'Best of BSF' unveiled as PfS announces national awards shortlist

13 October 2009

Building Schools for the Future (BSF) projects from local authorities across England have been shortlisted for this year’s Excellence in BSF Awards celebrating achievement across all areas of the national programme which will help improve the life chances of 3.3m young people a year.

Expert judges, including representatives from the design community, construction industry, educationalists, students and BSF delivery partners, have now selected the BSF projects in 18 categories which are in line to win one of the Excellence in BSF Awards on 12 November.

Tim Byles, Chief Executive of Partnerships for Schools, will chair the Excellence in BSF Awards judging panel later this month to select the top prize winners. He said: "This year we have been very impressed by the quality of entries received from schools, from local authorities, and from the private sector, making the job of our expert panels even harder than last year.

"There are some great examples of projects to get pupils actively involved in BSF decision-making across the country, fantastic designs for new and remodelled schools, and examples of best practice to hold up within local authorities and the private sector.

"Our awards will be celebrating all of these achievements and demonstrating how BSF is a catalyst for improving the life chances of millions of young people, creating dynamic public private partnerships and helping put schools back at the centre of their community.

"I look forward to celebrating the very best of BSF with our nominees and members of the BSF community next month."

The shortlisted projects for the Excellence in BSF Awards 2009 (listed alphabetically by local authority) are:

Best Change Programme

• Knowsley MBC
• Southwark Council

Education For All Award

• Lambeth Council
• Lancashire County Council for Pendle Vale College and Pendle High School and College

Innovation in Student Engagement

• City Academy, Hackney - Studio E Architects
• Acklam Grange School, Middlesbrough
• Aura Newcastle
• Somerset
• Tameside
• Carillion, Joseph Rowntree School, York

BSF School of the Year

• Brislington Enterprise College, Bristol
• Beaumont Leys, Leicester

Innovation in PE & Sport

• Lambeth
• Leicester

Most Versatile Learning Environment

• New Line Learning Academy, Kent
• Pudsey Grangefield, Education Leeds
• Stanley Park, Sutton
• Joseph Rowntree School, York

Best Design for a New School

• City Academy, Hackney - Studio E Architects
• St Mary Magdalene Academy, Islington - Fielden Clegg Bradley Architects
• Milton Keynes Academy, Milton Keynes - BDP
• Big Wood School, Nottingham - Capita Architecture
• Park Hall School, Solihull

Best Design for a Remodelled School

• Stoke Newington School, Hackney - Jestico and Whiles
• Elm Court Special School, Lambeth - JM Architects
• Hadden Park High School, Nottingham - Capita Architecture
• Westminster City School, Westminster - Anshen and Allen

Innovation in Sustainability

• Elm Court Special School, Lambeth - JM Architects
• Hope Academy, Newton Le Willows - St Helens
• Park Hall, Solihull - Nicholas Hare Architects
• Washington School, Sunderland - Space Architecture

Most Inspirational Use of Outdoor Space

• Stoke Newington School, Hackney - Place Design & Planning Ltd
• Soar Valley College, Leicester - Architects Design Partnership
• Milton Keynes Academy, Milton Keynes - BDP
• Washington School, Sunderland - Space Architecture

Design Adviser of the Year – the Jonathan Ibikunle award

• Catherine Brownell
• David Challinor
• Jestico and Whiles

Community Hub Award

• Catalyst Lend Lease, Burnley Campus, Lancashire
• Wates Construction, Lea Manor School, Luton

Buildings Beyond Schools Award

• Children and Young People’s Services ‘Integrated Centre for Excellence’, Luton Borough Council
• Inspiredpaces STaG LEP, Cleadon Park Primary Care Centre, South Tyneside and Gateshead

Best BSF Academy

• Longfield Academy, Kent
• Hope Academy, St Helens
• Academy 360, Sunderland
• Wellington Academy, Wiltshire

Local Education Partnership of the Year

• Leeds Local Education Partnership
• Newcastle Local Education Partnership
• Nottingham City BSF
• Sheffield BSF
• STaG BSF
• Westminster BSF

Local Authority of the Year

• Knowsley
• Lambeth
• Southwark
• Sunderland
• Tameside

Most Effective ICT Partnering

• Lambeth/RM
• Leeds/RM
• Lewisham/VT4S
• Sheffield/Civica

Adviser of the Year

• Bryanston Square
• Deloitte
• Mace Group
• Mott MacDonald
• Place Group
• PWC

There will also be a special Grand Prix prize for the Most Transformational Team as determined by the independent panel of judges which will be announced at the awards ceremony.

The awards ceremony will be hosted by comedian Dara Ó Briain at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London on 12 November. More information about the awards can be found at: http://www.pfsevents.com/excellence_in_bsf_awards.html
 

Notes to Editors:

• PfS is the government’s delivery agent for the full suite of capital investment programmes into schools, helping ensure that taxpayers get the best value from every education pound spent.
• Building Schools for the Future is the largest capital investment programme for 50 years that will provide world-class teaching and learning environments for all pupils, teachers and communities in England. Over the lifetime of the programme, BSF will help improve the life chances of 3.3m children every year.
• Nearly a third of all secondary schools in England – in 85 local authorities across England - are now involved in the BSF programme.