Schools for the Future Update

January 2010 - Issue 3

Welcome to the third newsletter from Nottingham’s Local Education Partnership (LEP). To keep up to date with all the latest news and information, visit www.nottinghambsf.co.uk.

Wave 2Oak Field School and Sports College is a brand new special school which has been built as part of Nottingham’s BSF programme. Construction work started in July 2008 and the pupils and staff moved into the new school in November 2009. The new building provides state of the art facilities which includes light and airy classrooms with the latest in technology to support learning and improve achievement, a large sports hall, a hydro therapy pool and a multi-gym. A fully furnished apartment will also provide a training asset for older pupils. To find out more about the school, click here.

Rosehill School is being remodelled as part of Nottingham’s BSF programme and the Final Business Case, which shows the detailed designs for the new school, has been submitted to the Council’s Executive Board and Partnerships for Schools (PfS). Construction work is due to begin around Easter.

Wave 5The Council has submitted its Wave 5 Outline Business Case to its Executive Board and PfS. Once approved, the Council will receive approximately £81 million of funding which will benefit four secondary schools (Trinity, Top Valley, Bluecoat and Fernwood), two special schools (Westbury and Woodlands) and four Learning Centres (Beckhampton Centre, Unity Centre plus two centres at Top Valley School and Nottingham Academy).

An in-depth ‘visioning’ process is due to start this month at Bluecoat and Fernwood schools. Pupils, parents and school staff will be fully involved in a creative process to rethink their school for the 21st century. They will then be part of the design process, to ensure their ideas are realised in their new learning environment.

Building Schools for the Future (BSF)

MAKING TOMORROW A BETTER PLACETM

Jake 17 (left) and Dale 16 (right) with Councillor David Mellen in the new library. Picture courtesy of Nottingham Evening Post.

Artist impression of Rosehill School

Schools for the Future Update

Nottingham’s Local

Education Partnership (LEP)

achieved national recognition

at the annual ‘Excellence in

BSF’ awards in November

2009.The awards celebrate

achievement in all areas of

the national programme to

transform education and

Nottingham scooped the

award for LEP of the Year.

This award demonstrates

that the Nottingham LEP is

a true partnership, with trust

at its heart, where partner

organisations work as one

towards the same goals.

Nottingham scoops national award for excellence

From left to right: Dara O’Brien, Mark Harding, Councillor David Mellen, Ian Curryer, Matthew Neal, Tim Byles

A day in the life of Mark Harding, LEP General Manager

When I was asked to jot down some words describing a day in my life as LEP General Manager my initial reaction was that it would not be an easy task, as the role is so varied that no two days are the same. I have, however, in the following paragraphs tried to give you a flavour of a day in the life of a LEP General Manager.

I start the day with a telephone conversation with Jim Mason, Nottingham City Council’s BSF Programme Director, to catch up on news and issues of the day. The Council is a key partner in the LEP and so it is critical that we know what each other is doing/planning in order that we can work efficiently. After catching up with the overnight emails, I have discussions with Sarah and Pete (New Projects Development Managers). The development of New Projects is crucial to contributing to the Council’s aim to transform education as it drives the investment programme. We look at the schemes in development and address any individual project issues.

As it is the middle of the month it is time to collate and compile my monthly reports, one to the LEP company board and one to the BSF Strategic Partnering Board. These two boards are the governance bodies of the LEP and they set and monitor the strategic direction of the business. The reports outline the progress of all the activities that the LEP is involved in and contain requests to progress schemes through the key gateways. I discuss with Mark (Operations Manager) the performance of our sub contractors; Carillion and Ramesys. Carillion have nine construction sites in various stages of construction from nearly finished (e.g. Southwark Primary) to just started (e.g. Nottingham Academy) and Ramesys provide the new ICT managed service and equipment to the schools. We decide on the information that should be included in my reports. The LEP is also very keen to provide benefits to the local communities surrounding each of the new schools by providing opportunities for local residents and businesses. Alice (Community and Regeneration Manager) collects data about the number of local people employed by organisations delivering services for the LEP, the amount spent by those organisations with local suppliers and contractors and the number of apprenticeships and training opportunities created. We discuss and analyse the figures and include an update in my monthly reports.

I then meet with Lisa (Project Coordinator) to discuss communications within the LEP. We agree on the programme for future meetings and discuss how successful the LEP’s website is. Do we need to update or add new content, who has visited the site, what are the most popular pages? There has been keen interest in the website from across the world as people are able to see how the schools are progressing through the webcams on site.

Amongst all of the above I find time for lunch, a few cups of coffee and various discussions with people in the office. These discussions can be on a variety of subjects as in order to get the best out of the partnership, the LEP shares its office with the Carillion Building core team, the Council’s Schools for the Future Team, Carillion Facilities Management and Capita Architecture. I also take and make a variety of calls to colleagues outside the office.

Finally I travel home via either the squash club or gym where I exercise and work out the stress of the day. A late’ish dinner and further emails finish the day!

Schools for the Future Update

Primary Capital Programme

Financial Close was reached on Phase 1a of Nottingham’s City Council’s £18 million Primary Capital Programme in December 2009.

Construction work starts this month on the first three schools; Robin Hood, Henry Whipple and Greenfields. The inspirational designs have been developed through a creative ‘visioning’ and design process, pulling together ideas from children, parents and school staff.

Henry Whipple School

Note: These designs are subject to change following ongoing discussions with the schools.

Bluebell Hill School

Robin Hood School

Greenfields Community School and Foundation Unit

Schools for the Future Update

Dates for the diary

22 Jan Turf cutting event at Robin Hood

Primary School

Feb Vernon Coaker to visit

Southwark Primary School

Official opening of Oak Field

School and Sports College

Mar Turf cutting event at Rosehill and

Blue Bell Hill Schools

The Local Education Partnership (LEP) is a partnership

between Nottingham City Council, inspiredspaces and

Buildings Schools for the Future Investments. The LEP’s

main suppliers are Carillion, providing construction and

facilities management, and Ramesys providing the ICT

expertise.

Contact usT: 0115 968 3400

E: nottinghambsf@inspiredspaces.co.uk

W: www.nottinghambsf.co.uk

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Community investment

Click here to read the first issue of Together, the newsletter from Carillion Building, the construction delivery partner to inspiredspaces, that brings you details of the added value work they are undertaking in the form of engagement with students at schools, the training and employment of local people and the commitment to support and invest within the local economy. These are all contributors to the regeneration of Nottingham. This first issue captures the work from Financial Close in June 2008 to the present day. To find out more, contact Alice Vickers, Community Regeneration Manager, on 07789 225 445.

AcademiesFinancial Close was reached on the

£54 million Nottingham Academy in

December 2009. Nottingham Academy,

the largest Academy in Europe, will

transform education facilities for

3,600 children aged three to 19 in the

communities of Sneinton, Bakersfield, St

Ann’s and Mapperley. The Nottingham

Academy will provide new and state-

of-the-art buildings at the Greenwood

Road site (the former Jesse Boot

School site) for 800 primary and

1,200 secondary students, together

with remodelled and refurbished

accommodation at the Ransom Road

site for over 1,000 secondary students

and the former Greenwood Dale site for

a further 600 secondary students.

A new digital “fly-through” has been

specially produced to give people a

taster of how the new Bulwell Academy

will look – even though the building itself

will not be completed until later this year.

To view the film, click here.

Entrance of the Greenwood Road site