Celebrating best practice: PfS announces 2009 Excellence in BSF Awards
09 July 2009
Partnerships for Schools is pleased to announce the second annual Excellence in BSF Awards. 2008’s inaugural event was a huge success with over 70 entries in 10 categories. This year’s awards have 18 categories including one for Local Education Partnership of the Year. Nearly 90 schools are now benefitting from the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme and the awards celebrate success across all disciplines involved in delivering the programme. Nominations are now being sought for the categories ranging from Most Versatile Learning Environment to Adviser of the Year.
Tim Byles, Chief Executive of PfS, said: ‘This is a great time to be involved in Building Schools for the Future with more schools and Academies opening, exciting and transformational designs coming off the drawing board, and inspiring examples of how the public and private sectors can work together.
‘With 80 local authorities now engaged in BSF, I have had many opportunities to visit projects across the country and see the delivery of BSF in action. This year’s awards offer an even bigger opportunity to recognise and showcase best practice in the BSF community and highlight regional and national success stories in a range of fields, and we are encouraging school professionals, local authorities, design and construction experts to put forward nominations for consideration.’
The categories in the Excellence in BSF Awards 2009 are:
• Best Change Programme
• Education For All Award
• Innovation in Student Engagement
• BSF School of the Year
• Innovation in PE & Sport
• Most Versatile Learning Environment
• Best Design for a New School
• Best Design for a Remodelled School
• Innovation in Sustainability
• Most Inspirational Use of Outdoor Space
• Design Adviser of the Year – the Jonathan Ibikunle award
• Community Hub Award
• Buildings Beyond Schools Award
• Best BSF Academy
• Local Education Partnership of the Year
• Local Authority of the Year
• Most Effective ICT Partnering
• Adviser of the Year
In addition, there will be a Grand Prix award for the Most Transformational Team. This award will be determined by the independent panel of judges.
The awards ceremony will be hosted by Dara O’Briain at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London on 12 November. More information about the awards and how to make a nomination can be found at:
http://www.pfsevents.com/excellence_in_bsf_awards.html
Closing date for entries is 16 September 2009.
Notes to editors:
1. 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.
2. 80 local authorities are now engaged in the BSF programme, with 20 Local Education Partnerships formed to deliver school building projects in these areas. Almost 90 schools have now benefitted from BSF investment across England.
For more information see: www.partnershipsforschools.org.uk/programme/school_search.jsp
3. 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). PfS is a 120-strong organisation, with specialist expertise including educationalists, designers, ICT specialists, commercial managers and project management.
4. The National Audit Office report into BSF, published in February 2009, stated that the programme is now being well managed and that PfS is keeping costs under control. It added: “BSF schools have been built to a higher specification and space standards than previous schools”
5. The Minister for Schools announced in June that PfS is to assume responsibility for the management and delivery of all school building and refurbishment programmes from 1 October 2009. Day-to-day responsibility of schools capital programmes, including the Primary Capital Programme, will transfer from the DSCF to PfS.
Media enquiries
For more information contact communications@partnershipsforschools.org.uk.
