed by Ellis Williams Architects and built by Apollo Education, also features:
• a music room
• multi-purpose sports hall designed to Sports England specifications (opened by Skysports commentator and former West Ham Utd player)
• ICT Suite
• school available to community outside school hours
• multi-use games areas
• walled gardens
• social areas.
Lambeth Council’s behaviour partnership service, providing outreach to the borough’s secondary schools and supporting pupils back into mainstream education, is based at the new school.
The school has state-of-the-art facilities available for wider community use outside school hours, including an Astroturf pitch, fully equipped mini gym and a multi-use area that can be used for sports, meetings and as a performance hall.
All classrooms are also equipped with hi-tech whiteboards, projectors, audio systems and Classpads - devices which enable the whole class to be interactive.
The new site includes a science lab, food technology classrooms and a multi-media suite, meaning a broad curriculum can be offered for the first time alongside specialist support.
The launch of Park Campus is part of a whole raft of changes to Lambeth schools. The Michael Tippett School which opened earlier this year was the first BSF school to be built in London and the first special educational needs school in the country under BSF. Three new mainstream secondary schools - the Lambeth Academy, Evelyn Grace Academy and the Elmgreen School, which is the country’s first Parent-Promoted School - have also launched in recent years.
Apollo Education, a specialist division of Apollo Property Services Group, was responsible for the design and construction of Park Campus on behalf of Lambeth Council. Park Campus has been delivered at Park Campus by educational technology supplier RM in partnership with Lambeth Council.
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.
