Ministry of EducationGreater Christchurch Education Renewal Programme

Infrastructure updateAugust 2013

Contents

1. Introduction2. Background3. Programme strategic objectives4. Key programme phases

• Timing• Property planning• Implementation5. Self evaluation6. Post programme review7. Maintaining facilities in the

interim8. 5YA9. Frequently Asked Questions10. Questions

Introduction

The government has announced a $1 billion dollar investment to restore, remodel renew and /or rebuild and where necessary establish brand new schools in greater Christchurch.

The Ministry’s aim is to create more modern schools with improved facilities that reflect the advice of education experts and to support students’ use of the latest learning methods and technology.

The Ministry has created a dedicated team to deliver this property programme, and will oversee it from the initial planning and design right through to final construction.

Where necessary the team will engage suitably qualified and experienced providers to deliver individual work programmes.

Background

• The Greater Christchurch Education Renewal Programme (GCERP) was established following the February 2011 earthquakes to respond to major building and land damage and demographic change.

• An infrastructure work programme is underway to deliver repairs, remodels, rebuilds and new schools across greater Christchurch.

• The programme provides a unique opportunity to not only restore but renew the education system. It will deliver improved facilities that reshape education delivery, improve learning outcomes and raise student achievement.

Education Renewal Property and infrastructure

•The education system will provide the skills and knowledge needed for the development of greater Christchurch as its economy adapts to changes caused by the earthquakes.

•Educational institutions will support the transmission of language and culture and the development of personal identity by harnessing resources and expertise in ways that individuals or voluntary organisations cannot.

•A disproportionate number of Māori and Pasifika young people leave school early, with few qualifications, never to return to education or training. We will provide a network with thriving, well-resourced, culturally responsive ECE services, schools, and tertiary providers that will work in collaboration with families, whanāu, and the community.

•Communities identify with their schools: good local schools can have a positive impact on how people feel about their neighbourhood. By renewing the education system, we will rebuild Christchurch’s reputation as an education destination and confirm the region as a great place to live.

•Education is a major source of economic activity and employment in greater Christchurch. The renewal of the education network will cement education as an economic enterprise in its own right

•Ensure the right schools are in the right places. Build an optimised network to meet education demand: ‘rationalise and design a school network to meet education provision in Christchurch’.

•Better integrate schools to use shared facilities: Coordinate between schools and between schools and the community to better utilise assets such as halls and gyms.

•Provide “safe and inspiring learning environments” Deliver quality standards in New Zealand schools and develop a resilient network more capable to respond to future natural disasters.

•Improved asset efficiency and reduce whole of life cost of assets.

Programme strategic objectives – key benefits

Key programme phasesThe total programme will be delivered over the next 10 years. It is due to be completed by the end of March 2023. The Programme consists of two broad phases of work:

Property plans Implementation

Involves developing a property plan for each school that is informed and supported by the Learning Community Cluster Plan (LCCP).

The property plans bring together the LCCP and school vision with the estate strategy.

An architect will be appointed to work with each school to develop up a preferred high level site plan for each school.

Property plans support the final investment decision to be made at each school.

Property plans are being developed with 4 initial clusters. Lessons learnt will be incorporated into subsequent property plans.

Implementation of the property plans and delivery of the capital investment which will include detailed design and construction.

A project manager will be appointed to work with schools to deliver the preferred option identified in the property plan.

This stage will continue until March 2023.

Post completion review: Assessing school users’ satisfaction with ‘redeveloped’ school.

The programme for delivery

Programme - prioritiesPhasing of investment is based on the following criteria:

• Priority 1 : Mergers, closures and dependencies Schools where deadlines have been announced (new schools, closures or mergers).

• Priority 2: Roll growth and capacity Schools where works are required because the existing network does not have capacity

to accommodate projected roll levels. Projects should be completed as soon as possible.

• Priority 3: Student achievement Schools where there is key opportunity to undertake property works aimed at

improving student achievement. Promoting the needs of priority learners, inclusion, greater community cohesion and innovation are key factors.

• Priority 4: Effectiveness in delivery Improve the quality of the built environment and deliver programme efficiencies.

The Ministry is still engaging with schools and the sector to assist in assessing priorities 3 and 4.

Programme – schools self evaluation

• Self evaluation assists the Ministry to prioritise the timing of capital investment for primary schools over the next 10 years.

• The self evaluation includes several questions. Each question requires a rating based on a 7 point scale. The self evaluation is straight forward and quick to complete.

• The outcome of the self evaluation does not preclude schools from receiving funding for ongoing urgent maintenance and health and safety issues.

• Schools will continue to receive minor capital works funding through their Operations Grant to enable them to continue to maintain the buildings at the school.

Learning Community Cluster Plan (cluster

vision)

Property Plan

Education Renewal

Cross check – ensure property plans are driven by visions

Individual school vision (base on existing School

Charters)

LCC Plan and school vision drives the Property Plan

Implementation

Developing the property planThis document ties

together cluster education and property

strategies

Developing the property plan

• An architect will be appointed to work with each school.• This is a collaborative process providing schools with an opportunity to think

strategically, aligning educational vision with the need for built facilities.• The process matches school aspirations, available resources and site constraints in

a proposal for long term future development that is consistent with the LCC vision. • High level concept drawings, explanatory diagrams and supporting documentation

will be developed to describe the future direction of the schools.

Implementation – detailed design and construction• The Ministry will work with School Boards of Trustees to ensure that disruption of day to

day learning during construction is minimised.

• Construction will be staged to ensure operational continuity with adequate teaching and staff space maintained at all times.

• If necessary, re-locatable buildings will be used to provide alternative teaching and staff space.

• Maintaining appropriate Health and Safety standards is a core part of any contract.

Post programme reviewPost occupancy review conducted for each project

• Assess stakeholder, including building users, satisfaction with project.

• Assessments completed once the building has been in use for a period of time.

Post implementation review evaluates whether programme has delivered identified benefits

What happens to my school between now and the time it is due for remediation?

 • In the immediate response to the earthquakes, the Ministry has completed

repair works or provided temporary accommodation to ensure that all schools remain operational and provide a safe and secure environment for students.

• The Ministry will continue to support schools in maintaining their facilities until the proposed programme of works is complete. Schools should contact the Ministry if there are any capital maintenance or health and safety concerns at their school.

5YA

• Schools capital funding distributed through the five year agreement regime (5YA) is

provided to modernise the existing stock of schools.

• The funding for greater Christchurch schools has been set aside while the impact of the Canterbury earthquakes on schooling provision and pre-existing school property issues are being assessed.

• As result of that work, the Ministry advised Government that current funding and property provision approaches were inadequate to deal with the impact of the earthquakes and preexisting property issues at schools. The Government subsequently committed $1 billion for school property over ten years, which is significantly more than would be provided to schools through current funding programmes.

• To ensure the Government gets the best education outcomes possible from the $1 billion commitment, school infrastructure repair, redevelopment and provision of new infrastructure will be centrally coordinated by the Ministry.

Key questions • Why can’t the Ministry complete the works quicker? The total rebuild across greater Christchurch is

currently forecast at $40 billion dollars. There are a finite number of suppliers available to provide this level of investment. This imposes limits on how quickly the Ministry can proceed and the maximum amount of work that can be undertaken at any one time while maintaining appropriate value for money, quality and health and safety standards.

• When will my school be included in the programme of works? An indicative high level programme of works will be released to all schools identifying when work is scheduled to begin and likely end dates for each School.

• What happens to property that is owned, wholly or partly by School boards? Will this also be included in the renewal programme? Property wholly owned by School boards is the responsibility of those Boards. The Ministry is willing to engage with Boards to include those buildings in the work programme if the School has the funding to cover the required work. Where a building is partially owned, the Ministry will asses the work programme on a case by case basis and work with the respective school boards to arrange appropriate remediation.

• What will Modern Learning Environment plans mean in the case of schools that will only require refurbishment (as opposed to schools that will be rebuilt)? The Ministry is currently assessing every teaching space in greater Christchurch for compliance with modern learning environment standards. The Ministry is aiming to have a at least 85% of all teaching spaces at or above the Designing Quality Learning Spaces standard in greater Christchurch, regardless of the level of repairs required at each school.

QuestionsThe Ministry has established an email address for all Christchurch property related queries: ChChRenewal.Property@minedu.govt.nz

More information can also be found on the Ministry’s Shaping Education website: http://shapingeducation.govt.nz/