Partnerships for Schools



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Partnerships for Schools
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Press Releases

Press Releases

Over 90 per cent believe that BSF will help improve education

24 February 2010

Building Schools for the Future (BSF) will help improve education in their area by providing young people, teachers and communities with schools and facilities fit for the 21st century, according to over 90 per cent of local authorities and private sector companies involved in BSF who were interviewed.

The in-depth survey of local authorities and contractors carried out by Ipsos MORI on behalf of Partnerships for Schools (PfS), the organisation responsible for the full suite of schools capital programmes, is a strong endorsement for both the national BSF programme and how it is being managed by PfS.

Speaking at the Building Schools Exhibition and Conference at ExCeL London on 24 February 2010, PfS Chief Executive Tim Byles said:

"Local authorities and the private sector have always supported the aim of using the unprecedented level of investment provided by the Building Schools for the Future programme to improve education and life chances for young people and communities. For the first time, the results of this survey show how the positive perceptions about the benefits of BSF are becoming aligned with the reality of BSF as more local authorities become actively engaged in BSF, more deals are signed, and more schools open the length and breadth of the country.

"In the week when we are expecting the 50th BSF deal to reach financial close, and with over 130,000 children and 12,000 teachers now benefitting from new learning environments, the survey indicates that satisfaction with the pace and quality of delivery is on the rise.

"These results, coupled with findings from surveys with pupils, parents and teachers and the many good news stories we hear, is helping us to develop a clearer picture of the impact that BSF is having across the country. We are continuing to share the feedback and lessons learned from schools, local authorities and the private sector, and will be studying the findings in some detail to help us work even more effectively with our stakeholders."

Other findings from the stakeholder perceptions survey carried out in January 2010 include:

  • Over 90% believe that BSF will help improve education locally by providing young people, teachers and communities with facilities that are fit for the 21st century. (local authorities: 97%; private sector providers: 92%)
  • More than 80% agree or strongly agree that although BSF got off to a slow start, it has accelerated and is now delivering. (local authorities: 84%; private sector providers: 89%)
  • 84% of local authorities and 78% of private sector providers said they were satisfied with BSF as a whole
  • Almost all private sector providers (98%) and four in five local authorities (78%) believe that PfS is effective or very effective in delivering the BSF programme

Notes to Editors:

1. The stakeholder perception study was carried out by Ipsos MORI on behalf of PfS. A census survey of 80 local authorities and 48 private sector providers was undertaken and results are based on responses from 74 local authorities and 36 private sector providers. Fieldwork took place between 6- 26 January 2010 and respondents were interviewed by telephone. Data is unweighted.

2. Research carried out by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) in 2008 found a leap forward in the attitudes of pupils attending a new Academy school in Bristol. The Before and After survey found:

  • Significant improvements in the number of pupils who enjoyed going to school, felt proud of the school, and felt safe in their new school;
  • Major reductions in anti-social behaviour - in their old school 39% of pupils thought bullying was a problem, compared with 16% in the new school;
  • 84% of pupils thought vandalism was a problem in their old school, falling to 33% in the new school.

3. A survey of parents in Leeds carried out in 2008 by Populus found:

  • Nearly all the parents of children who attend a BSF school (95%) were happy with the overall state of their school buildings and grounds, compared with only 54% of parents whose children attend other schools saying they were happy;
  • 92% of parents with children at new BSF schools in Leeds said they were happy with the sport, dance and drama facilities at their child's school, compared to 74% of those with children at non-BSF schools;
  • When asked how happy they were with the IT and computing facilities at their child's school, 97% of 'BSF parents' were happy (75% very happy) compared with 77% (33% very happy) of non-BSF parents.

4. 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.

5. PfS is responsible for the delivery of around £8bn investment into education until 2011 - through Building Schools for the Future; the Academies programme; the Primary Capital Programme; and the Devolved and Targeted Capital Programmes.

6. 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.

7. Around a third of all secondary schools in England are now involved in the BSF programme in 96 local authorities across England. An announcement about the next local authorities to start their BSF projects is expected to be made this spring.

ENDS