Schools Minister Lord Nash said: «Through the
priority school building programme we are investing in school buildings across the country to transform the learning environment for tens of thousands of pupils and their teachers while delivering value for money for the taxpayer.
Standardised Designs The James Review was ordered by Michael Gove after the cancellation of the BSF programme to investigate ways to improve efficiency and reduce waste in
central school building programmes.
Ministers have admitted that fewer than 30 % of schools constructed under their
flagship school building programme had sprinkler systems installed, despite the presumption that all new school buildings should have sprinkler systems.
Liberal Democrat schools spokesman Stephen Williams welcomed the
broad school building programme, arguing no child should be educated in substandard buildings.
The free school programme has delivered new schools faster than any
other school building programme and, according to the National Audit Office, at significantly less cost to the taxpayer than previous initiatives.
The new body will continue to carry out the roles of the funding agencies and will be responsible for overseeing: the funding of education for pupils aged five to 16; education and training for those aged 16 to 19; apprenticeships and adult education; and
managing school building programmes.
The current school building programme [the Priority School Building Programme, covered on page 61] is just too cheap.
However, a change in government in 2010 led to the
existing school building programmes at the time being axed and the Priority School Building Programme being introduced in 2011, with baseline design guidelines and the aim to make school construction more cost - effective.
Ian Boatman, head teacher of Edith Borthwick School, said: «We are delighted to take delivery of our superb new school, built by Wates Construction under the
priority school building programme.
STANDARDISED DESIGNS The James Review was ordered by Michael Gove after the cancellation of the BSF programme to investigate ways to improve efficiency and reduce waste in
central school building programmes.
«The claim by the Secretary of State that poor administration was a key factor in his decision to scrap the bulk of
the school building programme is today looking ridiculous.
«From the abolition of Labour's
school building programme, to curriculum changes, Michael Gove has form when it comes to ignoring expert advice.»
«Cutting the roll out of universal free school meals, abolishing one - to - one tuition, pulling the plug on funding for breakfast clubs and other extended services, aborting
the school building programme and siphoning off money to allow the pushy and the privileged to set up schools will hit the poorest and most disadvantaged children hardest.
And they will not reverse the damage done by two years of deep cuts to long - term projects like house building and
the school building programme which have seen a collapse in the construction sector.»
«I urge local authorities to join with schools, parents and the public, who are outraged by the cuts to
the school building programme, and support the NASUWT's lobby of Parliament on Monday 19 July.»
At the same time, though, they saw most of the controversial Budget measures — including the VAT rise, and freezes in public sector pay and Child Benefit — as «necessary and unavoidable» rather than «avoidable and unnecessary» (though by widely varying margins, and with the exception of cuts to
the school building programme).
They say they want to have better schools, but want to cut
the school building programme.
«When they cut
the school building programme — they were taken to court — and lost.
Free schools are subject to greater scrutiny than council - run schools, they are overwhelmingly located in areas with a shortage of places, and construction costs are 45 % lower than the previous
school building programmes.
The Education Secretary Michael Gove must apologise to children in Sandwell after the government was defeated in the High Court over the way it scrapped part of England's
school building programme, Tom Watson MP has said.
By midday he was leading a protest against cuts to
the schools building programme.
Worryingly, the evidence doesn't stop there — a recent report by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) claims that the government's
school building programme is leading to «dangerous, poorly built and wasteful» schools.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the government's
school building programme?
«The priority
school building programme is transforming hundreds of school buildings on budget and ahead of schedule ensuring that all children, regardless of background, can learn in an environment that will help them fulfil their potential.
He said: «We know how fortunate we are as a school to have been involved in the priority
school building programme and we are grateful of the support we have received from the East Riding of Yorkshire Council.
Following the James review to improve efficiency and reduce waste in central
school building programmes, the government is building or improving the condition of almost 900 schools.
Which schools will be part of the second phase of the priority
school building programme (PSBP2) and how we chose them.
Details of the 277 schools that will have at least one of their buildings (or blocks) rebuilt or refurbished through phase 2 of the priority
school building programme (PSBP2).
He added: «The priority
school building programme is only addressing the bit of the iceberg that is out of the water in terms of the condition of school buildings.
The government is now looking to capital bond markets and even the European Investment Bank to fund its priority
school building programme.
Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg has admitted that Labour's
school building programme «didn't always deliver absolute value for money».
The government has been defeated in the High Court over the way it scrapped part of England's
school building programme.
Parents will be angry that three years after scrapping Labour's
school building programme, many children will be left in classrooms that are crumbling and leaking,» said Mr Twigg.
«Many of the remaining 146 schools in the priority
school building programme, who had thought they would be procured via PF2 [Private Finance 2], are in dire need of work, so it is very important that their funding streams are confirmed as soon as possible.»
«We were very excited to put on the (coalition government's) priority
school building programme but we were expecting an imminent development and I'm now beginning to wonder what priority means,» he said.
Year 8 student Khadija of Copland School in Wembley challenged Prime Minister David Cameron a year ago about the dilapidated state of her school, and was told that Copland had been put on the priority
school building programme.
«We have also cut the cost of building a new school by around 45 % compared to previous
school building programmes.»
«Set this against cuts to
the school building programme and we have a perfect storm where more kids will be crammed into bulge classes in schools designed for far fewer pupils.
Mr Cameron wrote back to say that Copland had been placed on the priority
school building programme.
Toby Young, director of the New Schools Network which represents free schools, said the report recognised that they were better value than previous
school building programmes.
Phrases with «school building programme»