Blackburn with Darwen

Building Schools for the Future | Strategy for Change Part 2

Transforming Learning, Communities and Lives

Introduction:
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On 6 March 2007 Blackburn with Darwen Council received its Remit for Change letter that outlined a number of
priorities for the Authority in terms of developing its BSF Strategy for Change. The remit highlighted the need to
address key areas that had caused difficulties or had been weaknesses in earlier BSF programmes including:

1. Pupil Place Planning. The authority has subsequently gained agreement on the
Authority’s pupil place planning forecasts and methodology with the PfS Project Director assigned to the
programme.

2. Increasing Diversity, Choice and Access. The Authority has supported Blakewater College to undertake an
initial option appraisal on becoming a Trust School and the school is now moving forward with formal
investigation of becoming an Early Adopter School.

3. Commitment to BSF Model and ICT Managed Service. The Authority has stated its continued commitment to
a LEP and ICT managed service in its Readiness to Deliver and Strategy for Change Part 1 and more detail can
be found in this document.

4. Capacity and Resources. The Council together with its partner schools has worked with the PfS Project
Director and 4Ps Adviser to set a feasible budget for the programme and has made a commitment to reviewing
these arrangements, if necessary, to ensure that the programme is adequately resourced. The Authority has
also secured external expert advice to supplement knowledge and capacity gaps in finance, legal, ICT, technical
and commercial areas including PFI.

5. Change Management Strategy. The authority has and continues to work with stakeholders to put together a
strategic plan for change management; further details are contained in section 1.9 of this document.

In this Part 2 document we have included material that was included in Part 1 only where it ensures coherence and
provides a relevant context.

SECTION 1:

1.1 Where is the local authority now in terms of educational outcomes, diversity of provision, fair access
and choice?

1.1.1 Context: Blackburn with Darwen is a compact, predominantly urban Authority made up of two towns
each with a strong local identity. The Borough’s communities are diverse in terms of ethnicity, faith, inclusion,
aspiration and economic well-being. Around a quarter of our population is of Indian and Pakistani heritage and the
proportion of the school population from these communities is over a third and increasing. Large areas of the
Borough are highly deprived. Using the 2004 Index of Multiple Deprivation over two thirds of the children and young
people in Blackburn with Darwen come from areas classified in the bottom quartile nationally, with nearly 40%
coming from areas in the bottom 10%. Just over a third of the long term unemployed are under 25 years of age.
Figures for the number of young people not engaged in education, employment or training (NEET) are roughly
double the national average (England). In February 2007 Blackburn with Darwen was identified as a NEET ‘hot-
spot’. People in Blackburn with Darwen die on average eight years earlier than nationally.

1.1.2 Standards: Notwithstanding the challenges of deprivation, excellent progress has been made in recent
years with pupils achieving 5 A*-C GCSEs at KS4 increasing by over 15% since the authority became unitary
in1998. The Authority performs very well in comparison to its statistical neighbours. Blackburn with Darwen ranks
84th out of 149 authorities on the 5 A*-C including English and Maths measure. Amongst our statistical neighbours.
Blackburn with Darwen ranks 84th out of 149 authorities on the 5 A*-C including English and Maths measure.
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Amongst our statistical neighbours, we rank 1 out of 10.

1.1.2.1 Low levels of student achievement at Queen’s Park Community High School in 2004 resulted in the
school becoming subject to a Fresh Start, a move supported by the Authority. The school, renamed Blakewater
College, has seen significant levels of improvements in many areas over the last two years including levels of
achievement at KS4 with the percentage of pupils achieving 5 A* -C rising from 11% to 68% in 2007. However if
this measure includes English and Maths the percentage for 2007 falls to 23%.

1.1.2.2 In terms of achievement of children with special educational needs (SEN), 2.3% of children have
statements of special educational need compared with 2.8% nationally. In addition BwD has an alternative fast track
funding stream, IPRA, for pupils with significant SEN who, in other authorities would attract statements. Of these
53% are supported within mainstream schools compared to 57% nationally. In sections 1.3 and 1.8 we outline our
plans for increasing the range of options for pupils with SEN which underpin our on-going strategy of inclusion for
pupils and personalisation of support to secure the very best outcomes for this group.

1.1.2.3 In line with the national picture certain groups of children continue to underachieve at KS 3 and 4. White
and Pakistani working class boys and Children in Our Care (CIOC) have been identified as specific underachieving
groups. Whilst Indian pupils remain our highest achieving group they underachieve in relative terms, which reflects a
general level of underachievement across the board for our more gifted and talented children. Achievement at level
6+ at KS3 is lower than expected. The Council takes its responsibility as Corporate Parents very seriously, recently
appointing a Virtual Headteacher for Children in Our Care (CIOC). Achievement levels of CIOC within the Borough
compares well against the national picture with Blackburn with Darwen CIOC performing better in all measures than
this group nationally.

1.1.2.4 In 2006 13.5% of 19 year olds were NEET, compared with 8.2% nationally. The figure falls in the 16 to
18 year old group: 7.4% locally compared with 7.7% nationally. Staying on rates at post 16 are particularly low in
Darwen and the Shadsworth areas (served predominantly) by Darwen Vale, Darwen Moorland and Blakewater
College. In Spring Term 06/07 absence rates of 7.88% compared to 8.38% nationally. Fixed term exclusions in our
schools for 2006/2007 were slightly beneath national average although permanent exclusion rates were very slightly
higher than those nationally. St Thomas Centre performs better than PRUs nationally with 4% gaining 5 A*-C,
compared with 2% nationally; more especially just under 30% achieve 5 A*-G including English and Maths,
compared with 15% nationally.

1.1.2.5 An analysis of recent inspection reports, SEFs and internal monitoring show that overall the quality of
teaching and learning is good across the 14 schools containing secondary age pupils (OFSTED 4 satisfactory, 9
good, 1 outstanding). Schools are currently well supported by the LA to develop an appropriate range of teaching
and learning strategies including:

 The development of a comprehensive range of network learning communities facilitated by LA officers

 Regular meetings of Secondary Strategy Managers to co-ordinate whole school developments
 The deployment of Secondary Strategy Consultants across all schools
 School reviews of teaching and learning facilitated by members of the school improvement team
 Regular meetings of the 14-19 operational groups to review curriculum and CPD needs
 The deployment of members of the e-learning team to support school developments
 The curriculum support and extending schools service, including extended services to support learners
and their families in and beyond the classroom.

1.1.2.6 In terms of parental choice 83.6% of families received their first preference school in 2007. Patterns of
parental preference, often a result of poor perceptions of a local school, result in a significant number of pupils
travelling over 2 miles to school each day. Despite the continued improvement of all secondary schools over recent
years there is still a significant “leakage” of pupils (many of them more able children) to the independent sector and
to maintained schools outside the Borough at age 11. Often this is as a result of negative parental and community
perceptions about certain schools.

1.1.2.7 The Borough offers a diverse range of schools made up of four Voluntary Aided schools, six Community
schools, three Special schools and a Pupil Referral Unit/EOTAS provision. Faith provision in the borough is
considered strong and includes two Roman Catholic Aided schools, one 11-18 Church of England Aided school and
an Islam girls’ school. All are popular and high performing. The demand for places in our Islam girls’ school is high
but the current site cannot accommodate any extension or expansion. Our plans under BSF are to relocate
Tauheedul Islam Girls High School to a site where it can expand to its planned number of 600 to better meet the
parental expectations.

1.1.2.8 One of the two Community High schools in the Darwen area is scheduled to re-structure as an 11-18
Academy in September 2008. The Academy development falls outside of the BSF programme.

1.1.2.9 The population of the west of Blackburn is well served with Community schools however its population
is aging and pupil numbers are predicted to fall significantly over the next 10 years. In order to ensure that the
pattern of community provision is sustainable in terms of future pupil place demand we need to reduce the number
of places in the west of the borough. It is proposed that Beardwood Community High School will close in 2012.

1.1.2.10 The population is growing in the east of the Borough. Currently the area is served by the popular Our
Lady and St John RC High School and Blakewater College. It is predicted that an additional 300 pupil places will be
required in this area by 2015/16. Improving access to high quality learning provision to the growing communities of
East Blackburn is a priority and through BSF it is proposed to increase the size of Blakewater College to 900 and to
relocate the school, helping to address the historical stigma which is attached to the existing site and locating it more
centrally to a wide range of existing and new communities within East and South East Blackburn.

1.1.2.11 Young people with additional learning needs are currently catered for in mainstream settings
supplemented by three special schools, Crosshill Special School for young people with moderate learning
difficulties, Newfield Special School for pupils with complex needs and Fernhurst Special Schools for pupils with
social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Current SEN provision is good. Our development of IPRAs has
reduced the bureaucratic burden associated with statements and has enabled us to more speedily deliver support
and resources to young people. The most recent inspections for Newfield and Crosshill were graded outstanding
and good respectively whilst Fernhurst was removed from its notice to improve category following an inspection in
Spring Term 2007. Locally the number of pupils entering special schools, from within the borough, shows a declining
trend as parental preferences increase for inclusive education. Data shows that young people with additional
learning needs made good progress overall in mainstream schools and resourced settings in the secondary phase.

1.1.2.12 The Authority has grasped the opportunities offered by the development of its role as commissioner of
education and children’s services and has been working for over two years to support the development of an
Education Improvement Partnership (EIP), a collaborative ‘trust’ style partnership of all secondary schools in the
Borough. The EIP learn together and work together, jointly commissioning school improvement activity from external
providers as well as learning networks within the Borough.

1.1.2.13 As well as promoting area wide trust arrangements through the EIP the Authority is also supportive of
further increasing the diversity of governance arrangements where appropriate. In support of the BSF programme
the authority has commissioned the development of a robust framework for the appraisal of options around
alternative governance arrangement for schools. The appraisal framework has been used to assess the benefits that
might arise around improvements to ECM outcomes through alternative governance or collaborative working
arrangements. Use of the framework has informed the decision to go forward with the formal exploration of Trust
School Status for Blakewater College. We are supportive of Blakewater College’s formal expression of interest in
Trust school status, and recognise the opportunities and benefits that a new partnership with the voluntary, public or
private sectors might bring to pupils at this significantly improved school.

1.1.2.14 Eight of our ten High schools and one of our Special schools have specialist school status with Our
Lady and St. John Arts College being a Leading Edge school with a second specialism in Vocational Education. As
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a high performing specialist college it will be developing a vocationally based Post 16 Centre under a 6 Form
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Presumption in 2009. The Authority is working closely with the EIP to strategically plan the future pattern of 1 and
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2 specialisms to ensure a coherent offer is delivered collaboratively across the Borough.

1.1.2.15 The range of specialist provision within our schools is supplemented by a close collaborative
relationship with post 16 providers to deliver vocational programmes at entry, level 1 and level 2. In addition,
through a combination of school and LA funding we have established the Highercroft Vocational Centre to deliver
construction and health and social courses at levels 1 and 2 for pupils from across the Borough. Similarly the
In2gr8e to Educate Centre is funded collaboratively to support pupils disengaged from current provision. Our post 16
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providers comprise of St. Mary’s RC 6 Form College, Blackburn College, Training 2000 and St. Wilfrid’s CE 6
Form. The most recent inspection gradings for all our providers have been good overall and we have a total of six
COVES within the partnership, a very high concentration for a borough of our size. The most recent progress check
for our 14-19 partnership provision gave a green/amber judgement for qualitative areas for development and is
indicative of our strong collaborative partnerships. In terms of quantitative indicators our grading was overall
amber/red reflecting our need to continue to raise standards at levels 2 and 3, reduce NEET, increase participation
at 17 and broaden provision across key stages 4 and 5.

1.1.2.16 Within our schools use is made of ICT to enhance teaching and learning. A good ratio of interactive
whiteboards and computers has been supported by targeted CPD to develop expertise and understanding in many
schools. However this is not uniform across the authority leaving an ongoing need for training as and when
equipment is purchased. The use of digital technologies to truly transform pedagogy is in its early stages in most
schools. The borough is also well served by a substantial e-Learning service within which lie two purpose built City
Learning Centres on the Witton Park and Pleckgate sites. Broadband connectivity at bandwidths of 100 Mg has
recently been provided for all our High schools, but local area networks within schools have been allowed to develop
organically so this is not being exploited to its full potential as some networks are not capable of doing so. There is
limited ICT connectivity between schools and partner organisations and the lack of a central data store prevents the
electronic sharing of pupil data across establishments and organisations, vital to securing improved outcomes for
the most vulnerable of children.

1.1.2.17 Whilst schools have made great strides in developing personalised learning pathways, inflexible building
layout, traditional learning ‘box’ environments, retro fit ICT and a lack of easily accessible specialist vocational
settings has proved inimical. Blackburn with Darwen is committed to the personalisation of all services to meet
individual need and this translates into a focus on developing all schools as fully extended. This approach has been
operational at Darwen Vale Community High School for over two years and has shown demonstrable benefits.
Through BSF we intend to roll out this approach to all High schools. Excellent progress is being made in developing
extended services in and through schools with 31% of schools now delivering the full core offer of extended
services. This is well on track to meet the national targets for 2008 and 2010. In addition, the TDA highlights
Blackburn with Darwen as a ‘green’ light Authority in terms of its extended schools developments, highlighting
strengths in terms of good strategic co-ordination and a strong partnership approach to operational delivery.

1.1.2.18 We have a clear vision to create a children’s workforce that improves outcomes for children, contributes
to social inclusion and community cohesion and is confident, well qualified and equipped to enable our community to
develop and thrive. We are well advanced in developing a Children’s Workforce plan focused on remodelling the
workforce to better enable delivery of the ECM outcomes, with a particular focus on effective inter-agency working.
Remodelling the school workforce is an integral element of the plan. We have an excellent record in staff CPD and
supporting and enabling workforce reform. We became a Beacon authority for Transforming the School Workforce
in 2004/5 and we are a partner authority in the first national CoVE for support staff training.

1.1.2.19 We have a strong track record in relation to the effective implementation of the National Agreement at
school level, effective implementation of the other key change initiatives at school level e.g. TLRs, performance
management and developed an effective model to deliver the requirements of national WAMG and embrace the
future wider workforce agenda and its impact on schools

1.1 2.20 This progress has continued to be recognised by the Training and Development Agency (Schools) in their
termly assessment of progress in supporting schools to meet the key workforce development priorities. The LA has
been described as a ‘green’ LA, defined as more than meeting the requirements of TDA priorities and as a result the
LA has been used as an adviser on a TDA project to develop career frameworks for school support staff.

1.1.1.22 A specific example of our workforce reform work is the development of remodelling benchmark that
establishes current position and progress made in relation to transformation of the school and LA workforce. In
addition schools within the authority now access on-line workforce planning tools hosted by the authority. We are
currently piloting a project that aims to address issues of recruitment and retention through an automated supply
staff solution. We have developed and launched the NWCfC CPD Toolkit and have developed and piloted an on line
CPD Audit tool, to analyse current practice, and support improvement planning.

1.2 What added value will BSF investment provide to improve outcomes for children, families and
the wider community?

1.2.1 BSF is an accelerant for change within Blackburn with Darwen. It is a once in a life time opportunity to
reappraise progress made in the delivery of Every Child Matters by the secondary school sector and to invest in
facilities that can ensure delivery of improved outcomes for all in the future. It is also embraced corporately as a
superb opportunity to develop schools and school sites as centres of community services delivered at
neighbourhood level contributing to the regeneration of the Borough, securing social and economic well-being for
the wider community. Our vision for education in Blackburn with Darwen is to:

 Have high ambition; looking for all schools to exceed national targets by 2016
 Close the gap on levels of aspiration, achievement and success; engaging those traditionally
disengaged
 Accelerate the rate of improvement in secondary school standards and improving attendance and
enjoyment of school for all
 Create a seamless continuum of personalised provision of high quality learning, development and
support for children aged 0 -19 ensuring better outcomes for all
 Develop an effective strategy for addressing segregation of communities through the development of
the highest quality offer by all schools together with a shared ethos of integration and inclusion that
promote social equity
 Ensure secondary schools play a full part in the delivery of excellent integrated and extended services
to communities
 Provide for the needs and preferences of the Borough’s diverse population through access to a group of
community and faith schools, including an Academy and Trust school
 Ensure that all schools are inclusive and that the pattern of provision across the Borough enables all
children and young people to meet their potential
 Enable all young people to access their full 14-19 entitlement and progress successfully to employment,
training, further and higher education as appropriate
  Embrace the opportunities that ICT brings to support, enhance and transform teaching and learning and
extend opportunities to the wider community.

1.2.2 Our BSF Strategy for Change will add value to our existing strategies to deliver this vision by:

 Establishing clear linkages with the Council’s wider regeneration programme activities, contributing to
the development of Blackburn with Darwen as a prosperous and economically successful place to live
by raising levels of aspiration, achievement, skills and employability across the community
 Encouraging the engagement of the whole learning sector, including FE and post 16 providers, in a
dialogue about how learning can be transformed in the future to better meet the needs of each and
every young person
 Facilitating the development of an agreed transformational pathway to a personalised curriculum,
building on QVA guidance, that offers young people learning opportunities that prepare them for life as
an active citizen and for employment
 Enabling the development of all of our Secondary schools as fully extended schools and as centres of
wider health, social and economic well-being, open 50 weeks of the year and at times of the day and
evening to meet community needs
 Enable all secondary schools to actively contribute to the significant health and well-being issues faced
by our communities
 Improve choice and access for pupils and their parents by ensuring that performance of all of our
schools is improved, extending the range of specialisms offered and guaranteeing access to a breadth
of academic and vocational courses, including all 14 diploma lines, offered through collaborative
working
 Promote community cohesion across groups regardless of faith, ethnicity or socio-economic grouping
through requiring schools to work collaboratively to deliver the breadth of learning opportunities for all
pupils
 Build on the authority’s success at developing fully inclusive learning opportunities for pupils with special
and additional learning needs by facilitating the necessary social organisation changes, and capital
investments, that will provide additional resourced provision and co-location options
 Further address issues of behaviour and attendance by extending access to the highly effective
personalised support delivered by the St Thomas Centre, currently our Pupil Referral Unit and
Education Other Than At School provision, to a wider range of pupils with additional learning needs that
might benefit from accessing a flexible, part-time/full-time curriculum offer, whilst remaining on the roll of
their school
 Maximise the benefits of ICT for learning, transformation of the curriculum, assessment for learning,
effective school management and for ensuring the effective collection and sharing of information
meeting the expectations of Every Child Matters
 Extend the role of ICT in wider regeneration activities by enabling joined up planning, funding and
service delivery between the school and wider community sectors
 Facilitate school organisation changes that will create a sustainable pattern of provision in the future,
ensuring the right number of pupil places are available, in the right locations at the right time, to serve
local and borough wide community need and meet parental preferences
 Enable the further development of citizenship programmes within and across schools that facilitate
engagement with the wider community and between pupils of varied faiths, cultures and economic
groups, promoting a sense of belonging to Blackburn with Darwen through sports, arts and cultural
activities
 Accelerate the development of collaborative working across our schools and other providers to
maximise benefits of joined up planning, funding and service delivery including provision of specialist
learning programmes, integrated children’s services, health, sport, culture and leisure opportunities

1.2.3 To secure this added value our priorities for BSF investment are to:

 Create adaptive and adaptable school accommodation that can support different organisational models
of learning provision into the future, enabling schools to adopt alternative models of organisation at they
move along the transformation pathway for example moving from a traditional subject based
accommodation arrangement to faculty, school within a school or project based curriculum
arrangements
 Secure access to a range of differentiated learning spaces that will support a range of teaching and
learning styles including project team, research, seminars as well as traditional class-based
arrangements
 Develop consistently high quality ICT rich learning environments across all secondary schools, providing
pupils, staff and parents any where anytime access to a Borough wide learning platform through a range
 of mobile technologies, as well as support assessment for learning and attendance strategies through
the use of ‘smart’ technologies
 Design schools and community facilities that are of the very highest quality, providing inspirational, safe
and secure learning and social environments that will facilitate learning and personal development and
promote high standards of behaviour, contributing to the Make a Positive Contribution and Stay Safe
outcomes
 Provide accessible, zoned and appropriately designed spaces within all schools for the delivery of
integrated children’s and community services including health services and information, advice and
guidance, ensuring that partner agencies and user groups are fully engaged in the design of facilities
contributing to the Be Healthy and Achieve Economic Well-Being outcomes
 Provide enhanced facilities in each school’s specialist curriculum area and planned future second
specialisms
 Develop accommodation, facilities and ICT in schools that complement those within the post 16 sector
and enable the effective collaborative delivery of a highly accessible vocational offer including diplomas
 Enhance sports and arts facilities in school sites to ensure all exceed the government’s expectations for
5 hours of physical activity per week and through strategic planning with the Authority’s Culture, Sport
and Leisure, Sport England, NW Arts and national governing bodies, secure and prioritise additional
investments to develop a number of sites as centres of excellence for individual sports and/or centres of
community provision such as libraries
 To identify priorities for investments, working in partnership with the PCT, for community health
provision on strategically important sites, complementing the school based health provision for pupils,
helping to tackle the significant health equalities across the Borough
 Create high performing schools of the right size in the right locations to meet the needs of local and
borough wide communities
 Create a larger, relocated, new build school for East Blackburn on a high profile site that will better meet
the needs of the growing communities of East and South Blackburn
 Relocate Tauheedul Islam Girls High School onto the remodelled site of Beardwood Community High
School (proposed to close 2012) to enable it to increase in numbers to 600 but, more importantly, to
enable the school to offer the widest possible curriculum to its pupils, including access to suitable sport
and recreational spaces
 Ensure all schools are DDA compliant and have the environments and accommodation required to
ensure the full inclusion of pupils with special educational needs. Specific investments at Witton Park
and Our Lady and St John High School will enable them to offer resourced provision for pupils with
complex needs (WPH) and autistic spectrum disorder (OLSJ)
 Relocate and remodel St Thomas’s Centre ( PRU/EOTAS) onto the site of the current Crosshill Special
School to enhance the centre’s nationally acclaimed provision for excluded pupils, school refusers, sick
children and school girl mums and to extend the work of the centre to include the provision of a flexible
curriculum offer to a wider range of pupils with additional learning needs including those with social and
emotional behavioural problems
 Co-locate Crosshill Special School onto the site of the new East Blackburn school/Blakewater College,
promoting increased inclusion of pupils supported by the school and enabling staff at Crosshill to
support schools throughout the Borough to better meet the needs of pupils with moderate learning
difficulties
 Ensure all schools provide high quality canteen facilities that will promote healthy lifestyles, again
helping to address issues of significant health inequalities across our schools
 Develop all schools as sustainable schools, reducing the environmental impact of our secondary sector
by ensuring that all new and remodelled buildings exceed BREEAM ‘very good’ standards, as well as
creating an environment that promotes and enables sustainable working and lifestyle practices such as
cycling and walking to school, recycling, reduced water usage and use of local food produce.

1.3 How does the authority propose to ensure choice diversity and access of school provision for all
parents and pupils in local schools?

1.3.1 A key principle of our strategy for change is that all children, young people and their families will have
access to a diverse range of schools each with a distinctive character based on ethos, faith and specialism that
meets their needs and aspirations. All schools will also share responsibility for the learning of the Borough wide
community through partnership arrangements, in particular the EIP and 14-19 partnership. The Learning and Skills
Council, Further Education and Work Based Learning providers are active members of our 14-19 strategic and
operational groups and have been fully involved in reviewing pupil place planning, current provision and identifying
development opportunities presented through BSF that will enhance provision across the borough, facilitating
continuity and progression to post 16 learning.
1.3.2 All children and young people will have access to an excellent core curriculum, specific specialist
provision and extended services/learning opportunities at their own school. The broad learning partnership of
schools and other providers will enable children and young people to access wider learning experiences and
specialist curriculum options and support provision either at other venues or using ICT.

1.3.3 We are committed to ensuring that all our secondary schools have specialist status as part of our wider
commitment to transformation through partnership working. The Academy’s intention to develop a specialism in
Entrepreneurship and Sport will complement and extend existing provision. In addition, plans are already underway
to submit proposals for specialisms in Tauheedul and Blakewater, our only two remaining High schools that do not
currently have specialist status. From September 2007 the new Headteacher for Newfield School will be actively
seeking specialist SEN status. The role of specialist schools is pivotal to our vision for 14-19 education across the
Borough. It is our intention that all schools will have more than one specialism and BSF will enable us to accelerate
this transformation. The EIP has worked strategically on the identification of priorities for future second specialism
submissions to avoid duplication and replication and have collaborated on agreeing lead roles for the schools in
terms of the delivery of specialist diplomas.

1.3.4 We have agreed with the LSC that post-16 provision across the Borough will remain largely unchanged.
However we recognise that opportunities will emerge through specialist college re-designation that will enable us to
further enhance and reconfigure our post-16 provision. In the Shadsworth area NEET remains higher than the
Borough average. The 14 –19 Strategic Partnership has embraced the recent opportunity of a sixth form
presumption to develop a vocational provision to serve the Borough as part of Our Lady & St John Performing Arts
College second specialism in Vocational Education. This new provision will provide an environment attractive to
learners from a variety of faith backgrounds.

1.3.5 Our commitment to offering diversity, choice and access extends to provision for children and young
people with special educational needs (SEN). All secondary schools have made a commitment to work towards full
inclusion of all pupils with SEN in mainstream provision. Over a number of years parents have increasingly
expressed a preference for pupils with SEN to be supported in mainstream schools. The significant majority of pupils
with SEN are now accommodated within mainstream or resourced schools. This trend has resulted in pupils on roll
at Crosshill and Fernhurst Special Schools to have fallen to unsustainable numbers. Wide spread consultation since
January 2007 has shown support for our vision for inclusion and for the specific proposals outlined below. BSF will
enable us to enhance current provision through the establishment of an innovative tiered model. This will offer
parents the following enhanced options:

 Fully integrated mainstream provision

 Additionally resourced mainstream schools for pupils with complex needs (Witton Park) and for those
with ASD (Our Lady and St John), and for those with hearing impairment (St Wilfrid’s)
 A co-located special school for pupils with moderate learning difficulties with additional needs (Crosshill
Special School with new East Blackburn/Blakewater College)
 Special school provision for children and young people with the most complex needs (Newfield Special
School)

1.3.6 In order to deliver this vision we propose to close Fernhurst EBD Special School which now
accommodates only a small number of young people. These pupils will in future be supported in mainstream
schools and will be able to access the support of the flexible curriculum provision offered by the re-located and
expanded St Thomas Centre. We propose to co-locate Crosshill MLD Special School (with a reduced roll of 60) onto
the East Blackburn/ Blakewater Site. Initial proposals to close Crosshill received significant opposition reflecting the
community’s support for the work of this good school and need for reassurance that alternative provision would
continue to meet the needs of pupils. The alternative co-location proposal has received a greater degree of support
as it is seen as a concrete step along the inclusion pathway and will build on the strengths of this nationally
regarded school. Witton Park and Our Lady and St John have been identified as sites for additionally resourced
mainstream schools. St Wilfrid’s will continue to operate as a resourced school for hearing impaired children.
Newfield School will remain as a special school for pupils with complex learning needs. Under our BSF proposals
Newfield and Witton Park will work in partnership to meet the needs of some KS 3 and 4 pupils with complex needs
and ensure wherever possible pupils will have access to personalised provision in mainstream settings in line with
our aspirations for all learners.

1.3.7 A strong community needs a strong school and key to our Borough wide strategy of community
regeneration is the establishment of a new school facility which will better meet the needs of East Blackburn. This
area is already subject to a significant level of regeneration investment (NRF, Housing Market Renewal) and is a
Neighbourhood Management Pathfinder. It is also an area which has, and will continue to have, a relatively higher
birth rate. The communities of East Blackburn currently have limited access to what is perceived by parents and the
wider community as high quality secondary provision. Numbers of first preferences for Blakewater College are very
low. To address this we are proposing the development of a re-located, high profile, Trust school facility that will
build on the improvements made by Blakewater College and the considerable investments made by the Local
Authority and DCSF. A linked proposal to address the issue of future pupil place demand in the west of the borough
is the closure of Beardwood School which, although continuing to improve in terms of performance and securing
good levels of value added, is on a site that is not fit for purpose or suitable for the large scale redevelopment
necessary.

1.3.8 Our remaining community schools, Pleckgate, Darwen Vale and Witton Park, will play a key role in
ensuring that the proposals for Blakewater and Beardwood do not impact negatively on choice, diversity and access
in the west of Blackburn. Under BSF we propose to slightly increase pupil numbers at Pleckgate and Witton Park,
both popular schools, to accommodate those pupils that might otherwise have chosen Beardwood and that wish to
continue to attend schools in the west of Borough. Both schools have high levels of parental demand and strong, or
significantly improved, levels of performance. Proposals to expand Blakewater to a 900 place Trust school will cater
for those children who currently travel to Beardwood from the east of the Borough. Whilst the mix of faith provision
remains strong we are proposing to move Tauheedal Islam Girls High School to a new site appropriate to enable it
to expand to meet demand up to the original target number of 600 and reflect community aspirations. We anticipate
that the increase in roll at Tauheedal will attract many pupils who are currently receiving their education in private
schools.

1.3.9 Consultation undertaken on the above proposals have shown considerable support for the proposal and
general acceptance of the need to close Beardwood Community School as the least suitable site for expansion and
investment through BSF.

1.3.10 Whilst disappointed that the authority was unsuccessful in securing a place in Waves 1-3 BSF, the
Council and partner schools remained resolute in finding the right solution to the underperformance at Darwen
Moorland High School. The authority was proactive in seeking a sponsor to establish an Academy in Darwen to
provide a pivotal part of the town centre regeneration programme for the town. Its establishment has now been
agreed with the DCSF and sits outside the BSF capital programme.

1.3.11 Significant consultation on all proposals has taken place over the last 9 months. The statutory
consultation process required to implement the school organisational proposals will begin in early November 2007
with publication of statutory notices. The Council’s Executive Board will consider the outcomes of the statutory
consultation phase at its meeting in February 2008, which is within the timescale required for the development of the
Outline Business Case.

1.4 How will the authority ensure robust challenge to schools including strategies for early
intervention in the case of under performing or failing schools?

1.4.1 The authority has a strong track record in addressing school underperformance, evidenced by a
reduction in the number of schools in special measures and serious weaknesses from twenty in 1998 to two
currently. Through BSF we aim to accelerate, at a transformational pace, improvements in standards across the
Borough. In partnership with our schools we have developed a “Support and Challenge” policy that outlines
procedures and criteria for identifying and supporting schools in challenging circumstances and those causing
concern. Schools are identified and categorised on the basis of quantitative and qualitative indicators that enables
the school improvement team to differentiate its challenge, support and interventions according to need.

1.4.2 Detailed analysis of data and performance information is a key element to identification of
underperforming schools and groups. Through the BSF ICT Managed Service we will enhance the capabilities for
data collection, analysis and exchange.

1.4.3 As a pilot LA for School Improvement Partners we have fully embraced the programme to give
enhanced support and robust challenge to all our schools. Whilst all our School Improvement Officers are
accredited School Improvement Partners (SIPs) we have added to our team an experienced group of external SIPs
with recent Headship experience to further develop our capacity. Regular meetings between SIPs and LA officers
ensure a good overview of areas and priorities for improvement that can be aligned to the deployment of appropriate
support to meet these challenges. SIPs have been kept abreast of BSF proposals and have been asked to work
alongside Heads to ensure that school BSF change strategies are correctly matched to need and priorities for
improvement.

1.4.4 Although Witton Park Community High School performs well in comparison to other community schools
in the Borough at KS4 (59% 5A*-C) less than 30% of pupils attain 5A*-C when including the English and Maths.
Past leadership issues at the school have been addressed vigorously by the LA with the support of the Governing
Body. A new Headteacher was appointed early in 2007 and the recent Ofsted inspection endorsed her effective
leadership. The school is already moving away from an over reliance on achieving vocational qualifications and
instead developing appropriate personalised pathways moving towards a ‘gold standard’ for English and Maths.
The new Head has a strong background in SEN and has prioritised the school moving towards developing children’s
proficiency in cognitive academic language with the support of the authority’s English as an Additional Language
Team. In addition the school’s senior management team has been restructured and several key teaching staff have
been appointed to focus specifically on increasing attainment in core subjects. New staff are supported by targeted
LA consultancy. Targets set for 2007/8 are above the current floor target of 30%. LA intervention teams provide
additional support to the school to ensure alignment of individual pupil level targets with plans that will deliver
attainment in core skills. As an active member of the informal federation of secondary schools within the Borough,
the Education Improvement Partnership, Witton Park will also benefit from the specialist advice available from
Pleckgate Maths and Computing College.

1.4.6 The authority is prepared to make difficult decisions and challenge effectively as seen with Blakewater
College, opened as a Fresh Start School in 2005, replacing Queens Park High School, which had a history of
underperformance. Improvement in pupils’ achievement has been transformational with the proportion obtaining five
or more GCSE A*-C grades rising from 11% in 2004 to 68% in 2007. Following a series of very successful HMI
monitoring visits the school had a full section 5 inspection in April 2007 reporting that in its two years of existence
the school had made outstanding progress. We recognise that Trust status for Blakewater would provide a clear
message to parents and the wider community that this is a school that will be markedly different from its
predecessor and that this will help sustain the rising trend in standards and levels of achievement.

1.4.6 As a concrete step towards establishing the LA as a commissioner of education we are supporting the
Education Improvement Partnership to develop their role as a robust school improvement partnership. The EIP
works collaboratively to address underachievement through sharing resources, facilities and expertise as well
providing challenge when appropriate. A practical example of this approach has been the involvement of two
Headteachers in recent ‘SIP compatibility conversations’ on behalf on all member schools. As the Partnership
matures we anticipate that it will increasingly reflect Trust arrangements with specific functions being delegated from
the local authority including a range of school improvement functions.

1.5 How will the authority deliver personalised learning to ensure that every pupil is fully stretched
and can access a broad curriculum that best suits their needs and talents?

1.5.1 Personalisation of services for all citizens in Blackburn with Darwen is one of our key council priorities.
Personalisation is about providing all citizens with the best access to the right opportunities and services at a time
and place that meets their needs. This extends to those services for children, young people and their families to
secure the five outcomes for all. ICT will play a central role in delivering our vision of a borough wide collaborative
approach to personalised learning and access to personalised services to the wider community.

1.5.2 Central to this philosophy is our drive to develop a transformational pathway to a curriculum that will
meet the needs of the individual and align with the National Secondary Strategy. We welcome the QCA’s advocacy
of the recognition for the development of a curriculum that builds knowledge and understanding, skills and abilities
and attitudes and attributes. Our vision is that these three elements should not be seen as distinct or exclusive but
rather should combine to provide exciting learning opportunities for all, promoting the use of critical thinking skills,
problem solving and collaborative project based learning. Such ways of working are vital in developing a skilled
workforce of the future that will increase the prosperity of the Borough as a whole. However we acknowledge that
many schools are still offering a relatively traditional knowledge based curriculum and that we are at the start of a
journey of transformation. Through BSF we aim to accelerate the journey along a transformation pathway reflected
in individual school strategy for change plans. These will inform the design specifications for accommodation and
learning environments that can be used to deliver different curriculum designs in the future as schools travel along
this pathway.

1.5.3 Personalised learning underpins the successful delivery of our BSF Strategy for Change. The EIP has
identified personalised learning as its key collaborative priority. The Borough’s strong Assessment for Learning
platform established through our NCSL networks and the secondary strategy leadership team will continue to
develop. A strong Action For Learning network comprising of senior staff under the direction of the EIP will drive
developments across our schools at a strategic level including co-ordinating the work of subject networks to develop
and share good practice within their curriculum areas. Our BSF managed ICT service will enhance the work to date
and will enable the transfer and storage of information within and between our schools to assist with the process of
individual target setting. There will be continuous access to performance assessment information via ICT systems
and feedback to children and their parents that will enable a review progress and inform future learning goals.
Pastoral structures will be re-aligned to in-corporate the principal of learning guides and all school designs will
incorporate suites of smaller rooms to facilitate counselling and swift interventions to address areas of concern and
need as soon as they arise. This will include the deployment of multi agency teams to support learners and their
families beyond the classroom.

1.5.4 BSF ICT investments will facilitate a pedagogical transformation which will transfer the ownership of
learning to the pupil. Individual pupils will have control over:

 When they learn: Learning will not be limited to the opening times of a normal school day
 Where they learn: Pupils will be able to access learning in a variety of physical locations and specialist
environments
 What they learn: The freedoms and flexibilities available through KS3 reform and 14-19 strategy,
including the new diplomas, will allow us to broaden the curriculum offer for pupils and to place greater
emphasis upon competence and skills-led learning. ICT will facilitate this by providing access to a
range of learning activities such as modelling and simulation as well as to a breadth of resources
 Who they learn with: ICT will allow pupils to work collaboratively, not only with their peers but across
their school, other learning establishments, the borough and the wider community
 How they learn: ICT-rich learning environments will enable students to access learning opportunities
through a wide variety of media and situations thus allowing a match to preferred learning styles, as well
as access to appropriate media to access and capture learning.

1.5.5 To support these developments BSF will deliver a coherent and consistently high quality ICT
infrastructure across all schools which will support a variety of access devices, and a high quality Learning Platform
which will enable schools to provide greater and more flexible access beyond their normal physical learning space
and school hours. The Learning Platform will also host collaborative learning tools which will enable learning across
school boundaries. Tools such as video- conferencing will enable teaching and learning to be shared within the
authority and beyond.

1.5.6 Effective communication plays a vital role in enabling parental involvement and support for children’s
learning. The web based learning platform will, together with other means of digital communication such as mobile
phones, enhance communications between parents, with parents being able to select their preferred method of
linking with the school. Parents will be able to access information on attendance, behaviour and achievements
through a range of mobile devices. Complementing the use of ICT, through the development of extended schools
arrangements each school will develop parental engagement programmes supporting their own learning as well as
their child’s.

1.5.7 Appropriate professional development activities to support the use of ICT in the development of
innovative teaching and learning will be delivered using the expertise of the E Learning Service who will continue to
work alongside school staff in their own learning environment thus enabling specific needs of schools to be fulfilled.
This will be crucial when investigating and using innovative technologies across the full range of school specialisms.
The CLCs will be the test ground for trials of innovative approaches to learning using ICT, making use of emerging
technologies. This work will build upon the trials and projects already underway e.g. the mobile learning project
which is giving individual pupil access to technology anytime and anywhere, thus enabling personalisation learning.

1.6 How will the authority ensure the effective delivery of the 14-19 entitlement in partnership with
local LSCs and local FE providers?

1.6.1 Our Area Wide Inspection in 2005 resulted in an agreed 14-19 Action Plan signed up to by all partners
including the LSC, schools, FE and WBL providers, Connexions and the LA. In December 2005 the Government’s
14-19 Implementation plan was published. This plan entailed a review of the Borough’s action plan, particularly in
terms of timescales. The Borough’s 14-19 Partnership is now working to the Implementation Plan timescales
(Annex 1H). The partnership has a Strategy Group and three sub-groups addressing curriculum, achievement and
IAG. Each of the sub-groups is chaired by a member of the 14-19 Strategy Group. All partnership groups meet
monthly. The 14-19 Partnership is committed to developing the full 14-19 entitlement for all of its students. The
partnership has a proven track record of developing new provision through pre and post-16 providers working
together. The partnership has delivered successful programmes including vocational, applied and re-engagement
programmes.

1.6.2 The LA & LSC have enjoyed a lengthy period of productive collaboration. The LSC are high level
partners within the successful Local Strategic Partnership. They are key players within the Local Public Service
Board and have supported priority areas of focus within the LAA (NEET & worklessness) as well as supporting the
LA in setting up an apprenticeship programme for vulnerable NEET young people including care leavers. The
Partnership has commissioned a cross sector audit of accommodation and capacity to deliver subject specialisms,
vocational and applied learning opportunities, coordinated by the LSC. The outcomes of this audit will inform the
prioritisation of investment through BSF, LSC and other funding streams going forward to ensure effective access by
young people to appropriate learning environments and resources. We are currently exploring with the LSC
opportunities to utilise LSC capital alongside proposed ‘change of use’ for our two ‘city learning centres’. We will be
using CLCs increasingly to provide ‘flexible learning spaces’ to deliver Diplomas, functional skills and critical thinking
skills.

1.6.3 The Borough’s 14-19 Strategy Group is chaired by the local FE college principal, the 14-19 Head of
Service role is funded by the LSC and LA and the LSC and LA meet regularly to review strategy and progress. The
LSC are supportive of and engaged with BSF developments in the Borough and have pledged support via alignment
of capital funding. In addition, the Strategy Group has discussed and actively engaged with our new post-16
provision, the Darwen Academy, and Our Lady and St John’s ‘sixth form presumption’. The group aims to ensure
that wherever new provision is developed that it compliments and enhances existing provision.

1.6.4 The partnership has a successful platform on which to build the 14-19 entitlement. The 14-19
partnership has collaborated to date to provide a ‘curriculum offer’ for September 2007, all schools and post-16
providers have contributed to provide a broad range of vocational and applied learning opportunities, Young
Apprenticeships in engineering and construction, re-engagement programmes (Year 11 Project), a vocational centre
providing construction and health & social care programmes and quality assurance policies under-pinning all
partnership programmes.

1.6.5 Plans are in place to develop our 14-19 entitlement by 2013. All stakeholders within the 14-19
Partnership have assigned ‘lead’ roles. The partnership’s sub-groups are chaired by pre and post-16 leaders who
share an ambition to broaden and enhance existing provision in order for young people to ‘enjoy and achieve’ more
successfully than at present. The curriculum offer will be implemented collaboratively in September 2007 provides a
broad range of vocational, applied and re-engagement programmes that are provided as an ‘offer’ to all of our
secondary schools. The ‘offer’ is provided by schools themselves, Blackburn College, Training 2000, our vocational
centre and St Mary’s college. This framework will be built upon year on year, increasing the breadth and range of
programmes. It provides a collaborative curriculum that will enable all young people to build a personalised
curriculum that is responsive to their needs and enables them to reach their potential. The framework’ will be under-
pinned by common systems processes and procedures, developed through the 14-19 partnership. Head teachers
are committed to developing an approach to timetable synergy to enable effective diploma delivery and to achieve a
broader range of provision available to all young people.

1.6.6 As far as possible, access to provision will be based locally to the student to enable them to physically
access facilities and resources. Where this is not possible (due to limited student uptake or to lack of suitable local
provision) transport solutions and remote access solutions will be created. Over 400 students per year already travel
to learn as part of the existing 14-19 partnership between schools and post-16 providers. Where travel issues are
unable to be resolved we will look to implement ICT solutions to facilitate remote access. A key feature will be the
use of ICT as a facilitator to create virtual learning communities. A learning platform, video conferencing, video
transmission of lessons, pod casting and learning fora will enable students to remotely access learning as well as
accessing teacher and peer support. The enhanced communications which will be demanded in the new
specification, combined with the commitment to increased home access, will enable students to access and submit
work on an anytime/anywhere basis, facilitated by a system of single sign on. A key factor will be the student’s
ability to fully access their ICT toolkit of files, contacts and applications remotely. Intervention funding will be used to
enable students to access support by providing on-line help to students outside the normal school day.

1.6.7 All schools have developed a ‘vision’ for the future including agreeing, as a collaborative, which
‘specialisms’ they will focus on in future years. Their specialist ambitions will be reflected in each schools curriculum
offer, specifically in terms of diploma leads. We have a number of development groups in place to develop the
diplomas and the broader ‘sector’ areas. Several of the groups have already been successful in applying through
the diploma ‘gateway’. Our intention is that BSF will provide specialist vocational and applied facilities that will add
and compliment those already in place within our 14-19 partnership. Our schools’ specialist ambitions include
‘training schools’ that will align with workforce development priorities. The Darwen Academy development aims to
compliment and add to existing specialist provision.

1.6.8 Our approach to the development of our first phase of diplomas exemplifies how we will ensure the
success of the new qualifications by linking them to specialist expertise within our partnership. Our ‘category one’
diploma in engineering, due to begin delivery in 2008 is co-led by a deputy head teacher from Darwen Vale
Engineering Specialist school and a curriculum leader from Blackburn College. They are supported by managers
from Training 2000. Training 2000, an Engineering ‘CoVE’. This partnership approach to development will continue
as we move forward with other diploma lines.

1.6.9 During 2006/7 the LA adopted a commissioning approach to the provision of advice and guidance. The
Connexions Service is now delivered by ‘CXL Ltd’ under a commissioning arrangement. The Connexions Service
commission is closely aligned with similar arrangements for providing the ‘youth offer’ through the Youth Service and
Recreation and Play services. This approach allows us to ensure that the provision of advice and guidance is
appropriate to our plans for 14-19 year olds. The delivery of advice and guidance to support the 14-19 curriculum is
being developed through the ’14-19 IAG’ sub-group. This group is chaired by the Strategic Operations Manager of
the Connexions Service in Blackburn with Darwen. The group is working on a number of priorities including:

 Development of an ‘individual learning plan’ for all students. A number of ILP models have been trialled
and evaluated
 An ‘area wide prospectus’, the first version of which is available on-line at www.steps4me.co.uk
 Ensuring that all students have an individual discussion with a ‘lead professional’ at KS3 to determine
their KS4/5 ‘pathway’
 Training to support ‘lead professionals’
 The development of IAG resources to support Year 10/11 decision making
 The development of additional resources at Year 10 & 11 to provide additional ‘one to one’ support.

1.6.10 The proposed BSF ICT infrastructure will supplement the direct advice and guidance available through
personal tutors, schools and Connexions by further enhancing and developing IAG materials. All students will have
the facility to access an information and guidance package (e.g. Fast Tomato), an on-line individual learning plan
and an area wide prospectus linked to our Children’s Services Directory. Pupils will be able to access their
individual learning plan and their e-portfolio of work from any site they attend.

1.6.11 Our partnership has an impressive track record of involving the post-16 sector in delivering programmes
to 14-16 year olds. Existing practice in the delivery of Young Apprenticeships, the vocational centre and other
vocational programmes stand us in good stead to deliver the 14-19 entitlement. Out first Diploma applications were
successful and featured schools, Blackburn College, Training 2000 and St Mary’s College working closely together
utilising specialist knowledge, experience and facilities. The FE sector have been proactive and enthusiastic
partners in the reduction of NEET, the increase in the % of young people continuing in learning post-16 and have
collaborated with a range of partners to improve retention in post-16 learning. The development of our first Diploma
applications demonstrates how our pre and post-16 partners can work in partnership to produce new programmes to
support increased achievement and participation.

1.6.12 The requirements of the 14-19 strategy will be reflected in the output specification for ICT. Multi-site,
multi-agency delivery requires pupil attendance, attainment and assessment information to be accessible and
amendable at the point of curriculum delivery. It also requires that registration of attendance and accessibility to
benefit entitlements (e.g. Free School Meals) are transferable between sites. The MIS also needs to be accessible
remotely to enable assessment and performance data and target-setting information from each site to be collated
centrally and made available from a single source to pupils, parents and teachers in accordance with the
“Harnessing Technology” requirements. Working with our ICT Managed Service Provider and the FE sector we will
investigate delivery options for a fully integrated ICT system across all 14-19 providers.

1.6.13 The 14-19 Partnership is committed to ensuring that there is a clear post-16 progression pathway for
each student. Our most recent 14-19 Progress Check has identified achievement of level 2 & 3 qualifications by 19
as the key area for improvement. Blackburn with Darwen has recently been identified as a NEET ‘hot-spot’ area.
Consequently we are developing a range of ‘pre-e2e’ programmes to help support young people back into learning.
The proposed ‘Foundation Learning Tier’ development will be helpful as it spans 14-19 enabling us to join up KS4
re-engagement with e2e and pre-e2e activities. Our vision ensures that all learning pre-16 has clear progression
routes into post-16 learning. Through a fully personalised approach we will understand young people’s learning
needs and via the electronic individual learning plan ‘map’ their progression through to 19. This, together with
accurate labour market information, will allow us to effectively predict demand for post-16 learning and review and
revise existing provision accordingly. The proposed funding reforms will allow the LA to take a more strategic view
of learning to 19 and fund programmes accordingly.

1.6.14 The above strategies are designed to improve staying on rates and stop the outward migration of pupils
to post 16 provision outside of the Borough. They will also impact directly upon standards by providing a more
appropriate and engaging curriculum for all, but particularly for those currently underachieving or struggling to
engage.

1.7 Ensuring Effective Integration of Education and Other Services Through Every Child Matters:

1.7.1 Schools across Blackburn with Darwen are central to the authority’s integration agenda now and into the
future. Darwen Vale High School has been a pathfinder full service extended school since late 2004. The launch of
the PATH centre (Pupil Advice That Helps) on site in January 2005 was a major achievement as a multi-agency
project promoting health and well being for teenagers. Through BSF we will ensure that all secondary schools will be
able to offer Extended Services Plus by 2016. The range and nature of those extended services and the added
value that BSF will bring to delivering the ‘Every Child Matters’ integrated children’s services agenda is informed by
the authority’s strategic priorities for children and young peoples and the wider community.

1.7.2 Cooperation between local partners to deliver the outcomes defined in the Children Act is secured
through the Blackburn with Darwen Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership (C&YPSP). Membership of
the C&YPSP includes the Council’s integrated Children’s Services, other statutory agencies including PCT, Health
Authority and Police, together with the voluntary sector, Youth MP, private sector, and representatives of the
Interfaith Council. The Partnership’s strategic plans are outlined in the Children and Young People’s Plan (CYPP).
The C&YPSP’s vision is to create a place to live where every child and young person can be happy, successful,
healthy and safe, and contribute to the communities in which they live, learn and plan. BSF has been identified
within the revised plan as a key vehicle for the delivery of improved outcomes in the future.

1.7.3 The BSF Strategy for Change is directed by the 25 priorities outlined in the CYPP which are informed by
significant engagement and consultation with children and young people together with a range of national priorities
and linked performance indicators including those identified in the Local Area Agreement. Members of the
Partnership have been fully engaged in the development of the Strategy for Change through its various development
groups. The PCT are represented on the BSF Project Board by their Chief Executive.

1.7.4 A BSF Strategic Planning Group has been established to address the specific issue of strategic sport
and culture provision in the Borough. The group is chaired by the Chief Executive of the County Sports Partnership,
‘Lancashire Sport’, and includes the Headteacher of the Specialist Sport College, the authority’s Director of Culture,
Sport and Leisure, a representative from Sport England, the Head of cultural and library services and senior officer
responsible for PE curriculum development within Children’s Services. The County Sports Partnership facilitates and
co-ordinate dialogue with Sports Governing Bodies. Discussions with the Football Association are already underway
to align funding streams. A strategic review of the Borough’s culture and leisure provision highlighted the gaps in the
supply of such facilities in meeting the demands of citizens. We are aware however that the recommendations of
this report are aspirational, subject to further consultation and many reliant on securing additional funding. Four
school sites have been identified as managed leisure facilities, which will not only deliver school aspirations but also
deliver a variety of sport and physical activities for the community. Through BSF investment, all our schools will be
able to deliver community access to facilities for a variety of purposes including sport, arts, IT and adult learning. We
also have clear aspirations for the development of a sports village on one of our BSF investment sites,
complementing existing sports and leisure strategic developments within the Borough.

1.7.5 Our aspirations for extended services, funded through other complementary funding streams also
include the development of library facilities at two sites, theatre space at our performing arts college, a swimming
pool at the East Blackburn school site and an events space with 10 court sports hall at one site. All sites will provide
exhibition space for art and museum displays providing the opportunity to take culture to the community. We will
also look to promote public art at our BSF investment sites.

1.7.6 A number of visioning/consultation exercises have been undertaken with schools, identifying individual
and collaborative requirements for the delivery of a much broader and innovative PE and school sport curriculum.
Schools are agreed that with the support of the School Sports Partnership, Culture Sports and Leisure development,
Extended Schools Service and the Sports and Physical Activity Alliance (SPAA), they will work towards the delivery
of five hours participation by pupils in sport and physical activity.

1.7.7 Through a visioning and consultation process schools have highlighted aspirations to work
collaboratively to develop “centres of excellence for school sport” in designated sports such as; athletics, basketball,
badminton, cricket, football, handball, hockey, netball, trampolining, table tennis, tennis and dance. Through BSF
investment, facilities at designated schools will be developed in partnership with governing bodies of sport and local
partners to support this development. There is also the aspiration that one school will be developed as a “centre of
excellence” for disability sport. As part of its Strategy for Change, Tauheedul Islam Girls School plans to develop
sport, physical activity and health related fitness provision accessible to women and will target activities at the
female Asian community who traditionally have very low participation rates in sport and physical activity.

1.7.8 BSF will ensure that all secondary schools achieve and sustain the national Healthy School Status and
the more demanding local Healthy Schools standard through the provision of appropriate facilities, environment and
services. This will include the development of kitchen and dining facilities that will promote healthy eating and meet
the food standards in place.

1.7.9 All BSF sites will be developed to provide access to high quality youth drop in facilities, open in the
evenings and weekends, providing more opportunities for young people to be engaged in active citizenship and
increased levels of engagement with identified individuals, leading to further reductions in levels of crime and anti-
social behaviour. Our vision includes the development of these sites as contributors to the youth offer. The
development of fitness facilities to promote health and fitness is also seen as a priority. New school sport facilities
will also develop increased partnership working with local community sports clubs, as part of the PESSCL strategy,
which in turn will support the five hours target.

1.7.10 Our BSF plans for development of Extended Services Plus on all BSF school sites mirror the innovative
and nationally recognised work of our Early Years Pathfinder Children’s Trust which has resulted in the integration of
all early years children’s services at neighbourhood level. These services are currently delivered through 13 fully
Integrated Children’s Centres housing health, education and social care services all under one roof. We intend that
all BSF facilities will enable and promote similar integrated ways of working at neighbourhood level to address key
CYPP priorities including those examples outlined below. BSF will provide opportunities to effectively deliver the
authority’s strategy of locating multi-agency teams, including police, youth services and Connexions, at area level to
improve access to universal and targeted services for young people aged 13-19. The authority’s established
strategy around Early Intervention and Family Support will be enhanced through BSF with the extension of the local
delivery model to include secondary schools. This will link closely with the Parenting Strategy currently under
development. BSF schools facilities will ensure that investments benefit parents, families and the wider community
through the creation of facilities that are flexible, welcoming and accessible to all. ICT provision will support
enhanced adult learning provision and improve access to Advice, Rights and Entitlement services at neighbourhood
level complementing a range of anti-poverty strategies in place across the Borough.

1.7.11 Consistent and completely integrated ICT systems across all multi-agency services located at our
schools will be necessary for our plans to be realized. These will enable access to information and data so
contributing to the delivery of Every Child Matters and ensuring fully integrated services. Our ICT managed service
will be required to explore innovative solutions for this full integration of systems which address security and
interoperability issues particularly in relation to sensitive data held by health, police etc. The intention to have our
ICT managed service providing ICT support to other services on school sites, as well as the wider Children’s
Services is part of our strategy to make our proposals attractive to the market.

1.7.12 Over the past 8 months the Primary Care Trust have hosted and facilitated a number of consultation
events with stakeholders, children and young people to develop a proactive response to the opportunity afforded by
the BSF developments in Blackburn with Darwen. These have included workshops with key providers of health, a
survey with the School Health Education Unit across all year 4,6,8 & 10 pupils to identify health needs in each
school and across localities, and the development of a Health and Wellbeing strategy in consultation and in
partnership with the Borough Council. A further workshop is planned for late October, to involve schools and public
health, to discuss the wider neighbourhood needs and identify areas where the new premises can provide
opportunities to meet wider health needs in communities, e.g. dental and/or general medical provision.

1.7.13 The development of health services within the BSF schools will focus on the delivery of universal
provision for children and young people in all settings, for example drop in nurse clinics, counselling and then
targeted and specialist services to be located in areas of greatest need e.g. sexual health services, child and
adolescent mental health services, provision of therapies such as physiotherapy for children with complex needs.
BSF implementation is being considered as an integral part of the development of the PCT estates strategy to
optimise the accessibility of health services and help tackle health inequalities. Subject to finalisation of the PCT’s
Health and Well-Being Review currently underway it is likely that priority BSF sites for targeted health service
provision will include Darwen Vale Community School and the new East Blackburn/Blakewater/Crosshill Special
School campus as these schools continue to serve some of the most health deprived communities in the Borough.

1.7.14 As well as the dedicated health service provision all new and remodelled School buildings will ideally be
utilised to provide facilities for health promotion activities for the wider community including use of kitchens to teach
cooking skills or multi purpose rooms to run group education sessions and smoking cessation groups. To this end
officers from the PCT will be supporting individual schools to develop appropriate design specifications for buildings
and facilities. Particular emphasis will be ensuring that multi-use spaces are accessible, ‘welcoming’ and appropriate
for pupil and community health service provision. The provision of confidential, ‘safe’ spaces, with ‘non-stigmatising’
access arrangements, is key to the success of such provision.

1.8 How does the authority plan to champion the needs of all pupils including those with special
educational needs?

1.8.1 Our long term vision for ensuring inclusive learning is both innovative and challenging. The Authority’s
vision is to educate all pupils in neighbourhood mainstream schools and eliminate out of borough placements. This
will be achieved through upskilling mainstream staff, developing personalised learning packages, promoting
provision mapping, developing alternatives to statementing and increasing resourced mainstream provision. The
strategy is detailed in the Authority’s Inclusion Strategy which is championed by the Assistant Director for Access
and Inclusion. Our commitment to offering diversity, choice, access and personalised provision extends to some of
our most vulnerable children and young people, those with SEN. ICT will enhance and help to enable this provision.
This will be through individual access devices, the content and functionality of the Learning Platform and through
specific assistive technologies.

1.8.2 Our partner schools are totally committed to sharing responsibility for all children within the Borough
including those with special needs and would ideally like to work towards all children with SEN supported in
mainstream schools. Over the past 8 years we have moved from a position with too many Special Schools within the
Borough, and too many children in these schools, to one where greater numbers of children are supported within
mainstream schools. Rationalising provision has only been the start and the Authority continues to innovate.

1.8.3 The majority of children and young people with Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD) will be fully
supported in mainstream and additionally resourced settings. However the consultation process has revealed that
there is still a strong demand for specialist school provision for some young people with more complex Moderate
Learning Difficulties. Current trends of parental preference indicate that an MLD special school should aim to cater
for a roll of fifty to sixty pupils. In line with our long term goal of a fully inclusive service we will establish a co-located
Crosshill MLD school onto the new East Blackburn school site. Through our BSF proposals we will establish two
resourced settings. Witton Park will be a resourced school for children with Complex Needs and OLSJ for those with
Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

1.8.4 Our model assumes that all young people with additional needs should be given the opportunity to
attend the school of their choice receiving support from resourced settings as appropriate. There is not an
assumption that young people with a specific need will be channelled into an appropriate resourced setting. Special
schools and resourced settings will champion the needs of all pupils with SEN and will be centres of excellence,
supporting networked schools which will also cater for young people with a spectrum of additional learning needs.
All our High schools will use BSF funding to ensure DDA compliance.

1.8.5 Our long term goal is that all children and young people with Social, Emotional & Behavioural Difficulties
(SEBD) will also be fully supported in mainstream settings whilst being able to access a specialist curriculum
resource, managed together with our highly effective Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) on the site released by the relocation
of Crosshill. Under BSF proposals, the PRU will have greater capacity and extend its strengths in behaviour
management, personalised learning, positive ethos, good use of ICT, calm working atmosphere and good
networking. It will operate under a hub and spoke model where some pupils will be based at the new centre but
others will be supported in off site locations. A strong feature will be 14 – 19 opportunities with vocational options
and supporting pupils following diploma lines, promoting improved attendance and behaviour. The movement of the
PRU into the heart of our learning community from its current, relatively isolated setting, will facilitate access to a
broader range of educational opportunities, personalised according to individual need within our family of schools
and other relevant settings including work based learning and Further Education. The current Crosshill site also
lends itself to the development of specialist vocational facilities that can be accessed by pupils across the Borough,
re-enforcing our philosophy of integration and inclusion.

1.8.6 Our SEN Regional Adviser has been apprised of the Borough’s Inclusive Strategy on his visits and he
has been supportive of our approach. He has verified our trend data and in his report noted the progress made in
successfully reducing special school places without any parental opposition evidenced in the low number of referrals
to the SEN tribunal.

1.8.7 Blackburn with Darwen will champion the individual e-learning and communication needs of all children
by adapting and adjusting technologies as appropriate. Through the use of a full range of inclusive technology we
aim to promote the presence, participation and achievement of all pupils by identifying and removing barriers for
learners especially those who may be at risk of exclusion, marginalisation or underachievement. Delivering inclusion
will be a major factor in the determining investment in ICT, commissioning managed ICT services that meet the
needs of all children, young people and their families.

1.8.8 Consultation with secondary schools with regard to BSF and inclusion has been through specific
meetings with key schools and through the Education Improvement Partnership. The EIP have identified, as a
priority, the need to use BSF as an opportunity to work in partnership with the LA to re-evaluate their collective
provision for young people with additional learning needs and in particular addressing behaviour and attendance
issues. Bespoke curriculum arrangements to meet the needs of disengaged young people, including those with
poor behaviour and attendance records are already being piloted in the partnership, and BSF provides the
opportunity to formally integrate such aspects of our work into our long term strategic planning. Whilst
acknowledging that a personalised curriculum regularly reviewed to reflect changing need is a powerful influence in
improving behaviour and attendance, through BSF we will explore design features that have the potential to impact
positively in this area namely:

 The removal of “hidden areas” that impede effective adult supervision including washrooms and toilet
facilities
 The development of wider corridors that prevent jostling and bustling between lessons
 The strategic location of staff offices and work areas around the school
 Dedicated spaces for pupil support services
 Adequate recreational and social areas both inside and outside the building that encourage young
people to site during breaks and lunch times
 Good canteen facilities providing healthy meals
 Rooms with good acoustics, particularly appropriate for a borough with a high percentage of EAL
learners

1.8.9 The Authority is exploring a proposal to appoint a leader with responsibility for overseeing the education,
achievement and personal development of “children in our care” within the structure of a virtual school. Running in
tandem with this would be the development a mentoring scheme in partnership with the Prince’s Trust to provide
further support for this group of vulnerable learners. The ICT Managed Services will play a key part in the success of
a ‘virtual school’ supporting speedy and effective communications between child, school, virtual school and carers.

1.8.10 Our strategy for identifying under achieving groups is set within the context of school and Borough wide
self evaluation. Self-evaluation, underpinned by an analysis of local and national data sets indicates significant
under performance in our High Schools by Pakistani male heritage learners, males from deprived white UK
backgrounds and Children in our Care. Our children and young people’s plans and 14-19 strategies include a range
of interventions to address the needs of these specific groups. At Darwen Vale High school an additional mentoring,
literacy and PSE programme has been established and part funded by the LA to support a cohort of white boys with
plans to role out good practice and lessons learnt across all schools. At Beardwood High School the LA has
financed a Mirapuri speaking mentor to support a group of Pakistani learners and their parents, and to develop
further links with supplementary schools including the development of a homework Centre. Four of our High
Schools are also engaged in the National Strategies EAL project. BSF plans will impact positively on these groups
by:

 Developing a broader range of curriculum choice in a state of the art learning environment that will engage
and motivate learners to achieve the best of which they are capable
 Developing a range of extended services on school sites that will support learners and their families beyond
the classroom
 Extending ICT facilities to provide a more flexible any where, any time learning route bespoke to individual
need
 The development of more responsive information and guidance systems underpinned by the concept of a
learning guide responsible for monitoring and guiding learners
 The development of generic teaching areas for year 7 pupils to ease the KS 2/3 transition for some of our
most vulnerable learners
 The development of flexible learning areas within schools, including smaller teaching areas to facilitate the
delivery of targeted interventions. To identify in all High schools an intervention manager to co-ordinate
work in this area and to develop further the concept of intervention lead teachers in both English and Maths
 Promoting curriculum models through our network learning communities and consultant deployment that
emphasise the functional applications of Maths and Literacy, so increasing motivation to learn in real life
contexts.

1.8.11 Developing a shared understanding of the concepts and principles of personalised learning and
strategies to put these principles into practice underpin our work to cater for the needs of Gifted and Talented young
people. The recently established Gifted and Talented network learning community has produced guidance for
schools outlining policy, principles and procedures for identifying and meeting the needs of Gifted and Talented
young people. As part of the annual cycle of self evaluation all high schools will adopt the National Quality
Standards for Gifted and Talented Education with an ambition for all schools to be exemplary. We believe that BSF
proposals will impact positively on Gifted and Talented children by:

 Promoting the principle of entry for external examinations at a stage of readiness rather than by age. The
development of this principle will allow our High Schools to offer increased breadth and depth of study at KS
4. Our BSF proposals plan to include an offer in all High schools to deliver, in partnership with post 16
providers, level 3 programmes for able pupils
 Developing the current good practice in a number of our High Schools to provide summer schools, linked to
specialism, for Gifted and Talented pupils spanning key stages 2 and 3
  Developing the use of ICT to promote independent learning and enquiry that will extend opportunities and
raise the aspirations of Gifted and Talented young people. Personalised learning will be facilitated using the
Learning Platform to deliver appropriate activities and resources to pupils in order to meet their individual
learning needs, including access to an individual device 24/7. These functionalities combined with media
technologies, such as video conferencing, will also provide G&T pupils with a broader learning experience
by providing a wider range of learning opportunities.

1.9 Change Management Strategies to Achieve the Authority’s BSF Vision (Including CPD and
Workforce Remodelling)

1.9.1 The authority has a strong record of leading and delivering significant transformational programmes. At
the heart of the success has been the adoption of a comprehensive approach to change management. In response
to the ECM integration agenda the authority has built on the success of a strategic approach to school workforce
transformation and put in place a strategic children’s workforce development team. The BSF Team will work with the
School Improvement Service and the School Workforce Development Team, supported where necessary by
external advisors. The vehicle to facilitate the effective implementation of the change management strategy will
operate at two levels:

1.9.1.1 Individual school level: Change management will be supported through ‘BSF School Transformation
Teams’, under the leadership of the BSF Leader of Learning Transformation, building on the successful ‘change
team’ model adopted by many schools to facilitate and enable the remodelling process. Teams have been
established in all schools and are cross cutting, involving a broad range of school stakeholders including the full
range of staff currently employed in school. They will work to finalise and implement the individual School Strategy
for Change plans. The LA will support these teams to ensure the change management process is embedded and
aligns with the borough-wide vision. In addition external advisers will support individual schools as and when
appropriate. Moving forward individual schools will establish Design Teams, again engaging a range of
stakeholders, to translate the strategy for change into design and ICT output specifications.

1.9.1.2 Collaborative of Schools: The LA has worked with the Education Improvement Partnership to develop
a structure for decision making and development. This structure supports collaborative working across school
practitioners and other agencies to contribute to the development of specific areas of the LA’s BSF Strategy for
Change. Each group is being supported by the BSF Leader of Learning Transformation to develop its own change
management plan. Activities to support change management as the programme develops include an on-going
programme of seminars and conferences exploring different elements of the transformational agenda and
specifically delivering effective change management to secure transformation.

1.9.1.3 Local authority level: The local social partnership (Workforce Development Group) has been extended
to include a wider range of stakeholders and its remit redefined and agreed on order to reflect the BSF change
agenda. Sub groups have been formed to look at some of the key change management issues affecting staff at
school level. Key dimensions underpinning the delivery at authority level are organisational development, workforce
planning, workforce remodelling, continuous professional development, recruitment and retention and performance
management The Change Management Plan will build on existing effective practice and develop it in order to deliver
our vision for BSF.

1.9.2 In order to deliver the requirements of BSF, we will need to gather comprehensive and accurate
baseline data in order to profile the makeup of the current workforce. This will de done through the implementation
of a bespoke on line package, purchased for all schools to use, which will provide individual, school, and LA level
workforce analysis data. We will gather strategic workforce data on the knowledge and skills available in the local
and regional market to support meeting the delivery of BSF, and consider providing opportunities for those with key
skills to be equipped to move into the children’s workforce. We will employ a range of strategies to ensure that we
have the right people, with the right skills, at the right time to meet future needs of the BSF programme. We will
monitor and evaluate the impact of workforce plans to ensure that it delivers the desired outcomes for children,
young people, families and communities.

1.9.3 We will consolidate and develop existing successful strategies around the Transformation of the School
Workforce, by establishing a strong vision of the direction of travel and clear processes for communication and
engagement and building ownership of change through establishing a shared vision and transparent change
process, with clear boundaries and focus. This will be done through the embedding of transformation teams at
schools and LA level which reflect the make up of the current and future ‘school’ community

1.9.4 In order to deliver BSF we need to ensure that high quality staff are recruited through robust and
transparent recruitment process. We plan to establish a high quality supply agency, where staff are paid to national
pay scale and provided with access to professional development opportunities. We will promote Blackburn with
Darwen schools as employers of choice within the local community and provide information on routes to
employment including raising the profile locally through children’s workforce open days providing information on job
opportunities in all sectors and training routes. We will work with partner agencies to develop a range of strategies
and measures to attract and retain staff, for example in key hard to recruit areas or under represented groups

1.9.5 In order to deliver BSF we will need to establish a baseline of knowledge, skills and attitudes in order to
determine the gap between the current position and what is required for the future. This will de done through the
implementation of a bespoke on line TNA package purchased for all schools to use, which will provide individual,
school, and LA data. We will use a wide range of high quality learning and development opportunities, appropriately
matched to identified needs and preferred learning styles. This will be identified through the use of an on line CPD
Audit Tool which has been developed and piloted with one secondary school in the Borough. One of our secondary
schools is currently seeking to become a training school and we will ensure that this becomes part of our Borough
wide infrastructure for staff and we are developing the concept of a school based Leadership Centre which is a
specific innovation that is being considered as part of our strategy for change.

1.9.6 The impact of professional learning and development activities will be monitored and evaluated in
relation to outcomes for children, young people, families and communities.

1.9.7 One of the most significant impacts on BSF will be visionary development of ICT to transform learning.
This will present the entire workforce with significant immediate challenges and we will support staff in meeting
these challenges by identifying and disseminating the existing good practice locally, regionally and nationally,
developing within each school a group of champions who will initially expand their own expertise and then lead the
development within the school through training and coaching methodologies, making maximum use of opportunities
to pilot new methodologies and technologies prior to the implementation of BSF and develop a range of materials,
training opportunities, networks and experiences to enable staff to build their own understandings and expertise.

1.9.8 In order to deliver our vision for transformation we recognise the need to prepare staff for change
through the development and implementation of learning and development opportunities that support new ways of
working and prepare staff for working in new environments, including integrated and multi-agency working,
personalised learning, effective deployment of staff and re-training of existing staff. We need to ensure that, the
Every Child Matters agenda is embedded into all learning and development opportunities. We have already
developed and accredited a programme around ECM, and have developed comprehensive materials to support the
implementation of the common induction standards. We need to ensure that all staff involved in delivering and
supporting learning and teaching in schools are fully aware of the potential of the ICT infrastructure and trained in its
use including other school stakeholders in learning and development opportunities where appropriate.

1.9.9 In order to ensure that standards are maintained and improved during the transition period we recognise
the need to maintain staff morale by providing information, advice, guidance and support to schools and individuals,
recruiting quality staff to current and emerging roles, develop retention strategies to ensure continuity of education
and develop professional development opportunities to sustain levels of skills and knowledge in order to deliver high
quality outcomes for children, young people, families and communities.

SECTION 2: ADDRESSING KEY ESTATES PRIORITIES AND PROJECT PLANNING

2.1 Our Procurement Strategy

2.1.1 The Council and its partners are fully committed to the procurement of the BSF transformation
programme through a Local Education Partnership (LEP) model. Our LEP will be the vehicle for transformation of
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how our secondary schools function, securing a curriculum, and teaching and learning, fit for the 21 Century as
well as offering top quality, well maintained, learning, leisure, child care, ICT and health facilities suitable for shared
community use.

2.1.2 As an authority we have significant experience of working within public private partnerships, as both
client and commissioner, and are therefore comfortable with the model of a LEP as an effective procurement vehicle
that will deliver value for money as well as secure an effective flow of well- designed and constructed buildings in a
programme of this scale and complexity, whilst ensuring educational objectives are achieved. This commitment
continues to have the support of the Authority’s Section 151 Officer as we begin to move through the development
of our Outline Business Case.

2.1.3 The Council is committed to the ‘standard contractual model’ outlined in PfS guidance materials and use
of PfS standardised Output Specification, Strategic Partnership Agreement, LEP Shareholders Agreement, PFI
Project Agreement, D&B Contract, ICT Contract and Management Services Agreement. This approach has the
advantage of being familiar with the market whilst still encompassing a degree of flexibility to allow for other non-
educational projects to be delivered over the lifetime of the LEP.

2.1.4 We envisage that the LEP will focus initially on the core BSF programme. The LEP will have exclusivity
over BSF investments. In addition it is envisaged that the LEP would deliver additional schools investment
programmes including Primary Capital Programme which comes on stream 2009. Discussions continue with other
departments within the Authority and with partners to explore the opportunities for other investment programmes to
be delivered through the LEP. The Authority is actively exploring specific joined up investment with the LSC through
the 14 -19 Strategic Partnership building on the existing joint funding arrangements in place for facilities such as the
Highercroft Vocational Centre.

2.1.5 The Authority and its partner schools understand and commit to the BSF requirement that all new build
schools will be built under Private Finance Initiative (PFI). Currently it is proposed that three PFI schools will be
included in the BSF programme. We anticipate that our LEP will provide a ‘hard FM' managed services, as defined
in the Stakeholders Agreement and Strategic Partnering Agreement, to all BSF schools to secure a consistently high
standard of buildings maintenance, ensuring future sustainability of new and remodelled buildings. In addition we
expect the LEP will provide optional soft facilities management services to BSF schools, to the wider school estate
and to co-located community facilities on school sites where appropriate. We continue to work with our schools to
determine the full scope of managed services that might be delivered by the LEP.

2.1.6 The Authority is committed to the delivery of an ICT managed service through the LEP. The LEP will
provide this to BSF schools on an exclusive basis. Schools have considered and recognised the opportunities that
the procurement of an area-wide ICT managed service will bring including releasing schools from the burden of the
technical management and maintenance of systems. In addition we are working with non BSF secondary schools,
primary schools and children’s centres to promote their engagement of the managed service to ensure equitable
access to high quality e-learning opportunities for all learners, as well as facilitate the efficient and effective sharing
of information and data across schools and agencies. Working with our Managed Service we also aim to achieve full
integration across Children’s Services and corporate systems so contributing to the delivery of Every Child Matters.

2.2 Soft Market Testing and Market Management

We have partially developed a market management strategy, including a strategy for soft market testing, which will
continue to inform the development of the scope of the project to ensure it is attractive to the market, makes sense
commercially and is deliverable. A joint PfS/ Navigant Consulting Procurement Planning Workshop for members of
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the Project Board and Chief Officer is planned for 3 October 2007 which will contribute to the finalisation of the
market management strategy. Feedback from market testing to date, including key ICT providers is encouraging,
reflecting a good and increasing level of market interest in our programme from active bidders in the BSF market.
The breath of our vision for the ICT Managed Service, the balance of PFI to Design and Build and the proposed
extension of managed services to the wider schools sector all appear to be of interest.
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2.2.1 A ‘Meet the Team: BSF Briefing’ aimed specifically at the commercial sector is planned for 12
November 2007, to complement more formal market engagement throughout autumn and early spring to include
structured SMT feedback sessions with discrete sectors. A formal Bidders Day is planned for late March/early April
2008, following publication of the OJEU. The wider market management strategy links into the programme’s
communication plan which prioritises the marketing of the programme to the commercial sector to ensure that we
attract the highest quality of potential bidders. Detailed consideration has been given to counteracting inaccurate
market perceptions of a relationship between the existing public private strategic partnership (established with the
Capita Group) and the procurement of the LEP. The Authority welcomes the widest possible interest in our
programme from high quality bidders and consortia.

2.3 ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING ASSET BASE AND PUPIL NUMBERS:

2.3.1 Variations from SFC 1: There have been some significant changes to the Estates Priorities since
publication of SfC 1. As outlined in 3.1.3 of that document there were three sites remaining as possibilities for the
new East Blackburn school facility (Blakewater College). Similar assessments were undertaken for relocation sites
for the expanded Tauheedul Islam Girls School. Studies were undertaken to assess and evaluate the highway and
planning implications of each of the sites. As a result of this option appraisal process the Beardwood site has been
identified as the preferred site for relocation of Tauheedul Islam Girls High School and the Golf Driving Range as the
option for Blakewater College relocation.

2.3.1.1 There is one significant amendment to the Estates Priorities included in SFC 1 resulting from the
outcomes of consultation on options for closure or co-location of Crosshill Special School. Co-location is now the
confirmed proposal for Crosshill and as a result site option appraisal has been undertaken to ascertain the most
suitable location. The option appraisal identified the new East Blackburn school facility as the preferred co-location
option and this has been taken into account when assessing the three alternative sites for the East Blackburn
School.

2.3.1.2 A number of options for all other existing sites had been considered, from minor refurbishment to
remodelling or replacement. Scenarios based on these options have been the subject of ongoing assessment and
consultation with key stakeholders. At SFC 1 a completed Funding Allocation Model had been prepared for each
resulting ‘preferred’ scenario, and been included in the assessment for prioritisation.

2.3.2 Estates Overview: The current Blackburn with Darwen secondary school estate consists of 10
mainstream and 3 SEN Schools constructed between the 1930’s (Darwen Vale) and 2003 (St Wilfrid’s), in locations
varying from a county park (Witton) to a terraced street (Tauheedul). The mix of age, location and construction
presents significant lifecycle and maintenance challenges to the Council. BSF is a one time opportunity to provide
schools capable of supporting the needs of pupils, staff and the community for future generations by replacing or
remodelling buildings. It will alleviate the maintenance backlog and create facilities that are easy and cost effective
to maintain as well as support the transformation of learning, communities and lives.

2.3.3 Assessment of Existing Asset Base: To enable effective appraisal of available options a detailed
assessment of the estate has been undertaken. This appraisal included schools within the BSF programme and the
St Thomas’s PRU/EOTAS. As there is no current requirement within the programme for investments in the post 16
and FE provision the assessment has excluded this sector. This macro assessment established a baseline for
comparison of the school buildings in terms of their condition, suitability and sufficiency. The assessment
supplemented the existing AMP data through additional surveys to bring all information up to a consistent level. The
“Macro Estates Report”, provides an overview of this work, the assessment process and the results were used to
rank the secondary and special needs estate. This ranking was further influenced by assessment of schools
accessibility in the context of compliance with DDA and SENDA, and ability to comply with recent legislation
covering Legionella, Asbestos Management and Fire Safety (Risk Assessment). A low level assessment of how the
buildings would comply with forthcoming legislation in regard to energy efficiency was also undertaken. During this
process a number of common themes became apparent across the estate, a few of which are listed below:

2.3.3.1 Condition (physical state of the building elements):

Early buildings up to the 1930’s, all exhibit problems with the structures such as lintel failures and issues with
water ingress through slate roofs and asphalt decks. The services infrastructures are in general poor with
replacement items such as lighting or small power distribution being surface mounted (Darwen Vale)
Later 1940/50’s buildings show similar structural issues related to the poor quality of post war materials
1960’s buildings are in the main system constructions, utilising either steel or concrete frames with cladding. In a
number of cases this is single skin brickwork, with little or no thermal efficiency or timber curtain walling in poor
repair, (Pleckgate and St Bedes)
Later developments in the 1960’s and early 1970’s are typified by the steel clad blocks often referred to as
ROSLA. The technology block at Vale is an excellent example of this, and was even used by CABE as a
“before” shot in a recent publication. The school ceased to use the block in 2001 following issues with the
electric heating, thermal insulation and water integrity. Following investment in 2005 the block was reused, but
type three surveys have shown a high number of areas contain asbestos making further replacement of services
or adaptation un-cost effective.

2.3.3.2 Suitability (functionality of the building);

The majority of schools proved to be very inflexible; a significant number had undersized teaching spaces and
being inappropriate to enable the adoption of curriculum and organisational innovations that will deliver learning
transformation
All had poor circulation – narrow corridors and staircases, separate unlinked buildings making movement around
the school difficult and time consuming and contributing to behavioural issues
The general poor environment of newer buildings including issues of substandard heating ventilation and lighting
being common place
Old building designs that limit the use of ICT, and made cost effective retrofit impossible
Poor staff accommodation impacting on the ability of staff to under take preparation and assessment in school
Poor accommodation for use by support staff and partner agency staff as well as the wider community

2.3.3.3 Sufficiency (functional area): All schools fell short of the current BB98/BB77 guidelines in the most
basic of teaching accommodation, however in a number of occasions the Gross Floor Areas exceeded the
requirements due to number of phases of development and “organic” development.

2.3.3.4 Accessibility (DDA/SENDA compliance): The results of the access audits identified a significant
amount of work required to ensure DDA compliance across the school estate.
2.3.3.5 Other factors: These included disproportionate investment required to reduce Legionella risk, difficulty
in improving fire safety and potential insurance demanded works. Also there is poor energy efficiency of buildings,
particularly at schools where there has been heavy investment in air conditioning. The results of the investigation
and surveys of the above factors displays a high level building constraint assessment of each of the secondary
schools. The percentage scores indicate a low score of 42% (Poor) for Pleckgate High School to a high score of
98% (Excellent) for Newfield School. There are two secondary schools and a special needs school which are not
covered by the BSF programme. These schools are St Wilfrid’s CoE Technology College (rebuilt in 2003), Darwen
Moorland (part of the Academy Programme) and Newfield (rebuilt in 2006). The results were considered in
conjunction with the out comes of the Site Appraisal, described in the following section, to determine the relative
need of each school.

2.3.4 Pupil Numbers

2.3.4.1 The Authority has an excellent record of projecting pupil numbers and has consistently achieved an
accuracy variance of 0.5% or better. Ofsted found us to be ‘effective in forecasting and managing school places’.
Our projections for the secondary aged population to 2016 are based on population changes for current and future
age cohorts at ward level taking into account school census and health authority data. These projections have been
agreed with Partnerships for Schools.

2.3.4.2 The secondary school population is projected to fall slightly over the next ten years as a result of a
declining birth rate. Based on current pattern of provision we forecast that in the 2015/16 academic year the number
of pupils aged 11-16 will have declined from 9,680 to 9,390. However currently over 200 pupils per year transfer out
of borough or into the independent sector at Year 7 due primarily to low parental perceptions of our schools. We
hope that our transformational plans will address much of this ‘leakage’ and this, together with the likely increases in
some wards due to housing development, a projected 720 pupils requirement in Sixth Form provision at St Wilfrid’s
and Darwen Academy, and an increased number of SEN pupils supported in BwD schools (currently catered for out
of Borough) as a result of increase in provision for children with Special Educational Needs through BSF, we project
a total requirement for ages 11-19 in 2016 of 10,400 places within mainstream together with 60 in resourced
provision, 140 in PRU/EOTAS, and a requirement for 109 pupils in special schools. Of these pupils 7200 are
forecast to be within mainstream BSF schools and 254 within BSF resourced, special or PRU provision. In addition
there are 1600 pupils and 55 pupils respectively at St Wilfrid’s High School and Newfield Special School that are
eligible for BSF ICT funding but do not attract capital funds due to the recent new builds on both sites. The number
of SEN places within BSF schools is slightly greater than that stated in SfC 1(an increase of approximately 60
places) due to the revised proposal to establish a smaller co-located Crosshill School on the site of a mainstream
school rather than to close it. As this is a recent revision to our plans we acknowledge that more work may need to
be undertaken during the preparation of our OBC to finalise these figures.

2.3.4.3 The overall aggregate decline in future pupil numbers aged 11-16 conceals areas of growth within the
Borough with wards in the east and central Blackburn seeing levels of significant increase and wards in the west of
Blackburn a decrease. The school organisation option will enable us to retain the balance of denominational places
(39% compared with the current 40%) and create additional places at the most popular Aided and Community
schools. Although one community school will be closed this school currently takes a third of its pupils from the
opposite side of the town. The reorganised school provision would provide a larger East Blackburn community
school to accommodate these pupils in a setting closer to their homes.

2.3.4.4 Re-organisation of post 16 and FE provision is not currently part of the BSF programme. Proposals to
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increase the numbers of 6 Form places are already in place through the establishment of an academy in Darwen
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(outside of BSF) and establishment of a Post 16 Centre at Our Lady and St John Arts College through a 6 Form
Presumption. The Learning and Skills Council, and members of the 14-19 Partnership, has confirmed that there is
no need for further increase or decrease to post 16/FE places within the Borough. Consultation has also taken place
with the Dioceses regarding pupil place planning.

2.4 Prioritisation of BSF Investment

2.4.1 The Blackburn with Darwen BSF programme is a one wave programme and we are fortunate therefore
that all schools eligible for BSF investment could be considered as part of the investment programme and will
benefit within a relatively short time span. In line with DCSF expectations prioritisation of investment has been based
on consideration of three factors in the following priority order:

2.4.1.1 Investment to meet educational and social need: our priorities for BSF investments are to create
adaptive and adaptable school accommodation that can support different organisational models of learning provision
into the future, enabling schools to adopt alternative models of organisation and curriculum as they move along the
transformation pathway. In addition we will look to secure access to a range of differentiated learning spaces that
will support a range of teaching and learning styles. Investment will develop consistently high quality ICT rich
learning environments across all secondary schools providing pupils, staff and parents any where anytime access to
a Borough wide learning platform. Investment will wherever possible deliver enhanced facilities in each school’s
specialist curriculum area and planned future second specialisms.

2.4.1.2 Investment to support the effective implementation of school organisation proposals: our
investments will be prioritised to create high performing, inclusive schools of the right size in the right locations to
meet the needs of local and borough wide communities. Priority is therefore given to supporting school organisation
proposals that will establish a new re-located extended high school for East Blackburn alongside a co-located
special school and two enlarged community schools in west Blackburn. All will require 100% new build. Investment
is also being prioritised to re-locate and enhance the PRU/EOTAS service to better meet the needs of a wider range
of pupils with additional learning needs. Tauheedul Islam Girls High School will also be re-located but into a
remodelled existing high school proposed for closure to enable it to grow to 600 so extending parental preference.

2.4.1.3 Investment to address asset management plan priorities: BSF investments will also be prioritised to
address AMP needs around condition, sufficiency and suitability as well as bringing all sites up to DDA and other
statutory regulatory standards. We will ensure that schools meet or exceed BB98/BB77 expectations. Initial analysis
indicates that all school estates would require some element of new build to meet these expectations with the
exception of the site proposed for the relocation of Tauheedul, an existing school of a larger capacity.

2.4.1.4 All three factors combine to ensure the effective delivery of our transformational vision for our secondary
school sector. A methodology for assessing how well specific investment proposals meet educational and social
needs has been developed. It has been used to assess for example site relocation options for Tauheedul and
Blakewater College.

2.4.2 Darwen Vale Community High School and Pleckgate Community High School have been identified as
the two sample schemes for the programme. They have been identified on the basis of educational, school
organisational and asset management prioritisation criteria. In addition we recognised the importance of being able
to effectively evaluate bidders’ abilities to deliver high quality, value for money new build PFIs (Pleckgate) and
significant Design and Build remodels (Darwen Vale), with enhanced community provision.

2.4.3 Ensuring design quality is a priority for us as BSF provides an extraordinary opportunity to review and
change the Borough’s school buildings in a way that will ensure they are inspirational and truly sustainable. The new
schools will be visionary, both in the way that they support the curriculum, but also in their appearance. While the
control options currently place emphasis on the educational building needs, wider aspects of development are being
considered, in particular those involving key stakeholders such as the Primary Care Trust, the Culture, Leisure and
Sport Department (CLS) and Sport England. We are working with our CABE enabler and Technical Advisor to
support the development of design requirements for each school. This work will be continued by the LEP following
its establishment. Design specifications will ensure that the new learning environments are flexible and adaptable
and can support evolving curriculum and teaching and learning needs as schools move along the pathway to
transformation. Our Technical Advisor is working with the sample schools (Pleckgate and Darwen Vale) to develop
individual School SfCs in the context of the estate, build capacity to recognise good design and articulate their
design aspirations through the use of DQI/FAVE.

2.4.4 Our proposals for the ICT managed service is that all schools regardless of their position within the
construction programme will benefit from an interim arrangement including access to the Learning Platform and
mobile technologies. Our two schools that will not receive ICT capital funding, due to their being recent new builds,
have been identified as possible pilots schools for ICT managed service.

2.4.5 Blackburn with Darwen is actively working towards a sustainable and prosperous future for all of its
community. Our schools are being supported to become Sustainable schools by accessing the 8 Doorways to
sustainability: Food and Drink, Energy and Water, Travel and Traffic, Purchasing and Waste, Buildings and
Grounds, Inclusion and Participation, Local Well-Being and the Global Dimension. We see BSF as providing a
superb opportunity for our secondary schools to identify and implement solutions in all 8 categories. In
acknowledgement and support of the DSCF requirement that all major new build school projects be assessed using
the BREEAM school assessment procedure, we aim for all new builds to achieve a rating of Very Good. We are also
committed to meeting the challenge of developing carbon neutral buildings. The potential additional funding of £
500,000 per site opens up the opportunity to explore sustainable alternatives.

2.4.6 The Council recognises that school blight is a major issue that requires management over the duration
of the BSF programme. Schools and the LA are committed to managing the estate in a sustainable way until BSF
investment is complete. To ensure that existing schools and buildings avoid becoming disadvantaged by the
forthcoming BSF investment schools will continue to receive their devolved capital funding until 1st April 2009 and
we will continue to utilise all available resources in a co-ordinated and cost-effective way to progress improvements.
After this time, DFC will be renewed for PFI schools after the 5th year at 65% of the full rate whilst all non-PFI
funded schools will receive 100% of their entitlement. However, it should be noted that DCSF are currently
consulting on new arrangements on capital funding. It has been estimated that over the duration of the BSF
programme approximately £1.1 million of capital investment will be needed to ensure standards are maintained
across the secondary estate. Work is also progressing to determine any additional operational costs that schools
may need to incur during the transitional years. Schools will be encouraged to continue to invest in ICT until their full
involvement in their managed service, to ensure legacy equipment is of a suitable quality to transfer.

2.4.7 Careful programming of the projects will assist in the management of blight by reducing the duration and
level of impact on the individual school, this will be further assisted by co operation between the schools in ensuring
the best use of resources, and teaching facilities. Staff retention and recruitment has been recognised as a further
potential area of blight, strategically Head teachers have agreed to a sharing of resources and to a policy on
recruitment and redeployment for those staff subject to school closures.

2.4.8 The major remodel work on school sites will inevitably involve some decanting of students and staff from
one area of accommodation to another. To minimise disruption and programme cost and enable building work to
take place some temporary accommodation will be necessary. We have sought to minimise the amount of
expensive temporary accommodation through utilising the redundant school sites of Beardwood and Darwen
Moorland which forms the basis of our Baseline Construction Programme.

2.5 Estate Options

2.5.1 Disposals, acquisitions and new site option: Five schools will be vacating their sites as a result of
school organisation proposals or re-location/co-location needs. Three of these sites will be subject to disposal (St
Thomas Centre, Fernhurst, Blakewater). Two will be used for redevelopment for use by schools within the BSF
programme including Tauheedul Islam Girls High School, which will relocate to a remodelled Beardwood site
following that school’s closure, and St Thomas’s Centre PRU/EOTAS service which will re-locate to a remodelled
Crosshill site. Crosshill special school will co-locate on the site of the proposed new East Blackburn
School/Blakewater College. The proposed site of the relocation of East Blackburn/Blakewater and co-located
Crosshill Special School is the Golf Driving Range. This site is already in Council ownership and formal discussions
have begun with the current tenant regarding their relocation to a new site. Planning and Highways representatives
sit on the BSF Estates Strategy Team and have been fully involved in site proposal discussions to date.

2.5.2 Phasing and Programming: The Blackburn with Darwen BSF capital programme will include 7
Secondary schools, 1 Special Needs school and the St Thomas Centre (PRU/EOTAS). The Authority’s Section 151
Officer is supportive of this proposed approach to phasing and programming.

2.5.2.1 The planned programme of delivery, and the individual prioritisation of the projects, has been subject to
a number of influences and constraints not least to ensure the continued access of pupils to a quality education
throughout the BSF process, in particular for key year groups such as years 9 and 11, maintain standards and
sustain the momentum of school improvement. The proposed programme will deliver the necessary school
organisation changes early whilst maintaining levels of pupil capacity required during the transition period. It also
minimises the need for expensive temporary accommodation, construction phasing and multiple decant moves yet
looks to deliver in the shortest possible timescales to minimise the impact of inflationary costs on the later projects.
A two phase programme will help to minimise supply chain problems, control completion timelines, including closure
and opening dates and therefore minimised blight across the secondary school estate.

2.6 Control Options

2.6.1 Option Methodology: Potential options have been considered for each site and existing school building
based on their ability to deliver the individual schools Strategy for Change, impact of construction on curriculum
delivery, risks analysis and opportunities around site development, decant options and affordability. Potential
constraints, such as those in regard to planning designations, were also given consideration. In order to undertake
this process a package of information for each site was compiled to understand site specific risks and the potential
for abnormal costs. The following options have been considered for each site to determine potential for
development. All options have been discussed with the schools and other key stakeholder.

Do Nothing: Whilst ‘Do Nothing’ is often seen as an option in business case proposals, it clearly would not meet the
objectives of the BSF Strategy for Change. This option has therefore been discounted without the need to undertake
further detailed analysis.

Minor Remodel: This option demonstrates the cost benefits of meeting all of the condition needs (priority 1 to 4)
identified in the Authority’s AMP condition assessment for each school. This option would only solve those issues
identified by the AMP methodology and will not address the significant sufficiency and suitability nor the need to
replace the lifespan expired accommodation at many of the schools. For the majority of buildings this option would
fail to address the medium and long-term whole life value of the investment and would not guarantee a reasonable
life cycle of the remaining buildings. In particular, the Council would find it impossible to meet the desired
maintenance regime and would fail to deliver sustainability and energy management benefits.

Major Remodel: This option seeks to retain the best accommodation on the school sites, and supplement it with
new build accommodation to suit the requirements of BB98/BB77. Retained school buildings will be refurbished as
required, with improvements to the external envelop to meet current statutory requirements and latest guidance from
the DCSF, for example BB93 on acoustics. Internally, works will be scoped to meet existing condition and suitability
needs as recorded in the AMP. It is envisaged that services infrastructure will be replaced to current regulations
enabling the upgrade of ICT infrastructure. Physical alterations of the building layout, to achieve the requirements of
BB98/BB77, and to provide environments conducive to the Transformational Agenda would be addressed as would
traditional areas of pupil concern such as toilets and social space. Whist it is anticipated that some of the sufficiency
conditions can be met by relatively minor refurbishment and/or replacement works, many of the buildings will require
significant remodelling and extension to meet the suitability and accessibility inadequacies identified.

New Build Replacement: This option provides for the demolition and rebuilding of buildings. In reality, this is the
only option that will address the condition, suitability and sufficiency issues identified at many of the schools and is
the best mechanism for providing the transformation of secondary education that BSF seeks to deliver.

2.6.2 Following the Option Appraisal a Control Option has been developed for each school which addresses
the need for teaching spaces and facilities appropriate for the delivery of each individual School Strategy for Change
(SfC) and the LA’s overarching BSF strategy. Control Options support schools’ specialist aspirations and reflect the
current and envisaged growth in the extended school and community provision. Reference has been made to all
relevant Building Bulletin Guidance, including but not limited to BB 98 and BB 77, Health and Safety, ICT
requirements and Planning Briefs to ensure the options identified meet required standards. The identification of a
control option is based on a desktop study, discussions with the school leaders (Sample Schemes only), visits to the
schools and liaison with third parties such LA officers in the Planning and Highways Division, Sport England and the
DCSF.

2.7 ICT Managed Service

2.7.1 Blackburn with Darwen Local Authority believe that the exploitation of ICT is fundamental to achieving
the transformation of education and children and young people's lives. We are passionate about realising the
benefits of technology to bring about a dramatic improvement in learning and achievement. Our ICT managed
service provider must therefore join with us, as an enabling partner committed to raising standards. We have a
strong e learning team with in the Borough and would want to play a full part in the Transition and Implementation of
the service.

2.7.2 The multi-faceted ICT managed service will have three dimensions Learning Transformation; Active
Infrastructure and Passive Infrastructure. Blackburn with Darwen has a very strong and well respected eLearning
team that will deliver a significant proportion of the Learning Transformation piece as a leading partner with the
Managed Service Provider (broadly speaking this is Section 2, Transition and Implementation, in the ICT Output
Specification). We would be looking to the Managed Service Provider to take full responsibility for the design and
management of the Active and Passive infrastructure. The scope of this will be further developed in the ICT output
specification to be submitted for OBC and will incorporate Section 1, 3 and 4 of the specification

2.7.3 Careful consideration has been given to the key steps required in moving over to a full managed
service, these steps have been identified as:

2.7.3.1 Establishing the current position: Much work has already taken place in order to establish both the
current position in terms of ICT for the LA and the schools within the BSF programme. Individual audits of current
technical provision have been carried out in order to establish a baseline level of provision for all schools. Issues
around length of current contracts have been raised and schools made aware of the need to ensure that these will
not conflict with the implementation of the managed service. In terms of current levels of ICT capability and its use
within the curriculum we have a clear understanding of where school staff are through the extensive work carried out
by the E learning service. At Local Authority level we have close links with corporate ICT provision and have
discussed our vision for full integration with these services. We have also been mindful of existing and new contracts
that are in place and have taken steps to ensure these will not impact upon the implementation of the managed
service e.g. we have committed only to a two year contract with UniServity for delivery of our Learning Platform.
Other contracts are short term and can easily be terminated.
2.7.3.2 Prepare schools and staff: We recognise that the work around preparing our schools and staff for the
managed service is critical in ensuring a successful implementation and for this reason it is well underway. Our
involvement in current projects such as mobile learning technologies and the roll out of a borough wide learning
platform will help us to ensure that the LA and our schools are intelligent clients.

Leadership and Management:

We have held a visioning workshop for our e-learning team and senior managers in secondary and primary phases
to raise awareness of “the art of the possible” presented through ICT. We have worked with Headteacher
representatives to outline the nature and potential of an ICT managed service and they have committed in principle
£80 - £120 per pupil to the operational element of the service. Headteachers and their Chairs of Governors as well
as the Director of Children’s Services are also going to be invited to a joint day long workshop at the beginning of
October with neighbouring authorities to hear from key national speakers from Industry, Government Agencies and
leading Local Authorites from earlier waves about “Delivery and Impact” in respect of ICT and BSF. Currently our
ICT advisers are supporting schools in the completion of school change plans.

Curriculum
We have invested in a Virtual Learning Environment (Uniservity), to facilitate access to differentiated materials,
applications and local as well as worldwide expertise. Having a consistent VLE across the authority will facilitate the
smooth transition to a managed service as staff and students will already have developed expertise and materials
centred around applications and resources that will be easily migrated to the chosen learning platform.

Teaching and Learning

We have e-learning staff linked to each school in the BSF programme to support them in their use of ICT. It is our
intention to offer carefully timed support to schools via a bespoke wrap around provision provided by the e-Learning
Service. We will be using the Self Review Framework for ICT to develop the e-maturity of our learning
establishments so that they are fully able to take advantage of the new ICT managed service. Identified needs will
be met through the provision of a comprehensive programme of training and support for each school leading up to
and following the implementation of the managed service. The role of our City Learning Centres as test beds for
innovation will be further developed working in partnership with companies such as Microsoft to showcase new and
emerging technologies and to model a ‘classroom of the future’.

Assessment
Schools currently use their Management Information Systems (MIS) solutions and Pupil Achievement Tracker (PAT)
to analyse and report on student assessments. We are now looking at our VLE (Uniservity) to further develop our
students e-portfolios. From here we will develop interoperable assessment solutions as part of our Managed
Learning Environment (MLE). We are also investigating multi-modal Enterprise Feedback Management (EFM)
solutions to link up assessments from across Children’s and Corporate Services.

Professional Development
We are continuing to clarify the requirements for school-based technical support and have already had meetings
with representatives from those currently undertaking this role across our learning estate. Where technical support
staff continue in this role arrangements will be made under TUPE regulations to secure their transfer to the employ
of the managed service provider. Some technical staff in schools currently contribute in significant ways beyond their
technical support function e.g. planning lessons, supporting data analysis, and staff development relating to ICT. As
part of the OBC, each school will need to clarify where these additional functions will be discharged and, if required,
how staff will be redeployed from the technical role into a new role directly employed by the school.

2.7.3.3 Phased implementation of the managed service: We have a clearly defined plan for the phased
implementation of the managed service and it is our intention that our two schools who have recently been rebuilt
and therefore only receive ICT funding through the BSF programme will be early adopters of the ICT managed
service and provide valuable insights into this provision at an early stage in the process.

2.7.3.4 We believe ICT should be available to all our learners and teachers as an industrial strength utility. We
expect ICT to be considered as a utility that can be relied on to be available whenever it is needed including from
our homes, many of which are broadband connected. From this core baseline we recognise that schools will have
additional unique and specialist requirements. Bidders will therefore need to identify and quote for a catalogue of
enhanced services to meet and surpass these requirements. We must see a clear and costed road map in the
provision being offered that takes schools from their current situation and expenditure to a transformed future.
Schools must fully understand what they are getting for their money both in terms of core and enhanced functionality
and also the learning gains that they might reasonably expect to happen as a result of the service. There is the
potential to offer this portfolio of services beyond the Secondary schools themselves; notably the primaries (but also
Children’s Centres, FE colleges, Work-based Learning Providers and City Learning Centres) who might want to take
advantage of some or all of the services. Bidders should articulate the financial implications and opportunities that
would incur in this regard.

2.7.4 We are expecting similar degrees of flexibility within a well defined framework in our approach to
intelligent buildings. The ICT solution will be integrated into the very fabric of the buildings (whether New Build,
Remodel or Refurbish) and thus into the way we intend to work. As a baseline the service must offer a
communications infrastructure providing a range of voice, data and Internet applications, with a secure LAN that can
lock down desktops and prevent students or staff from changing the standard configuration of software on end
devices. This infrastructure will allow students and staff to access diverse learning services such as the Learning
Platform, Cafeteria and Transportation from any point in the Borough. Additionally schools will need access to a
variety of hosted applications on the Regional Broadband Consortia and National Education Network.

2.7.5 We will require bidders to outline and cost the SMART infrastructure to join up all our learning facilities
and services and allow the sharing of learning and teaching best practice and materials. Bidders will need to outline
how administrative processes will be simplified and the speed and quality of communication improved. IP Telephony
must allow voice and data to run across the same infrastructure and enable changes to be made internally, leading
to lower support costs. Wireless networking must also be used more extensively to facilitate greater flexibility.

2.7.6 Scaleable and flexibility: It will be vital that the ICT solution is scaleable; both in terms of
addressing the two phased nature of our secondary estate, and also the potential roll out of services
beyond these schools to incorporate primaries, children centres, FE, Work Based Learning Providers and
City Learning Centres. For indicative purposes only we have outlined below the various high level elements
of the ICT managed service that will need to be addressed at various times during the contracted period.

2.7.7 Fit with programme: We will expect bidders to build up a more detailed picture of the services they
would offer and to be sensitive to the types and timing of our buildings programme to ensure that ICT is fully
integrated into the estates planning. The early establishment of services that can be delivered outside of the critical
path in each school building project will be desirable.

2.7.8 ICT fit with the wider authority and community context: It will be important for the Managed Service
Provider to interface appropriately with Capita who are the authorities strategic partner until 2016. Capita is involved
in a wide range of support services for the Council and has been responsible for the Asset Management Planning of
the school estate on behalf of the Council since the formation of a Strategic Partnership in 2001. Capita have
supported the Council, Headteachers and Governors in providing a comprehensive assessment of the school estate
in preparing their Strategy for Change. The ICT managed service will be a key element in our strategy for delivering
enhanced entitlements to learning services in Blackburn with Darwen. This sits inside our wider corporate objective
of securing a transformation in public services that delivers similar enhanced entitlements. It will therefore be
important for providers to articulate how they can interoperate at this wider level.

2.8 Consultation

2.8.1 Effective stakeholder management is a vital success factor in the delivery of a transformational change
programme such as Building Schools for the Future. The complex nature of BSF means that there are many and
varied stakeholder groups both internal to the client organisation and external to it. We have undertaken a detailed
stakeholder analysis and identified a significant number of stakeholders. A comprehensive communication and
stakeholder engagement strategy and plan has been drawn up outlining key messages, engagement processes and
risks associated with each stakeholder group. Each stakeholder group has been assigned a named ‘champion’ from
within the BSF Project Board or Children’s Services Senior Leadership Team. A copy of the plan can be found at
www.blackburn.gov.uk/bsf . This plan will continue to be revised and updated throughout the lifetime of the project.
The delivery of this plan is resourced by a dedicated Project Officer for Communications and Engagement in post
since January 2006, supported by the Council’s Corporate Communications and Media Team.

2.8.2 Specific communications activities that have been undertaken to date, or are planned include:

 Launch of a BSF website in January 2007 ( www.blackburn.gov.uk\bsf)

 A workshop programme, launched in autumn 2006, for key stakeholder including Elected Members,
Headteachers and Governors, with sessions covering subjects as diverse as transforming the
curriculum to understanding PFI.
 ‘Transformation’ a BSF newsletter first published in autumn 2006
  A specific BSF newsletter for children and young people to be launched September 2007
 The establishment of a extranet portal for use by the project team, a range of stakeholders and, longer
term, by bidders for access to and exchange of information
 BSF supplements circulated to every home in the Borough through the ‘Shuttle’ the Council’s
newsletter.
 A programme of around 40 events, meetings, workshops and drop in sessions at neighbourhood
centres delivered from June to August
 Circulation of two consultation documents through schools and other channels ( circulation of over
70,000)
 Specific focus sessions for groups of children and young people including vulnerable young people such
as looked after children
 Individual School Transformation Teams have held workshops for children, families and staff
 Radio and media releases
 Articles in Neighbourhood Newsletters serving each neighbourhood area
 Children’s competitions focusing on designing a ‘classroom of the future’
 Development of an interactive consultation CD for use in the community (to be launched Oct 07)
 Monthly updates to Elected members through the Members Information Bulletin
 Termly reports to Governors
 Termly reports to Headteachers through the Report to Headteachers
 Engagement of the business community via the Education Business Partnership whose Chief Executive
sits on the 14 -19 Partnership.
 Engagement with Health: the Chief Executive of the PCT sits on the BSF Project Board. Senior Officers
from the PCT are members of the BSF Extended Services Strategy Group and support schools BSF
Project Managers to develop individual SSfCs.

2.8.3 We are committed to ensuring that stakeholders, including the wider education sector (FE and primary
schools) are fully engaged in the development of the BSF transformation programme. To facilitate this engagement
a number of multi-agency thematic working groups have been established. Each of these groups is chaired by a
member of the BSF Project Team.

2.8.4 Sport England and NW Arts are active members of the Sport Culture and Leisure Strategy Group, which
is chaired by the Chief Executive of Lancashire Sport. A number of events have taken place for representatives of
Sports Governing Bodies facilitated by Lancashire Sport on behalf of the BSF programme to develop their
understanding of the programme as well as map their priorities for investment at club level. Similar events have
been held for School Sports Partnerships Coordinators facilitated by the Authority. A series of events to focus on
moving forward the cultural priorities identified for BSF are planned for autumn 2007.

2.8.5 Communication with the Dioceses is maintained through regular formal meetings hosted by the Director
of Children’s Services supplemented by a programme of meetings between the estate officers from both Children’s
Services and the Dioceses. Representatives of the Dioceses have also attended a number of key stakeholder
events. Approval of proposals at Readiness to Deliver, Strategy for Change 1 and Strategy for Change 2 have been
secured.

2.8.6 Maintaining an effective relationship with unions and professional associations has been prioritised by
the Council. BSF is a standing item on monthly meetings of the Teaching Association Liaison Meeting (TALM) and
the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC). In addition both teaching and Green Book union and professional
association representatives are members of the Workforce Development Group that is leading on the work force
aspects of the BSF Change Management Programme.

2.8.7 Internally the Project Sponsor, the Deputy Chief Executive, is responsible for maintaining corporate
communications around BSF. He provides monthly updates to the Policy Development Session involving Elected
Members as well as regular reports to Chief Officer Steering Group. The membership of the Project Board which
includes Chief Officers from Children’s Services, Finance, Legal, Corporate Programmes and Culture Sport and
Leisure, as well as school representatives and the Chief Executive of the PCT, facilities effective communication
across the Authority as well as with key stakeholder groups. Close working and good communication with Highways
Engineers and Development Control and Planning is ensured by their representation on the BSF Estates Strategy
Group.

2.9 MANAGING THE PROCESS:

2.9.1 Leadership: The Council clearly sees BSF as a corporate priority. The Audit Commission’s Corporate
Assessment reported that ‘Leadership within the council is a particular strength’ with Council leader and members
displaying a clear understanding of local and national issues and that it takes its ‘community leadership
responsibilities very seriously’. There are few areas of activity which the Council does not enter into without
deploying practical partnership arrangements, recognising that the severe social problems of the borough can only
be tackled by all agencies working together. The Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Children’s
Services continue to play a ‘hands on’ leadership role in the development of the BSF programme. The Executive
Board (our Cabinet) receive regular updates on the progress of BSF developments as well as participating in a
number of workshops for Executive and Opposition Shadow Executive Board Members. This Strategy for Change
th
Part 2 was approved by Executive Board on 18 October 2007.

2.9.1.1 The Project Owner is the Deputy Chief Executive who has worked closely with the BSF Shadow Project
Board, Director of Children’s Services and Interim BSF Project Director to ensure that the programme has had
sufficient development resources in place to date. He will continue to play a key role in ensuing cross-functional and
department support as well as securing a properly resourced team and finance to fund human resource
requirements. As Deputy Chief Executive the project owner is in a strong position to promote the project to elected
members, obtaining Executive Board approval for key milestones in the process, as well as other stakeholders and
external bodies. He chairs relevant partnership forums such as the 13-19 Forum and plays a leadership role within
the LSP and Children and Young People’s Partnership. He also has experience as a member of the East
Lancashire LIFT partnership throughout all of its development/procurement phases.
The Project Board is accountable to the Executive Member for Children’s Services, and through this position to the
Executive Board for all of its key decisions for BSF. The BSF programme is subject to scrutiny by the Children’s
Services Scrutiny Committee.

2.9.2 Project Board: A BSF Shadow Project Board was established in June 2006 and formally constituted in
January 2007. In line with good practice guidelines produced by 4Ps, members are drawn from a range of senior
corporate officers, the Project Director, Project Owner (Chair) and Governor and Headteacher Representatives.
Officers on the Board include; Director of Finance, Director of Legal Services, Director of Programmes and
Governance, Assistant Director Children’s Services and Director of Culture Sport and Leisure. Terms of reference
for the Board reflect its long term role of making recommendations to the Council’s Executive Board for approval,
ratifying decisions made by the Project Team, monitoring progress and risks and taking actions to mitigate them.
The Board currently meets monthly and receives detailed ‘check point’ and budget reports as well as considering
the risk register and reviewing communication plans.

2.9.3 Project Director: A Project Director, with a background in education and community regeneration
programme management, has been in post full time since June 2006. The Project Director reports to the Deputy
Chief Executive and Strategic Director of Children’s Services.

2.9.4 Leader of Learning Transformation: A Leader of Learning Transformation (LLT) has been appointed
to the Project Team to develop and co-ordinate the implementation of the change management programme within
our BSF schools. This is a key post within the team and will ensure that the programme continues to remain focused
on delivering improved outcomes for children and their families and does not become a mere buildings programme.
The LLT will support individual school change teams and the collaborative of schools, the Education Improvement
Partnership, to identify and learn from innovative practice, develop robust and innovative School Strategies for
Change and change resource plans to ensure successful transformation. In addition the LLT will work with learning
networks to continue to develop and implement sector wide change plans around areas such as assessment for
learning, behaviour improvement and curriculum innovation. The LTT will also support school design teams to
develop their capacity to engage effectively with bidders through the procurement phase and thereafter with the
LEP.

2.9.5 Project Team: The Core Project Team has been established and comprises the Project Director,
Project Manager, a Leader of Learning Transformation, Project Officer Communication and Engagement, Project
Accountant, a Project Administrator and Clerical Staff. Dedicated accommodation has been identified for the Project
Team so that they can operate effectively. In addition, named colleagues from the authority’s School Improvement
Team, Curriculum Support and Extending Schools Service, Children’s Workforce Development, Performance and
Planning, e-Learning Team, Property Services, Strategic Resources and Legal Department are part of the wider
BSF Project Team. The BSF Project Budget supports core project team salary costs, the secondment of some
officers together with backfill arrangements where appropriate.

2.9.6 Expert Advice: The authority has procured advisers through the PfS framework including Grant
Thornton as Finance Advisers to the programme and Beechcrofts as Legal Advisers. Using the BECTA framework
Tribal Consulting has been appointed to provide ICT advice. Capita Symonds already act as technical advisers to
the authority through an existing strategic partnership arrangements and will continue to support the programme
through to the submission of Outline Business Case. Tribal Consulting and Capita Strategic Children’s Services
have also been engaged to provide specific support around the development of School Strategy for Change
documents and the option appraisal for the Trust Status for Blakewater College. The authority is committed to
securing external expert advice to the project when appropriate and have allocated a large proportion of the project
budget to support these costs.

2.9.7 Project Management: Prince 2 methodology has been adopted by the BSF Project Team to support
the robust project management of the programme. The Authority has recently established a Corporate Programmes
and Governance Directorate that will further support the team in the development and monitoring of project
management arrangements including planning, monitoring, risk management and governance. The Director of the
new directorate sits on the Project Board.

2.9.8 Risk Management Strategy: A Risk Management Strategy has been developed and documented for
the BSF programme. The strategy builds on the Corporate Risk Management Strategy which attached a high priority
to early risk identification, categorisation, scoring, ownership and identification and monitoring of actions to mitigate
risk. The Project Manager is responsible for the management and maintenance of the risk register. The Project
Team reviews the risk register on a weekly basis. All strategy and working groups include risk log and risk register
as a standard agenda item. The BSF Project Board reviews high level risks on a monthly basis. High level strategic
risks are also transferred on to the Corporate Risk Register and are subject to monthly review by the Chief Officer
Steering Group.

2.9.9 Project Budget: The Authority, together with its partner schools, has committed a dedicated budget of
£2.25 million to support the development and implementation of the project. In addition the authority has secured
£100K PfS Project Funding to ensure robust Project Management arrangements are in place. This does not currently
include the set up costs of the LEP. The Authority has given its commitment to ensuring adequate resource to the
project and through the BSF Project Board continues to review the budget allocation on a quarterly basis.

2.9.10 Gateway Reviews: The Authority participated in a voluntary Gateway Zero review in February 2007.
The Gateway Report was welcomed by the Authority and the recommendations have all subsequently been
implemented. The Authority is committed to participation in both future mandatory and voluntary Gateway Reviews.

2.9.11 Design Quality: We are working closely with the Commission for Architecture and Built Environment
(CABE) Enabler appointed to the project to ensure that design excellence remains at the heart of our
transformational aspirations. The CABE Enable is supporting the authority and in particular its schools to develop a
firm understanding and appreciation of design quality within the schools sector. The recently retired Chief Executive
for the Borough has been appointed as Design Champion to the project and will work with both the Board and
Schools. Interviews for the appointment of a Client Design Adviser to the project are planned for October 07. To
date highly experienced architects from within the Project’s Technical Advisers have been undertaking the role of
Design Advisers to the project.

2.9.12 Support for Schools: All of our secondary schools, including those that will fall outside of the BSF
capital programme as a result of being recent new build schools or already planned for transformation under the
Academies programme, have shown a significant commitment to the BSF programme and have established
Transformation Change Teams. External Advisors have been appointed to support schools in developing their
individual School Strategy for Change plans and this work will continue to be supported by the BSF Leader of
Learning Transformation. External Advisers have also been supporting schools to develop the ICT element of their
change plans.

2.9.13 The LA support schools to develop their School Strategy for Change documents through weekly meetings
for School Transformation Project Managers. In addition the LA is working with schools to develop a programme of
development and support that meets the needs of all schools. Support includes:

 regular BSF meetings with all schools to share progress, good practice, promote collaborative
learning and resolve issues
 project management support for School Transformation Project Managers - likely to include
support for project managing process, places and people
 Individual support for school leadership teams to ensure innovation and transformation are
embedded in school development plans
 Training and development opportunities to ensure schools develop their capacity re: change
management

2.9.14 The Authority continues to work with the Education Improvement Partnership, as the collaborative
forum of secondary schools to identify priority themes for developing within the BSF programme. This
support has included providing school leaders and members of school transformation teams with
opportunities to visit transformed schools throughout the UK and beyond.
2.9.15 Specific and targeted support packages are under development for those schools subject to closure
proposals. The Authority’s School Improvement Service leads on this work supported by the BSF Leader of
Learning Transformation. A Standing Committee of Headteachers, Governors and LA Officers is soon to be
established to oversee the development of an effective transitional action plan that will ensure that pupils, families
and staff within schools proposed to close are impacted as little as possible through the difficult transition phase. All
schools have committed to a set of principles that will ensure that all staff within schools identified for closure are
redeployed wherever possible.

2.9.16 The LA will work with schools and key stakeholders to support the effective implementation of their
School Strategy for Change as we move forward, which will dovetail into the Local authorities overall Strategy for
Change. The Workforce Development team will provide additional targeted support in workforce profiling and
planning, knowledge and skills analysis, developing effective mechanisms to support the effective recruitment and
retention of staff during a period of significant change, and attract and retain new key workers into the workforce to
deliver for example the revised 14-19 curriculum, personalised learning, extended services underpinned by every
child matters agenda.