Build Schools for the Future has a major design support partnership

Partnerships for Schools (PfS) and the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) today announced that the two organisations will be working more closely in the future to ensure that all new schools benefit from high-quality design.

Responsibility for managing the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) contract with CABE has transferred from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to PfS, the government's delivery agency for BSF.

Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is the largest single schools capital investment programme for over 50 years. BSF will provide world-class teaching and learning environments for all pupils, teachers and communities in England.

CABE currently provides free support and guidance to all local authorities to help them achieve consistently high design quality across all their BSF schools. Currently half of all local authorities are now working on Building Schools for the Future facilities in their constituencies.

Support includes advising on the design aspects of the procurement process; assessing school designs; training school leaders, client design advisors and design champions; and, through its schools design panel, reviewing designs put forward by bidders during the procurement phase of a BSF scheme.

CABE is the government’s advisor on architecture, urban design and public space. As a public body, it encourages policymakers to create places that work for people. It helps local planners apply national design policy and offers expert advice to developers and architects. It shows public sector clients how to commission buildings that meet the needs of their users. And it seeks to inspire the public to demand more from their buildings and spaces. Advising, influencing and inspiring, it works to create well-designed, welcoming places. www.cabe.org.uk

CABE has been contracted since the inception of BSF to provide support on BSF schemes. This is done in four ways:

enabling: a CABE enabler – a built environment professional with schools experience – is assigned to each local authority working on BSF projects when each wave of the BSF programme is launched. CABE enablers provide practical support to local authorities from pre-procurement through to the selection of shortlisted bidders. They advise on project vision, design aspirations, appointment of the project team, achieving value for money through design, and developing briefs. They advise the local authority up until the selection of the preferred bidder for each scheme.
assessing designs: CABE also provides advice through its schools design panel, which began work in July 2007. The panel reviews bidders’ proposals for local authorities’ sample schools during the procurement phase of BSF to assess design quality. The panel’s assessment report helps local authorities to evaluate design quality and informs decisions by the local authority planning committee.
training: CABE also runs training events for BSF client design advisors and design champions, which enable delegates to come together and share knowledge and experience. CABE is also involved in the National College of School Leadership’s BSF leadership programme (now also managed by PfS), which aims to support school leaders in developing their vision for future learning and managing change.
design guidance and research: CABE’s expertise and experience in school design is also disseminated through its publications, for example Creating excellent secondary schools.