Education Executive May 12

MAY 2012 / ISSUE 80

EDUCATION EXECUTIVE MAY 2012 / ISSUE 80

EDUCATION EXECUTIVE supporting business and financial excellence in schools and colleges

EDEXEC LIVE n CLASSROOM FURNITURE n

LONDON 22 JUNE

ENTERPRISE OPPORTUNITIES

HAVE YOU BOOKED? MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE A look into trends and innovations in the classroom furniture market

CONVERT AND DELIVER

Solving the complexities behind converting PFI schools to academies WWW.EDEXEC.CO.UK

LOOK THE BUSINESS

Business and enterprise opportunities for cash-strapped schools

EdExec partners

editor’s letter

EDUCATION EXECUTIVE

MAY 2012

www.edexec.co.uk

Education Executive is the first business management magazine written exclusively for school business managers and bursars, bringing you the latest issues affecting your role, from finance to premises, procurement to HR. EdExec delivers the lowdown on all the hottest topics in education management right here, every month.

EDITOR julia dennison julia.dennison@intelligentmedia.co.uk ASSISTANT EDITOR carrie service carrie.service@intelligentmedia.co.uk REPORTER george carey george.carey@intelligentmedia.co.uk PUBLISHER vicki baloch vicki.baloch@intelligentmedia.co.uk SENIOR SALES EXECUTIVE neil pauksztello neil.pauksztello@intelligentmedia.co.uk SALES EXECUTIVE jonathan love jonathan.love@intelligentmedia.co.uk DIGITAL MANAGER dan price dan.price@intelligentmedia.co.uk DESIGNERS sarah chivers sarah.chivers@intelligentmedia.co.uk peter hope-parry peter.hope-parry@intelligentmedia.co.uk PRODUCTION AND CIRCULATIONS natalia johnston natalia.johnston@intelligentmedia.co.uk

Education Executive is published by intelligent media solutions suite 223, business design centre 52 upper street, london, N1 0QH tel 020 7288 6833 fax 020 7288 6834 email info@intelligentmedia.co.uk web www.intelligentmedia.co.uk Follow Education Executive on Twitter at Twitter.com/edexec Printed in the UK by Buxton Press www.buxtonpress.co.uk

Academies making a difference

I

had the pleasure of visiting the Mossbourne Community Academy a few months after Sir Michael Wilshaw officially stepped down as headteacher and it left me with a feeling of positivity about the academy scheme as we enter the new financial year. This is one dynamite school – sure there are some controversial aspects to how it is run (in a bid to encourage good behaviour, kids aren’t allowed to make physical contact or stop at the shops on the way home), but it gets the results – several of its kids get into Oxbridge every year and 84% of its pupils achieved five good GCSEs including both English and maths last year. It even manages to have a rowing team, pinning its hopes on competing for reputation with the likes of Eton so that being an Old Mossbournian might just hold a similar amount of clout.

When interviewing new head Peter Hughes (see p24), I asked him whether it was his academy status that made all the difference in ensuring that this state school in Hackney was the pinnacle of state school success, and he said not necessarily. It seems, in state education, where there’s a will to be different, there’s a way, whether you’re a small primary school run by the local authority or a large secondary academy, like this one. He urges schools to take every opportunity with two hands and never to underestimate staff or students. If you’re aiming high, you should be aiming higher.

Speaking of which, for all those who aim high, we are a month away from our first ever reader event. EdExec Live is taking place on 22 June and it’s going to be a big one (see p10 for details). If you haven’t booked a place, there may be some left by the time you read this, but they’re going quickly. In the meantime, enjoy what you read and until next month, have a lovely month of May!

EDITOR

Contents 30

rocure

lan

make your school’s budget go further

28 OVERVIEW

Put your feet up A look into trends and innovations in the classroom furniture market

30 LEGAL

Build and deliver?

A look into the future of as the Priority School Building Programme gets postponed

32 ADVICE

Ready yourself What does lifting the cap on pupil numbers mean for your school?

36 ENTERPRISE

Looking the business A look into business and enterprise opportunities available to schools

management

tune up your management skills

38 LEGAL

sector

the lowdown on the business management world

06 SECTOR NEWS

Convert and deliver The ins and outs of convering PFI schools to academies

40 WORK/LIFE

‘Football manager syndrome’ on the up in schools

Break time Put your feet up and take your break right here

10 EVENT PREVIEW

EdExec Live 2012 Your last chance to book tickets

12 DIARY

Making a difference to others Headteacher Derek Lovell on his volunteering experience in Guyana

ICT matters

the latest technological innovations in schools today

42 ICT NEWS

schools in focus

what’s happening at a primary or secondary school near you

14 PRIMARY UPDATE

Is Gove paying enough attention to the primary places crisis?

16 CASE STUDY

A green conscience

Turners Hill Church of England School wins Climate Week Award

20 LEGAL

Small conversions A legal guide for primary schools converting to academies

22 SECONDARY UPDATE

Low morale sets in among secondary school leaders

24 INTERVIEW

Big shoes to fill A visit to Mossbourne Academy to check in with Sir Michael Wilshaw’s successor, Peter Hughes

26 INDEPENDENT UPDATE

Wide variance revealed between academy accounts

Why school ICT should be better than IT at home

46 INTERVIEW

Woman in the know

IT careers expert Elizabeth Sparrow talks ICT changes

50 CASE STUDY

Whiz kids The award-winning RSA Academy shares its ICT secrets

54 ADVICE

Rest secured Keeping your technology under lock and key

58 ANALYSIS

A virtual world An exploration of the virtual classroom trend

60 HELP DESK

Techno Geek

A guest columnist from Future First on reaching out to alums online

Look out for news, products and competitions from our sponsors

06

sector Sector news is brought to you by

Free banking for schools supported by local specialist relationship managers Lloyds TSB Commercial - well educated banking

FUNDING WATCH UNDERFUNDED SCHOOLS POSITIVE ABOUT FUTURE F40, the group campaigning for fairer school funding on behalf of the country’s lowest funded local authorities, came away from a meeting with the secretary of state for education recently feeling more positive about the impending school funding reform.

Before the meeting, the group had suggested that Michael Gove had failed pupils and schools by not acting sooner to introduce a fairer funding allocation system.

But after the 45-minute conference in March, f40 chair, Cllr Ivan Ould said: “We had a positive meeting and came away feeling that there may be scope to improve the position of the lowest funded local authorities in the short-term.”

Earlier this year the secretary of state announced the outcome of a three-month consultation that had sought to find a fairer way of allocating education funding among the country’s 150 education authorities. While accepting the group’s arguments about the inequity of the existing allocation system, Gove did not provide an immediate solution, stating that no funding change would happen until after the next election in 2015.

DIARY 29 May CAPITA’S NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ALTERNATIVE PROVISION IN EDUCATION Manchester CapitaConferences.co.uk

22 June EDEXEC LIVE Business Design Centre, London EdExecLive.co.uk

28 June COMPANY SECRETARIAL COURSE FOR ACADEMIES Bristol vwv.co.uk

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STORY OF THE MONTH ‘FOOTBALL MANAGER SYNDROME’ ESCALATES IN SCHOOLS The number of ASCL members who lost their jobs in the past year for reasons other than misconduct and ill-health stood at 272, up from 163 in 2010, 150 in 2008 and 93 in 2007. This includes 64 heads, 191 deputy and assistant heads and 17 business managers.

In 2011, an additional 80 ASCL members contacted the association about leaving the profession because they said they felt demoralised and unhappy with the current educational climate, and of these, 32 actually left their jobs.

The Association of School and College Leaders says the sackings are due to more pressure from local authorities, academy chains and central government to raise exam results and less time to turn around underperforming schools, as well as restructuring due to schools federating or becoming academies.

General secretary Brian Lightman commented: “We are not talking about ‘incompetent’ heads or those fired for misconduct. In the vast majority of cases these are good school leaders who find themselves in difficult schools facing near impossible demands and timescales for improvement. It is perfectly possible to turn around underperforming schools but this does not happen overnight and too often the powers that be have unrealistic expectations about what can be achieved in a short space of time.”

One typical case he cited was a head whose leadership had been judged ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted in her previous inspection and her school was in the top 500 most improved schools.

However, when she moved to a new academy and it went into special measures soon after she arrived, she was told she had to go.

“The football manager mentality is yet another factor discouraging good people from taking on headships, especially in schools in challenging circumstances,” Lightman added. “The difference between football clubs and schools is that school leaders don’t get massive contracts and huge payouts, and once they lose their job too often their career in schools is over.”

The prospect of no-notice inspections weighed heavily on many headteacher’s minds at the recent ASCL conference, EdExec can report, with grumbles from the audience in reaction to Sir Michael Wilshaw’s determination to go forward with the arrangement.

They said...

Even though there’s lots of talk about budgets being slashed both schools and colleges are still spending money but they are placing more emphasis on buying products that are long-lasting and good quality Lee Wright of office equipment firm Slingsby in response to reduced school budgets

sector NEWS

PICTURE STORY

07

INBRIEF STRESS AT SCHOOL MAKING STAFF SICK Four in ten education staff have been to the doctor and a quarter have taken sick leave from work within the current academic year because of the pressure of their job, according to a survey conducted by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers. Doctor visits are highest among support staff (49%), while the proportion of staff taking sick leave is highest among those working in further education (33%).

Staff overwhelmingly felt their job had a negative impact on their health and well-being (73%); professional ability and confidence (64%); and relationships with friends and family (62%). The main contributing factors were their workload (84%), working long hours (69%), the pressure of inspections (47%), and the pressure of observations (40%). Poor pupil behaviour was cited as a major negative factor by those working in academies (47%) and also by support staff (42%). The effects were not just felt by teachers; members of the leadership team felt their job had a negative impact on their health and well-being too (81%).

What we learned this month

Faulty electrical products are putting pupils at risk.

Experts in electricity wiring warn of the hidden dangers lurking in classrooms, having found faulty goods being used by unregulated testers. Robert Kitchener, MD of PAT testing firm Kitchener 2000, said he saw a great number of imported mains leads in schools, which may seem safe to the untrained eye, but in fact are not.

STATS & FACTS

£120

The amount parents could be fined for truant children. Government behaviour specialist Charlie Taylor has proposed that money should be deducted automatically from child benefit if they fail to pay the fee if their children skip school without a valid excuse.

FOOD STANDARDS SLIP WITH ACADEMIES TV chef Jamie Oliver has accused Education Secretary Michael Gove of endangering pupils’ health by not forcing academies to adhere to food and nutrition guidelines. Gove’s argument for academies not having to adhere to the same rules as schools still under local authority control, is that leaders of academies should be trusted to make these sorts of decisions. Oliver, who has campaigned to raise school food standards, told the Observer Food Monthly that Gove is “playing with fire” by allowing academies to have complete control over what they feed children. He continued: “This mantra that we are not going to tell [academy] schools what to do just isn’t good enough in the midst of the biggest obesity epidemic ever.

The public health of five million children should not be left to luck or chance.” The chef added, however, that he had nothing against Gove personally: “He is a charming and energetic man. But the health of millions of children could be affected.”

www.lloydstsb.com/schoolsbanking | 0800 681 6078 www.edexec.co.uk

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Photo: Scandic Hotel on Flickr

Sir Chris Hoy and Jonathan Edwards at Southfields Community College during Lloyds TSB’s National School Sport Week last year. This year’s event will take place 25-29 June. The bank is also giving 10 schools the chance to be torchbearers at the London 2012 Olympics torch relay

08

sector VENDOR PROFILE

HCSS Education has made a household name for itself as marketleading consultancy firm and producer of financial planning software for schools, but arguably, the ultimate proof of the company’s success is in its partnerships with public sector organisations, including the Department for Education. MD HOWARD JACKSON demonstrates to JULIA DENNISON how expertise from private enterprise is doing the education sector a world of good

Right on the money W

hen Michael Gove scrapped the Financial Management Standard in Schools in November 2010, many readers of Education Executive magazine were left scratching their heads. While some were relieved to see the back of the bureaucracy associated with the assessment, others worried about what its abolishment would mean for the future of financial management in schools, particularly with the coalition government’s move towards increased autonomy in education. Then, from September last year, came a replacement for the FMSiS in the shape of the Schools Financial Value Standard.

Primarily aimed at governors, who have formal responsibility for the financial management of their schools, the SFVS is intended to assist schools to manage their finances and give them assurance that they have secure fiscal management in place. All maintained schools are now required to complete the SFVS once a year, with the first run-through required by March next year. Though it will not be externally assessed like FMSiS, it brings with it an expectation of capability that hangs forebodingly over the heads of school business managers. It’s now very much their

may 2012

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sector VENDOR PROFILE

job to get things right – and, particularly if they are an academy, failing to meet financial expectations could sound a school’s death knell. Good thing they are not alone.

SUPPORT FOR SCHOOLS To ensure schools complete the standard correctly, the Department for Education has reached out to experts in the private sector for support. HCSS Education, a leading financial planning consultancy and software firm for schools, was able to produce a self evaluation tool for the SFVS hosted online to ensure schools know what they’re doing when they evaluate themselves.

However helpful, a free tool may not do enough for schools concerned about their finances –particularly academies. That’s where HCSS can fill in the gaps. The consultancy services and financial planning software packages (see box out) provided by the company were created with schools in mind. The partnership with the DfE speaks volumes of HCSS’s expertise, but so does the fact that leading companies in the education sector, such as Capita, RM Education, PS Financials and Corero, have links with the company’s financial software offerings.

Ex-school business manager and local authority employee, Howard Jackson started HCSS in 2003. As MD he wants to make sure schools know where to turn when they need financial assistance. A direct result of his dedication, HCSS’s financial planning software (FPS) is currently being used by over 4,000 schools.

We have got our absolute heart and soul in education, and I think that comes across in what we do

ACADEMIC PROPORTIONS Jackson was quick to respond to the original shift towards the academy movement and believes that with the current standard of professional high calibre business managers, academies are now better placed than ever before to oversee their own finance and administration. But with autonomy comes accountability. With this in mind, HCSS got to work right away, producing the market leading financial planning software aimed solely at academies, called FPS. “That was quite a gamble on the basis that there may not have been many,” he remembers of the software’s beginnings. “We took the decision that [the academy scheme] had great potential and invested a lot of time and effort into producing software that would suit academies – so a different financial year and different requirements in terms of reports.”

When the coalition government came in and turned the academy scheme on its head to include outstanding schools, the investment paid off and the software surged in popularity, with 460 academies currently using it. In response to demand, a web version of the academies software, FPSWeb, is due to be launched in September, which will enable business managers to oversee multiple budgets – great for clusters or trusts.

SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE HCSS Education offers two main software packages for schools: n FPS is a five-year budget planning tool for schools, which includes the ability to factor in the costs of your school development plan. n FPSacademy.Net is the market leading financial planning software available for academies in the UK.

and may need significant support. With the right support, I don’t believe an accountancy qualification is necessary for a business manager in an academy. Schools have had to deal with change as a constant, and in the main are adept at adjusting and adapting. The academy approach has been a significant such change, and has been successfully adopted by a large number of our clients.”

However, there is no denying that finance and accounting requirements in academies can be more complex than schools, which is where partnering with a firm like HCSS could help – as long as the business manager is ready to work hard. “With the right calibre of person, they can do a very successful job and maybe buy in the support in the key areas they need them,” Jackson explains. “With the right leadership team in an academy, it can make a tremendous success of it – but with the wrong leadership team in an academy it can make a right mess of it. It’s not about the academy status and the process and the system, it’s about the people in there who are delivering it. There is a greater potential for things to go wrong, but at the same time, there is also a greater potential if the head and the leadership team have got a vision and now have the autonomy to deliver the vision.”

Jackson is a firm believer in the benefit private companies can bring to the public sector. However, he is quick to emphasise that not all firms are the same and that some are out to make a “quick buck” from the government’s recent education initiatives. He also warns schools not to dismiss the local authorities’ services, and that even as an advocate of the academy system and MD of a private company, as an ex-LA man himself, he is well aware of their benefit: “I’m not anti-local authority at all; I think working in partnership with them is a perfect scenario if we can help schools achieve the best results possible.” He also speaks proudly of HCSS’s pedigree in education: “We have got our absolute heart and soul in education, and I think that comes across in what we do.” This means he genuinely cares about the outcome, which he feels is very much about ensuring that when all is said and done, kids get the best deal possible.

Howard Jackson will be speaking at EdExec Live in London on 22 June on the six steps to better strategic planning and financial management in schools; how marrying up your school development plan with your financial strategy will help and why he believes that “if you can afford your vision for your school, you haven’t got a vision”. He will also be on hand to answer any of your questions on the SFVS. For more information or tickets to EdExec Live, visit http://edexeclive.co.uk.

ANY QUALIFIED PROVIDER? There has been a recent debate, in this magazine and in the sector at large, as to whether finance directors in academies need accountancy qualifications. Gove has said no – but due to the intricacy of academy finances, some experts have argued in favour of accreditation. Many of our readers are school business managers with much experience to bring to academies, but not all are qualified accountants.

Though an accountant himself, Jackson doesn’t believe qualifications count for everything. “My view has always been that it’s the quality of the person that’s more important than the qualification,” he says. “I go into some large academies that have chartered accountants and even they can struggle with the uniqueness of education finance

CONTACT DETAILS HCSS Education hcsseducation.co.uk 01625 578162 michelle.livingstone@hcsseducation.co.uk

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09

10

sector EVENT PREVIEW

THIS IS YOUR LAST CALL...

We are pleased to announce some stellar people who will be speaking at our reader conference on 22 June. Places are running out, so if you haven’t booked already, it’s now or never

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11

We’re one month away from our first ever reader event here at EdExec magazine, and the butterflies are well and truly in the tummies. Partly from nerves (we have high hopes for the one-day show) but also from excitement – we’re thrilled to be able to reveal some top speakers for the event taking place on 22 June at London’s Business Design Centre.

It’s a good deal too. At just £84.99, it’s significantly cheaper than most other industry events.

Many of you have already secured your places, which means, we’re down to our last few. So if you haven’t visited edexeclive.eventbrite.co.uk to book your place, now is the time, or simply tear off the registration form attached here and fax it back.

A DIFFERENT DAY OUT EdExec Live is intended to be a live and interactive version of this here magazine, so if you like what you read, you’ll like what you see.

Here’s a schedule of events for the day:

KEYNOTE • •

CLINICS Half-hour workshops on single topics •

• •

•

From 8.30am Registration and coffee

•

Welcome and introduction to the day

•

9.00 9.15

Keynote speaker – Lizzie Sharples, head of the Department for Education’s Funding Policy Unit

The Department for Education’s Lizzie Sharples, who leads within the Funding Policy Unit on school efficiency.

A lunchtime lecture from sector expert Stephen Morales, business director at Watford Grammar School for Girls.

Ian Buss, head of education for Lloyds TSB Commercial ­– The school banking and finance expert will bring a team to present a not-to-be missed series of clinics on financial issues in schools, including the risks and benefits of going cashless.

Stuart Hughes, head of education for Investec Education Leasing – His team will present a guide to safe equipment leasing.

Veale Wasbrough Vizards (VWV) – Expert education lawyers will be on hand throughout the day to offer advice and guidance on current legal issues facing school business managers. They will also be running a series of short clinics on various topics offering practical tips and advice in plain English.

Trevor Summerson, head of school business management programmes and efficiency, National College for School Leadership – A run-through of the current qualifications available for school business managers, and ways you can develop your career.

Ben Cooper, director of software and financial management consultants Recenseo – Presenting on how to make the most of your MIS. Valerie Thompson, chief executive of the e-Learning Foundation – On the pros and cons of of bringing your own device (BYOD).

10.00

SEMINARS Hour-long interactive sessions

Seminar for group A/clinics for group B

•

Coffee break, exhibition and demo hubs

•

11.00 11.30

Seminar for group A/clinics for group B

12.30

•

Lunch and lunchtime speaker

13.30

Howard Jackson, MD of education finance specialists HCSS – Six steps to better strategic planning and financial management in schools.

Val Andrew, business management specialist, the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) – Val Andrew will be presenting an interactive seminar on the changing face of the school business manager.

Miles Berry, senior lecturer in ICT education at Roehampton University and Naace vice chair – A run-down of the latest trends and innovations in educational ICT. Alex Shapland-Howes, MD of Future First – On how state schools can build alumni networks.

Eric Willis, grants expert – How to find cash in unexpected places.

Clinics for group A/seminar for group B

•

Coffee break, exhibition and demo hubs

•

Clinics for group A/seminar for group B

16.00

DEMO HUB This area will be dedicated to the latest technology demonstrations

Coffee break, exhibition and demo hubs

•

14.30 15.00

16.30

Closing remarks

5pm onwards

Cocktail networking reception

Abbott Katz, education consultant and Excel expert – A workshop on Excel with particular reference to pivot tables, something that affords the business manager or bursar a most potent tool for aggregating information and data patterns that might otherwise remain obscure, adding value to the analysis of institutional financial activity.

GUESS WHO’S GOING TO BE THERE…

A CHANCE TO MEET THE TEAM

EdExec can now confirm a fantastic line up of experts to speak at our live event, including: the Department for Education’s Lizzie Sharples, Ian Buss, head of education for Lloyds TSB Commercial; Val Andrew, business management specialist from the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL); Miles Berry, senior lecturer in ICT education at Roehampton University and Naace vice chair; Stuart Hughes, head of education for Investec Education Leasing and many more.

If you need any more convincing to book your ticket, below is a list of confirmed speakers for the 22 June event. This list is growing every day, so keep checking edexeclive.co.uk every day for more information.

At Education Executive magazine, nothing is more important to us than our readers and we are very much looking forward to EdExec Live as an opportunity to meet and speak to all of you, hear your thoughts and concerns and any feedback on how we can make your magazine better.

Our editorial team, including our editor Julia Dennison, will be on hand to take your queries.

A GOOD DEAL All this can be yours for the affordable price of £84.99 (discounts available for group bookings). Check out edexeclive.co.uk for daily deals and promotions, including a package with overnight accommodation at the Hilton London Islington for anyone who wants to make a weekend of it.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, get in touch on editor@edexec.co. uk. We look forward to seeing you there! Ticket sales close on 28 May 2012 – so act now and book your place.

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sector VOLUNTEERING ABROAD

DIARY

An international education LOOKING TO DO A GOOD DEED? RETIRED HEADTEACHER DEREK LOVELL (PICTURED) TELLS WHY VOLUNTEERING IN GUYANA CHANGED HIS LIFE

I

t was the Millennium Goals that decided it for me. I was a primary headteacher and I took many assemblies. Back in 2006 I did one on the goals and the target to have all primary-aged children in school by 2015 seemed to be a worthwhile aim. At that time 112 million children worldwide had no opportunity to attend school.

I finished my career in teaching two years ago and applied for an educational post with the international development charity, VSO. I had been with them before – in 1967 I left school and became a volunteer teacher at a secondary school in Senegal, western Africa.

This time, my wife Trudy and I both became volunteers for the charity I believe is the most prestigious volunteering organisation in the world.

VSO has been able to make a real difference to the lives of the poorest and most disadvantaged people in 37 countries.

They do this by sending professionals from the education, healthcare, IT, business and management sectors, as well as many more, to share their expertise and highly valuable skills. Together they build the knowledge, capacity and confidence of local colleagues and give them the tools to help themselves out of poverty.

So, in 2007 we completed an application form, went through a rigorous interview and assessment process, then attended two weeks of training sessions. Getting the right placement is critically important and VSO will carefully match your professional and personal skills to the most appropriate position.

We were placed in Guyana, South America, in a small mining town called Bartica – some 60 miles down the Essequibo River at the gateway to the most pristine and unexplored rainforest on the planet. We worked here for two years supporting the 33 primary and secondary schools in the region, which is roughly the size of south west England.

Trudy supported early years learning and literacy teaching and ran the Bartica Learning Resources Centre. I worked with headteachers developing their school improvement plans and helping them secure a World Bank grant of £3,000 to improve their facilities. We were also both involved in running a literacy training programme for teachers.

The work was rewarding, sometimes frustrating and at other times totally exhilarating. We had to circumvent a creaking bureaucratic system that held up projects, deflected accountability and had little money for transport (an important limiting factor in a region where boat and plane travel is vital for getting around). We worked in schools that sometimes did not have enough teachers (let alone qualified ones), were packed with children, had few resources and were very remote.

Yet it was the best of times for us. We worked with inspiring people – our friends and work colleagues in Bartica and our VSO colleagues (who were Dutch, Australian, Filipinos, Kenyan and Canadian). Some were retired, while others were taking a career break. So there was a great mix of people to work and socialise with – all at different stages in their careers, from different backgrounds and countries, yet all working together and sharing skills to make a contribution in helping to fight poverty.

We also worked with lovely, enthusiastic children who live in the most beautiful riverside and remote rainforest villages and we travelled around these wonderful areas – enjoying life in a tropical climate.

We definitely think we left some lasting outcomes that improved the quality of teaching, although it is far too soon to evaluate the impact. Nevertheless we followed the maxim of the Scottish novelist Alasdair Gray: ‘Work as if you are in the early days of a better nation.’

The work was rewarding, sometimes frustrating and at other times totally exhilarating. Yet it was the best of times for us

VSO needs educationalists to volunteer. For more information, visit www.vso.org.uk/volunteer/.

While VSO no longer operates in Guyana, it currently has volunteering programmes in 37 countries.

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schools in focus

14

PRIMARY UPDATE

RUGBY

What’s going on in the world of primary school and nursery management DORSET

IN BRIEF

Jubilee kite day is soaring high Hundreds of thousands of primary schoolchildren are set to make and fly kites on national Jubilee Kite Day (Friday, 1 June), in celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Karen Gamble, founder of Kites for Schools, the minds behind the national kite day, said: “Demand for workshop kites has been incredible. We were asked by lots of schools in the last few months if we could produce a special kite kit for the Diamond Jubilee. We have been overwhelmed with the staggering response for our Union Jack kite kit. We are also working with other kite workshop makers and have set up an independent website listing kite makers across the UK who can assist schools with materials for kite making and suggestions for kite making activities.”

Twigg accuses Gove of ignoring primary crisis Shadow Education Secretary Stephen Twigg has hit out at the Government for not committing enough money to creating more primary school places. By 2020, the number of required places is projected to be 20% higher than in 2011, reaching levels last seen in the early 1970s. Pupil numbers in state primary schools are expected to increase by 10% by 2015.

Twigg has accused the Government of “salami slicing off” funds for “pet projects” and not addressing the issue at hand. He told the BBC: “Across England we need nearly half a million more primary places – the equivalent of building an extra 2,000 primary schools between now and the general election. At the moment, the Government has only

promised an extra 100 new free schools, many of which will be secondaries.

He said the Government seemed oblivious to the problem: “If we are to improve the number and quality of our primary schools, the Government needs to start rolling up its sleeves.”

Michael Gove has hit back by accusing Labour of ignoring the problem when in power. He said: “When we said there was a problem, they dismissed our calls as ‘nonsense’. By contrast, we have more than doubled funding for extra places to give local authorities the resources they need. Instead of shirking responsibility, Stephen Twigg should admit his party’s mistakes and back this Government’s actions.”

Videowokart/Shutterstock.com

PICTURE STORY

STATS & FACTS

61

The number of outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness associated with farm trips between 1992 and 2011. During this petting farm season, the Health Protection Agency is reminding schools to enjoy their farm visits safely by ensuring good hand hygiene after touching farm animals or their surroundings.

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Ninety Year 4 pupils from Hamworthy Middle School in Dorset helped stationery firm Pukka Pads create its new range of activity books. The company ran a workshop with the school, working on the logo design, product ideas and characters for the colouring books

schools in focus PRIMARY NEWS

DESIGN COUNCIL ENDORSES ‘OFFTHE-SHELF’ SCHOOL

GRANT WATCH

OAKFIELD PRIMARY, Rugby

The Design Council is backing the UK’s first flat-packed school. It is hoped this will open up the debate into the benefits and possibilities of delivering standardised designs, in line with the Government’s efficiency drive to cut the cost of school building schemes.

To date, there has been much debate about the pros and cons of such an approach. Supporters believe standardisation offers certainty in costs and delivery timescales. Others argue that it may not meet the needs of an end-user, as the lack of a bespoke, individual design is less likely to meet a particular context or brief.

Alan Thompson, a senior advisor, said: “Providing the client and design team continue to develop their models further, we believe this could be a successful way to build new schools, specifically where both the site and client brief are at the less demanding end of the spectrum.”

The news comes just weeks after Warwickshire County Council purchased the £2.2m Keynes model and construction of the first standardised school in the UK got underway at Oakfield Primary in Rugby.

Local authority builders, Scape believes standardisation is the way forward, as CEO Mark Robinson explained: “According to the National Audit Office and Construction Excellence, over 50% of public buildings are delivered late and cost more than first thought.

“Time and cost certainty are critical factors for local authorities to consider, particularly as demand in many parts of the UK is outstripping supply. A surge in birth rates over recent years means that pupil numbers in many existing school buildings is nearing capacity.

“There is a real need to meet the challenge set out by Government to deliver education facilities in a different way,” he added.

COMPETE TO WIN A £10,000 ECO-GARDEN

British pupils under the age of 11 can design a Little Litterbug to compete to win their school an eco-garden worth up to £10,000.

Pupils can take part by drawing, colouring or painting a Little Litterbug – a creature or a machine that can recycle their classroom’s waste and turn it back into something useful for their school.

The competition, run by Viking for Schools and the Support Your School recycling scheme, encourages pupils to think about the environment and the impact their rubbish has on the eco-system.

Deadline: Friday, 20 July 2012 To enter: visit vikingschoolscompetition.co.uk

‘READ TO ACHIEVE’ CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TO IMPROVE LITERACY A ‘Read to Achieve’ campaign has been launched to improve reading and comprehension standards throughout UK schools.

The initiative is set to transform learning, particularly for pupils who struggle with reading, by directly supporting literacy programmes in UK schools through the provision of an online reading support software designed to develop oral reading fluency and comprehension for emerging and struggling readers.

Last year 100,000 pupils did not achieve the expected literacy levels by the end of primary school and the latest league tables reveal 1,310 primary schools in England fell below the expected standards.

Initially working in collaboration with primary schools throughout London and Birmingham, campaign leaders Texthelp Systems will be introducing pupils to the software as an integral part of each school’s literacy programme.

“Being able to read and write fluently is crucial to a child’s success throughout their education, career and daily life,” commented Mark McCusker, CEO of Texthelp Systems. “The Read to Achieve campaign has been implemented to drive improvement in reading, fluency and comprehension in UK schools, helping pupils regardless of their ability, to embrace literacy and benefit from the rewards it will bring them today and in later life.”

The software will initially be offered to selected primary schools throughout England from 1 June to 30 May 2013.

DIARY 25 May

CAPITA’S NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PRIMARY ACADEMIES Central London CapitaConferences.co.uk

3 July

EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE: PREPARING FOR SEPTEMBER Westminster Westminster-briefing.com

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schools in focus CASE STUDY

may 2012

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schools in focus CASE STUDY

F R O M S M A L L A C O R N S Turners Hill in West Sussex is one of the country’s leading eco-schools, recently winning Best Educational Initiative in the Climate Week Awards. JULIA DENNISON speaks to headteacher OLLIE BURCOMBE to find out what the school is doing to better help the environment

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urners Hill School in Crawley, West Sussex has always been recognised locally for being at the forefront of environmental initiatives.

Recently however, it has been acknowledged on a national level, taking home a slew of awards, including, most recently, the Climate Week Award for Best Educational Initiative. This is no small feat for a rural primary school of 120 children. Climate Week is Britain’s biggest climate change campaign, inspiring a new wave of action to create a more sustainable future. Culminating in a week of activities in March, it showcases practical solutions from every sector of society – from individuals, to businesses, communities and, in this case, schools. This year’s judges included activist Bianca Jagger, the Bishop of London Richard Chartres, the Prince of Wales’ environmental advisor Tony Juniper and the Government’s chief climate scientist, Sir Robert Watson.

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schools in focus CASE STUDY

A CUT ABOVE THE REST Turners Hill School beat off competition from three other finalists in the Best Education category of the Climate Week Awards as an inspiration for how schools can improve their environmental impact. The West Sussex primary school has installed solar panels, wind turbines, air-to-air heat pumps and lighting controlled by motion sensors in a bid to lessen its carbon footprint. It also recycles and composts some of its waste, keeps a wormery and produces vegetables and eggs, which are used in the school. Each class has its own special responsibility for the environment, from collecting litter to looking after composting, or caring for the chickens.

Turners’s latest project is a rainwater recycling system, which collects water to flush the school’s toilets. To raise money for the project, which cost the school around £20,000, the children set up a business to recycle and sell second-hand goods and local businesses made donations. Once the system is in operation, pupils will be able to monitor how much water has been saved via displays mounted throughout the school.

Darren Towers, head of sustainability and environmental leadership at EDF Energy, which sponsored the Best Educational Initiative category of the Climate Week Award, called Turners Hill a great example of a community organisation focused on sustainability, working together to reduce its impact on the environment. “A combination of environmental technology and projects undertaken by pupils has resulted in a school that walks the talk of being green,” he commented. “The school is a deserved winner of a Climate Week Award and an inspiration to us all.”

Headteacher Ollie Burcombe was honoured to be recognised for all the hard work the school has put in. “The school has been involved in environmental work for the last 20 years, so it’s been very much part of the culture for a significant period of time,” he says. This love of nature started with trips to a local dairy farm two decades ago, which inspired the school to incorporate environmental education into the curriculum. Out of this came a series of initiatives, including a vegetable garden and outdoor classroom, which in time inspired the other projects.

Hopefully the government will listen to the things that we’re doing and see that we have difficulties with funding and would like to support other schools doing what we do

THE CLIMATE WEEK CHALLENGE Schools across the country took part in the Climate Week Challenge on 12 March as part of the UK’s biggest environmental competition. All over the country, pupils put their creativity to use finding ways to help save the planet from climate change. Some examples of initiatives at schools included: n

Lees Primary School, Keighley – Five pupils attempted to create bicycle-powered energy by attaching lights by wire to bicycles in the school’s shed.

n

St Andrew’s School, Wirral – The pupils installed a ‘CentiPedal’ at a small, local and under-used theme park in New Brighton near where people queue for rides. The eight-seater bike creates energy for the rides and allows people who are producing energy to have a discounted rate to the theme park.

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Putteridge High School, Luton – Students created energy from recycled materials and a battery pack.

Called ‘Recos’, these packs are charged by kinetic energy from the wheels of a skate. It can then be removed from the skate and plugged into any electronic device, including all types of mobile phones, MP3s and handheld game consoles.

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North Downs Primary School, Betchworth – The pupils created ‘Water Pebbles’, a device based on the traffic light system of green, amber and red lights to help people save water when taking a shower. A green light means carry on showering, an orange light warns that you should start rinsing off the soap and a red light means that you should be finishing your shower.

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Douglas Bader, Norwich – Pupils created a working monument based on the Olympic rings with each carrying a particular ‘green’ function. The rings would be erected in an unused space at the front of the school as a visual, informative and functional green model. The blue ring would collect rain water to flush toilets and water plants. The yellow ring would be a composting facility, the black ring would host solar panels and the red ring would be a wind turbine to supply the school with green energy. Finally, the green ring would provide a vegetable plot to encourage the school to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

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Prince Henry’s Grammar School in Otley (winners) – beat over 130,000 people from schools across the country to win the Climate Week Challenge. The pupils came up with the idea for a product called Eco Fridges, which aims to reduce the energy loss that occurs when fridge doors are opened by using hydraulic mechanisms and a curved fridge (akin to an Anderson shelter) that means only small amounts of energy are released as the door is opened. The design also enables the energy generated from opening the doors to be put back into the system, in order to power internal fridge lights.

SAVE MONEY, SAVE THE EARTH Not only are eco add-ons like wind turbines and solar panels good for the environment, they can also be good for the bank balance. “I’ve got a very keen governor who put forward a lot of ideas. He wanted to improve the environment but also thought we could save the school some money as well,” says Burcombe.

The headteacher admits that while the turbines don’t generate a lot of electricity, and therefore money from feeding it back into the national grid (particularly with cuts to the Feed-in Tariffs), they’re good for the kids’ education, as they generate useful data for maths lessons and other subjects across the curriculum.

While grants from Lottery Funding helped pay for the solar panels, Burcombe admits that money has become harder to come by. “It’s becoming less attractive for schools to [be environmentally friendly] in terms of financial incentives, which is a real shame,” he says. He is hopeful that his speaking to Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee when he won the Climate Week Award might help: “Hopefully the Government will listen to the kind of things that we’re doing and the fact that we do have difficulties with funding and we would like to be able to support other schools in doing what we do.”

Turners Hill is already well-versed in supporting others to improve their environmental impact, holding regular evening workshops for local householders, schools and community groups. These presentations have worked, as a few attendees have been inspired to start their own projects to help the earth. With climate change a reality, there is much to take from Turners Hill’s story. It’s certainly the small changes that make the big difference.

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schools in focus CASE STUDY

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schools in focus LEGAL

As primary schools form associations, education lawyers CHLOE BRUNTON and MARTHA BURNIGE of Veale Wasbrough Vizards ask: is academy status the next step?

Taking the plunge

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ollaboration between primary schools is something that the Department for Education is now actively encouraging, although it is something that many schools already do. And forming clusters has proved to be particularly attractive for primary schools wishing to support one another.

The DfE is using its academies programme to promote collaboration and is increasingly encouraging primary schools to work together.

Many primary school clusters are now considering whether conversion to academy status is the natural next step.

WHAT IS A CLUSTER? Clusters are groups of schools that work together by sharing experience, know-how and activities with the aim of increased attainment by pupils in all of the schools.

SOME OF THE BENEFITS Staffing and sharing knowledge Joint staff training is common among clusters. Some clusters may develop a mentoring scheme or allow staff to visit other schools. This is one of the ways in which schools, staff and pupils can all benefit as teachers pick up new ideas and approaches to teaching.

Management Being part of a cluster can also provide invaluable peer support for a school’s senior leadership team, in particular headteachers and school business managers.

A cluster can provide an excellent forum for the exchange of information and ideas and to avoid reinventing the wheel.

Responding to pupil challenges Schools may benefit from sharing their experiences in teaching pupils with special educational needs or who have been identified as gifted and talented. They may share resources for example by sharing the services of a specialist.

Reducing costs Schools in a cluster may decide to jointly procure goods and services such as training. One school in the cluster can procure on behalf of the other schools or alternatively a separate procurement company could be set up to procure on behalf of all of the schools.

HOW CAN PRIMARY CLUSTERS ADOPT ACADEMY STATUS? A cluster of stand-alone academies The schools within some existing clusters have chosen to convert into stand-alone academies but have pledged to continue to collaborate as a cluster of academies.

The benefit of this is that each school retains autonomy and allows the cluster to continue even if some schools within the cluster do not wish to convert.

A cluster of stand-alone academies with an overarching umbrella trust This is a way of formalising a cluster of academies by introducing a separate trust through which the activities of the cluster are managed. If registered as a charity, the trust could be used for joint fundraising.

A multi-academy trust Some clusters of primary schools wishing to convert are choosing to federate under a multi-academy trust. This means that a single company would be responsible for running all of the schools in the cluster.

Next steps Primary schools clusters should consider discussing whether academy status could enhance collaborative working. We advise spending time early on in the process investigating the various models that could be adopted, taking into account schools in the cluster who may not be able or willing to convert and any legal restrictions that may apply.

Veale Wasbrough Vizards provides specialist legal advice to schools nationwide.

If you would like more information in relation to any of the issues raised in this article, please contact Chloe Brunton, associate, on 0117 314 5301 or at cbrunton@ vwv.co.uk. Alternatively, please contact Yvonne Spencer, Partner on 0117 314 5202 or at yspencer@vwv.co.uk.

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schools in focus NORTHUMBERLAND

SECONDARY UPDATE All that is going on in the world of secondary schools and further education

They said...

The Government has said the deregulation of colleges will set them free, but this is not about freedom, it’s about opening up colleges as prey to private equity funds and asset strippers. It’s about the privatisation of our further education system...

When you see that the Barnfield Federation... want to use this model for their schools, the wholesale privatisation of our education system comes another big step closer Jon Richards, Unison national secretary for education and children’s services

may 2012

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GATESHEAD

BRISTOL

Low morale among secondary school leaders More than 60% of secondary school leaders say that government policies are having a detrimental effect on standards of education for young people, according to an ASCL/TES survey of 1,800 secondary school leaders.

As a result, morale among secondary school leaders has reached a new low, with half of heads saying they would not recommend headship to a colleague and three-quarters of deputy and assistant heads saying they are less likely to want to go for headship than they were 12 months ago.

More than half say they are considering leaving the profession and that the Government’s education policies and the barrage of unfounded criticism about standards are the reason.

ASCL general secretary Brian Lightman said: “Our members feel they’re facing an endless barrage of criticism, calling into question their commitment. They feel angry and deeply frustrated, on the verge of being bullied. They are professionals who are absolutely committed but they can only take so much. They want to work

with the Government to continue to improve standards but instead they are being treated as part of the problem. The Government has cherry-picked international statistics, made sweeping generalisations and painted a caricature of schools as failing in order to justify its policy decisions. This must stop.

“The bottom line is that the Government needs school and college leaders on its side if it wants its policies to work and standards to continue to improve. There are a huge number of dedicated and talented school leaders who know what it takes to raise standards because they do it day in and day out.

“If this continues, good school leaders will leave the profession and who will want to take their place, especially in schools in deprived areas which most need strong leadership? Untold damage will be done to our young people’s future education if the toxic rhetoric is allowed to continue. This is not political posturing, it is a message the Government will ignore at its peril.”

PICTURE STORY

Celebrating 150 years of education, Clifton College is set to inspire the next generation of budding engineers and scientists by bringing the 1,000mph Bloodhound SSC, Super Sonic Car, to its Classic Car Wheeze, held at the Bristol-based school on 20 May. From left to right: Jeremy Richards, of main sponsor Jones Lang LaSalle; headmaster Mark Moore; and Tony Parraman, head of sponsor liaison at the Bloodhound Project, who are supported by the science pupils pictured in the background

schools in focus SECONDARY NEWS

Champions back free school swimming in Northumberland ASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL, Northumberland

Olympic champion Duncan Goodhew and GB junior swimmers Jess Thielmann and Phoebe Lenderyou (pictured) joined Ashington schoolchildren to mark the return of the British Gas Pools 4 Schools initiative at Ashington High School.

The scheme brings a portable pool to the area to teach more than 1,000 children to swim for free. This will be the third time the pool has visited the site. The aim of the project is to bring swimming to areas with limited access to swimming facilities.

One in five children in the UK leave primary school unable to swim. This figure rises to four in five in communities with limited pool access. It is hoped the pool at Ashington will help ensure children achieve the national curriculum target of swimming 25m unaided by the time they leave primary school.

Goodhew said it was “scary to think of the number of children in the UK that leave primary school unable to swim”. Thielmann added: “As a swimmer I can’t imagine not having learnt to swim when I was younger. I think that every child should have the opportunity to have swimming lessons.”

The 12m x 6m pool was built by Total Swimming, headed up by Olympic bronze medallist Steve Parry. Speedo One in five children in the UK leave primary school unable to swim UK provided

Sea Squad Learn to Swim equipment and a swimming cap and wet kit bag to encourage them to keep swimming. The water for the project was provided for free by Northumbrian Water.

Liz Armstrong, PE and school sport network manager at Ashington High School, said: “The arrival of the pool at Ashington High School has created a real buzz around the school. The students were very interested to see it being built and are now swimming, playing water polo and learning personal survival skills during PE lessons, at lunchtimes and after school. Many of our students are not strong swimmers and this will give them a very worthwhile opportunity to develop their aquatic skills. We are especially excited that the pool has come back during an Olympic year and will support all the sporting activities we will be doing around London 2012.”

STATS & FACTS

20%

Jess Thielmann, Duncan Goodhew and Phoebe Lenderyou for Pools 4 Schools in Ashington

£18.4m Gateshead BSF school opens HEWORTH GRANGE COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL, Gateshead

The newly refurbished Heworth Grange Comprehensive School in Gateshead has opened.

Capita Symonds designed the £18.4m project, which is part of the South Tyneside and Gateshead BSF programme.

The new school facilities, which have opened to 1,200 pupils, include a new entrance and dining facility; a new science and technology building; a refurbished performing arts, music, media, and post-16 area; and redecorated teaching areas.

The school’s outdated buildings were demolished as part of the project. The new central dining facility creates an entrance and administration area, leading through to a new science and technology building. The new building curves through the existing courtyard, allowing the disparate collection of existing buildings to be linked to create one school.

Extensive new landscaping provides opportunities for outdoor teaching, while the improved street frontage to the school, which includes new external finishes to the majority of the existing elevations (where retained), has an enhanced impact on the local community.

The school is designed to a ‘very good’ BREEAM rating with a range of environmental features including a new bio-mass boiler for the whole school and enhanced insulation ratings to reduce the energy costs.

The final phases of the project – the demolition of the old science and technology building and associated landscape works – will take place over the coming months.

FE WATCH REPORT CALLS FOR FE PROFESSIONALISM The Independent Review Panel has released its interim report outlining how professionalism should be recognised within further education.

The report aims to encourage the Government to “pay greater attention to the particular virtues of further education, its unique place in our national life, and a conception of professionalism which suits a body of staff”.

Unison, representing support staff in further education, welcomed the promise of continued dialogue on professionalism in the sector, signalled by the interim report.

The panel considered evidence that reflected a lack of unity on the way forward for teachers but also took interest in the professionalism of the wider workforce.

Unison believes the interim report throws the gauntlet down to employers to take responsibility for the training and career development of their staff. The report also recommends an enhanced workforce responsibility for the Learning and Skills Improvement Service.

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers fully endorsed the recommendations in the report. General secretary Dr Mary Bousted said: “We are particularly pleased at the proposal to embed 30 hours of continuous professional development – CPD – into government contracts, agree that the training for further education staff must have academic and theoretical rigour “It is good news that the report recognises the difficult conditions under which FE lecturers and trainers work and has taken into account the current challenges facing teachers in sixth form colleges.

“We are pleased to hear today that the Government recognises the excellence of FE in this country. We look forward to contributing to phase two of the review into professionalism to ensure that there is good quality continuous training for further education staff.”

SEND IN YOUR STORIES We are always looking for local school news. If you have a story to share, email editor@edexec.co.uk

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schools in focus INTERVIEW

Doing it for the kids Taking over from Sir Michael Wilshaw is no easy task, but PETER HUGHES has stepped into his shoes as principal of Hackney’s Mossbourne Community Academy with the same passion for seeing all children succeed against all odds. JULIA DENNISON visits him a few months into the post

O

n visiting Mossbourne Community Academy, it’s easy to see why Sir Michael Wilshaw was chosen to become Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools. This school, where he was principal for nine years before leaving for Ofsted, is the pinnacle of outstanding. Despite having an extremely disadvantaged catchment area (with 40% of children on free school meals; 30% on the SEN register; and 38% of children with English as a second language) the school’s recent results are significantly higher than the national average with 84% of its pupils having achieved five good GCSEs, including both English and maths, and several landing places at Oxbridge and other Russell Group universities.

Of course, getting these results means hard work and Sir Michael hit the headlines in 2007 when he controversially banned hugging in a bid to stave off inappropriate contact among pupils. Indeed, Mossbourne is a non-traditional academy with traditional values. Students aren’t allowed to visit the shops after school and uniforms must be meticulously turned out. When I visit, Mossbourne is on its Easter holidays and so seems what I imagine to be abnormally quiet, but I am told by the security guard on duty that the school is surprisingly calm all the time, even when the 1,263 students are there. This is all thanks to a strong ethos of mutual respect between staff and the 11 to 18 pupils.

All staff carry this ethos with them, right from this security guard to the principal, who I am there to visit.

A MAN FOR THE JOB With Sir Michael stepping down from the post of principal to take his role at Ofsted in January, the school had to ensure a suitable successor for his position. When I meet new principal Peter Hughes, he seems calm, collected and confident in his ability to follow in some very big footsteps. He is no stranger to Mossbourne either, having joined the school in 2007 as part of his residency in the Future Leaders programme, a four-year scheme offering an accelerated path to headship for the brightest and best candidates. It is specifically aimed at improving teaching and learning at schools in disadvantaged areas by giving future school leaders the skills and support to lead the most challenging urban schools.

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Hughes quickly rose through the ranks at Mossbourne, becoming assistant principal in 2008 and vice-principal in 2009. In 2010 he was promoted further to associate principal and has now taken the role of Mossbourne’s principal following Sir Michael’s departure. Lucky for the extremely popular Mossbourne, which has 1,500 people on the waiting list for 200 places in Year 7, he does not come in to change the strongly successful ethos of the school, but rather is here to encourage its further growth. When I visit, building works are taking place in the individual departments – each department has its own area – and Hughes speaks of plans to open another Mossbourne Academy in the nearby Victoria Park neighbourhood in response to the unprecedented demand.

He is also changing the admissions system to allow children from all over Hackney to apply for a place by lottery.

DO THE RIGHT THING What contributes to all this success? Hughes and the staff at Mossbourne have hugely high hopes for its students, with an idea that whatever students at private schools can do, these kids of deprived areas can do too – right down to extracurricular activities like rowing (the school has a link-up with nearby Lee Valley Rowing Club and one Mossbourne pupil went on to be a successful rowing team member at Cambridge). “The aim is, students in the state sector should be given access to as many opportunities as possible and that’s always at

schools in focus INTERVIEW

Students in the state sector should be given access to as many opportunities as possible and that’s always at the forefront of my mind otherwise come the way of Hackney’s underprivileged. Looking out for opportunities that don’t cost money, while monitoring new streams of funding, is how Mossbourne stays ahead.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

the forefront of my mind,” says Hughes. Like a famous private school, he is keen for the name ‘Mossbourne’ to carry a certain amount of caché. “When they leave school and somebody picks up their CV and it says Mossbourne Community Academy on it, I want that to mean the same as if someone picks up a CV and it says Eton,” he says. “They know that they get a hard-working student who aspires and knows how to get something done.”

Good behavior, Hughes believes, contributes to good outcomes, simply because it allows for more teaching time. “If behaviour is good, then an hour’s teaching can take place,” he explains. “When you come into a classroom at Mossbourne students get an hour lesson out of the hour.” He points out that if a teacher were to spend 10 minutes of that hour disciplining students, this time adds up when you think there are six lessons a day and 200 days a year. He feels very strongly that no student can afford that loss.

Of course, it’s all well and good aspiring towards what private schools have, but state schools with limited funds may well be wondering just how they pay for it all. “I think it’s about tapping into local resources,” says Hughes. “It’s about looking at what’s available to you and maximising the resources that are on your doorstep.” For example, Mossbourne has a link with a global law firm for student work experience. Experiences like this cost the school nothing (the company does it to give back to the community) and the kids leave having experienced life in a high-end corporate office, an opportunity that may not

The design of the building was also carefully considered when it was constructed in 2003/04.With its clear glass classroom walls and sweeping corridors lit by skylights, heads of department can keep a watchful eye on everything that’s going on in their area and bad behaviour is kept to a minimum.

“In a lot of schools, a lot of the bullying happens in quiet areas or dark corners of the school,” explains Hughes. “Our aim is to eliminate bullying to the fullest.”

Also, no staff room means teachers can’t hide away and are even known to share a bit of lunch with the pupils, who aren’t allowed off campus during their midday meal. All in all, the school’s facilities are extensive and top quality. A good deal of building work was taking place over the holidays, with improvements being made the exterior and interior both. So it is in design as well as ethos that this school can easily compete with even top private schools for success.

Mossbourne’s site has been home to a few schools, some good, others bad and a few ugly. First there was the Grocers’ Company’s School in 1876, which became a well-respected grammar school, but things would take a turn for the worse when this became the comprehensive Hackney Downs School and the deprivation of the surrounding area soon took its toll. Things hit rock bottom in the 1990s when the school was described by the then Conservative government as the ‘worst school in Britain’. Eventually, as a result of direct government pressure, Hackney Downs School was forced to close in 1995. Mossbourne has been likened to the phoenix that rose from its ashes.

So do schools have to become an academy to experience this success?

Hughes doesn’t think so. “There are many models of outstanding schools and I don’t think one model is going to be the panacea,” he says. “I’m a big believer that good leadership is more important than the type of school you’re running.”

With the prospect of no-notice inspections, and increasing pressure on schools to achieve outstanding Ofsted reports, Hughes’s final piece of advice hits home: “Sweat the small stuff,” he says, for it’s the details that make the difference.

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schools in focus INDEPENDENT NEWS

SHEFFIELD

INDEPENDENT UPDATE What is going on in the world of academies, free schools and fee-paying private schools

Variance in academy accounts An accountancy firm has published a survey of the accounts of converter academy schools highlighting the significant differences in their accounting.

The survey analysed 109 full sets of audited financial statements from converter academy schools of all sizes, which had been filed at Companies House in March. The accounts were among the first to be filed with the Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA) by the 31 December deadline.

Price Bailey partner Gary Miller, head of the firm’s education and academies team, said: “With everyone working to the same recently published model for the accounts, we were surprised by the level of significant variations in accounting treatments.

“We would stress that we saw many very good sets of accounts. However, it was noticeable that the majority of the big differences in treatments arose where specific guidance appeared in supplementary notes attached to the YPLA’s model set of accounts, rather than in the accounts themselves, which does suggest that the notes may not have been read.

“Something else that was noticeable was that almost half the accounts, 44 in all, were not signed off until late December, which indicates there was something of a rush to meet the YPLA filing deadline. Evidence of this included many individual silly mistakes, as basic as numbers being left blank and reports not being dated.”

Variations in accounting treatments identified by the survey included:

STATS & FACTS

78%

Percentage of schools that become an academy in part because they believed they would receive additional funding.

PICTURE STORY

 Valuation of land and buildings – 28 schools had a professional property valuation and the majority of schools used an amount based upon insurance rebuild costs, however 32 described the value using terms such as “fair value” or “market value” with no explanation about who gave this value and how the number had been arrived at.

Two schools said it was too difficult to accurately value property due to lease restrictions  Identification of unrestricted funds (no restrictions on their use) and restricted funds (which have certain conditions attached). For example, from those schools that made a disclosure, 25 schools treated income from trips as unrestricted and 29 as restricted  Financial key performance indicators (KPIs) – variations included 40 schools ignoring a requirement to include a reference to financial KPIs, nine saying none had been set and only 18 including specific KPIs. Miller said: “With the significant increase in academies that will require audits in 2012 and subsequent years, we hope that the issues we have identified will help to clarify important accounting issues both for auditors, governors and schools. We believe the variation in treatments we have identified will help to drive progress towards better, more consistent reporting across the academies sector.”

Private schools confident about future A survey of school staff has revealed that despite the challenging economic climate, most fee-paying schools are not worried about keeping pupil numbers up or the potential competition from state-funded free schools.

The survey, which was conducted at Capita’s SIMS Independent Schools’ Conference, showed that over 83% of respondents were either not at all concerned or only slightly concerned about falling pupil numbers.

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More than 60% of respondents also indicated that they are not concerned about having to compete with free schools to attract pupils.

Julie Booth, head of independent schools at Capita SIMS, said: “The survey reveals that generally, schools in the independent sector remain optimistic about the future and do not see the new wave of government funded schools as a major threat to their ability to attract the best pupils.”

Over 500 pupils from Sheffield High School gathered on the school’s field to take the shape of the Olympic rings. A moving-image of the girls, aged eight to 14, forming the interlocking rings can be viewed at http://bit.ly/GCMzhj

SEND IN YOUR STORIES We are always looking for local school news. If you have a story to share, email editor@edexec.co.uk

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FURNITURE

Whether you are renovating your school’s canteen or sprucing up the library, the right furniture is ultimately what will make or break the space you are trying to create. CARRIE SERVICE takes you through what to think about when purchasing new furniture for your school

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he right furniture can transform a space from drab and unappealing, into an inviting, warm and inspirational place to study or socialise. As the format of lessons becomes more interactive, classroom furniture now has to be adaptable. A popular trend for student desks is to have single-seated tables that are fitted with wheels, allowing them to either work alone, be pushed together to work in pairs, or linked around in a circle for group work. This gives the classroom versatility so it can be used for a variety of functions and gives pupils a sense of freedom as they are not ‘chained’ to the spot. The layout of classrooms is also changing. Many schools now encourage teachers not to have a desk and chair at the front of the classroom, but instead a simple lectern-type workstation where they can place a laptop. This forces the teacher to circulate around the class, breaking down barriers and encouraging interactive learning. Educational design consultant Jennifer Singer says that decisions about classroom furniture and layout should not be rushed: “Small details quickly make a big impact on the overall experience of learning and can revitalise tired, run-down spaces. But it is important that you take the time to select the right pieces and colours. It’s a long term investment for your school”

Make it fun, make it exciting and make the dining room the best environment in the whole school GREAT MINDS DON’T ALWAYS THINK ALIKE When making plans to refurbish a classroom, it’s important to consider the age group you are working for and remember that what you think is right for a room might not be to the children’s taste: “Children at the age of four to 11 have no concept of what the business world looks and feels like and nor should they have to,” says Sam Stevens, director of design services at Learning Spaces.

“Their environment, whilst practical, should be fun and stimulating, colourful and functional and a place where they feel warm and safe.” Although a corporate-style ICT suite will probably impress staff and visitors to the school, it may have no bearing on (younger) children’s learning progress and won’t create a particularly stimulating environment. “Get things that make them go ‘wow!’,” advises Stevens. “I always say get things that make them want to be a part of exciting teaching and learning at your

school, give them areas, classrooms, [and] facilities that would make them prefer to be at school than at home.”

While you do have to take the children’s wants and needs into consideration, always consider the cost implications and whether or not what you are buying is a sound investment: “Furniture that is simple, easy to clean and is robust will put less strain on your operation budget over the long term,” says Singer.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT The dining area or canteen is the hub of many schools; it is where every member congregates on a daily basis, and where children and staff have the chance to socialise and relax. And smartening up a canteen can have more significance to pupils than you think: children who have not eaten a decent lunch are often grumpy and misbehaved later in the afternoon. Ensuring that all pupils have an enjoyable lunch hour, and eat in surroundings where they feel comfortable enough to relax and enjoy a proper meal can mean that they are less likely to be hungry and misbehave later on.

With child obesity still a major problem in the UK, schools have a responsibility to encourage students to eat in their canteen rather than heading to the nearest chip shop or fast-food restaurant. Stevens believes the best way to do this is by making the school canteen so inviting that the children won’t want to be anywhere else: “Make it fun, make it exciting and make the dining experience the best environment in the whole school. Forget drab functional interiors, surround the pupils with an exciting 1950s dining experience: booths, funky seats, soft comfortable seating and breakfast bars.”. If you’re not sure whether the budget will stretch to this, why not integrate the house colours into the dining experience to brighten it up? If you are also restricted by the fact that the dining hall is used for other activities, such as sports and school assemblies there are some reasonably priced foldaway options on the market.

THE STAFF OF LIFE Last but not least, the staff room should be a place that makes staff members feel relaxed and appreciated – so a few tatty arm chairs and a coffee table just won’t cut it.

Showing that you care as much about what the school looks like ‘backstage’ as it does elsewhere will give a sense of continuity to the building. This area should always feel like a treat and should make teachers feel as valued as the pupils. “Furniture in community areas and staff rooms says a lot to visitors and your staff about your school’s ethos,” says Singer. “Use your furniture to show pride in your school, and your care and respect for the students and staff. You may not be able to afford upscale furniture all around the school – so prioritise what spaces will make the biggest difference and are accessible to all.”

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LEGAL

Priority school building programme n

a new a

I?

PF d e v o r d imp

As the Priority School Building Programme gets put back, again, education lawyers PETER HILL and REBECCA HAZELDINE explore what this ‘new and improved’ PFI might look like and whether past wrinkles can be eliminated may 2012

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A central procurement system will allow delivery of batches of schools across local boundaries, with volume discount on works, driving value for money

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ith Labour’s ambitious Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme on the scrapheap, the announcement of the Coalition’s replacement, the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP), worryingly coincided with strong criticism of the achievements of the Private Finance Initiative (PFI).

The Treasury is undertaking a consultation on the reform of PFI in response to a damning Parliamentary Treasury Select Committee report on PFI last July.

Any policy on PFI developed following this consultation will influence delivery of a number of current government capital expenditure programmes, including PSBP. The Treasury Select Committee doubted the overall benefits of PFI because of its complexity, inflexibility over a long period, and for the cost of finance being higher than government could achieve by direct finance. It thought the taxpayer might be better off bringing PFI projects back onto the Government’s balance sheet. However it did acknowledge that PFI had successfully transferred risk during the construction period, with projects being completed on time and within budget, benefits which major governmentcontrolled projects had often failed to achieve.

The PSBP, which will operate under new PFI conditions, is intended to replace and renovate those schools in the worst condition. Some £2bn has been allocated to the programme which is expected to deliver 100-300 school projects over five years, with the first of the projects completed by September 2014.

Whereas BSF was concerned with building new schools to improve the teaching and learning environment, PSBP will focus on ensuring that the condition of school buildings and facilities are fit-for-purpose, that is, with sufficient places and in good repair. Under BSF, priority was given to schools in areas of greatest deprivation and with low levels of educational attainment.

Under PSBP, finance will be prioritised to meet “basic need” demand for pupil places, and to bring the most dilapidated schools up to standard.

What features will the new improved PFI have to help deliver PSBP? It needs to be cheaper, quicker and more flexible. The features we can expect are: • Stricter affordability tests • Baseline design guidance from government (rather than standardised designs, as envisaged by the recommendations of the James Review of education capital) • Fast-tracking through the design and planning authorisation process, with streamlined consultation • Procurement by the Education Funding Agency, rather than by local authorities, with fewer procurement frameworks • A financial mechanism which will allow government to benchmark the cost of finance during the life of the project, and where this no longer offers good value, to refinance on better terms.

A central procurement system will allow delivery of batches of schools across local boundaries, with volume discount on construction works driving value for money.

The Department for Education expects construction costs to be up to 20% cheaper than under BSF, and the secretary of state has indicated that schemes will be “rigorously policed” to prevent excessive cost. The Education Funding Agency may set an even tougher value for money target.

Procurement time is expected to be reduced to approximately 12 months, and perhaps less. Unlike with BSF projects, PSBP will have no joint local education partnership vehicles, which will help to simplify procurement and contractual documentation, saving time and money. Time will tell.

Peter Hill is associate director and Rebecca Hazeldine a tranee solicitor at public services law firm, TPP Law

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GRAMMAR SCHOOLS

Grammatically correct?

New legislation means that grammar schools now have the opportunity to expand their capacity considerably. CARRIE SERVICE discusses the pros and cons of selective education and whether a satellite system for grammar schools is viable

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rammar schools have drawn their fair share of controversy over the years and the jury’s still out on whether or not state schools should be allowed to select students on their academic ability.

Although there is evidence to suggest that gifted students excel when they are taught with children of the same academic calibre, arguably this does nothing to help those children who struggle. Margaret Tulloch, from the Comprehensive Future campaign group, thinks that the admissions system for grammar schools discriminates against those who are most vulnerable: “We don’t want the 11-plus,” she told the BBC. “We don’t want children facing this barrier, this test at 11, which rejects most children, especially poor children and children with special needs. I’m very concerned about what is happening. This is the thin end of the wedge.” When David Cameron became leader of the Conservative Party he controversially abolished the party’s initiative to increase the number of grammar schools in England. There are now only 164 grammar schools in the whole of the UK, however there is still a demand for this type of schooling. Although new grammar schools can no longer be opened by law, changes to the schools admissions code that came into play in February state that grammar schools can be expanded by building extensions on existing land, or by opening up ‘satellite’ schools. These schools can only be opened under the understanding that they are linked to or are part of the existing grammar school.

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GRAMMAR SCHOOLS

PLAYING THE SYSTEM Sevenoaks, a town in Kent, is the first area to date to have taken this approach. They applied to Kent County Council to open a satellite school linked to at least two other existing grammar schools around 10 miles away in Tunbridge Wells, and were granted permission. Sarah Shilling, a mother of three from Sevenoaks who was driven by her son’s struggle to find a place at a grammar school in Kent, led the campaign: “Sevenoaks children who pass the 11-plus test are increasingly denied places at Kent grammar schools because they live outside the shrinking catchment areas,” she said of the issue. “Some Sevenoaks children who scored as high as 99% of the full mark on this year’s 11-plus test were not offered a grammar school place.” A Department for Education spokesperson said that reforms to the system do not change where the Government stands on the issue: “The overriding objective of this government’s reforms is to increase the supply of good school places so parents have real choice. That includes making it easier for good schools – grammar or otherwise – to increase their published admission number. Legislation prohibits the establishment of new grammar schools, and ministers have been clear that that will not change.” Many have criticised Michael Gove for allowing grammar schools to increase admissions and accused him of permitting a ‘backdoor’ expansion of an institution that was supposed to have become obsolete.

Others argue that it gives parents and children more choice, a better quality of state education and helps to tackle the shortage of school places.

A RECURRING PATTERN Wherever you stand on the matter, there seem to be undeniable benefits for all if grammar schools take advantage of this new legislation. Figures released by the DfE in March revealed that 74,000 children missed out on their first choice of secondary school. Free schools are reported to be oversubscribed, with the West London Free School in

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Hammersmith receiving over a thousand applicants for its 120 places for the upcoming academic year. It seems that there is a growing demand for more choice in the school system and parents will get what they want one way or another. In an article written before Sevenoaks won the campaign, Jeevan Vasagar, education editor of the Guardian, suggested that a satellite school would “face difficulties” with admissions and logistics: “It would need to have the same admissions arrangements – and therefore the same catchment area – as its host school in a neighboring town. Teachers would be required to commute between sites.” Whether or not this is a valid argument against the model, people seem to want more choice in state education and it might be that allowing grammar schools to expand could be a solution. The concept of a group of schools working in synergy has been championed time and time again, and there are genuine benefits to having a number of schools that are connected – be that in a consortium, a trust or otherwise – especially as many schools move away from the local authority. Having a group of annex buildings that belong to the same institution from a procurement point of view could create advantages in terms of economies of scale. It also makes sense that if a school is oversubscribed and is evidently doing something right, that they should be allowed to replicate that successful formula elsewhere.

Putting the debate of selective education to one side, it seems to me that this model essentially does what Gove proposed when he asked that outstanding schools sponsor those that are struggling: It takes a successful school with a system that works and allows more children to benefit from that success.

Some Sevenoaks children who scored as high as 99% of the full mark on this year’s 11-plus test were not offered a grammar school place

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ENTERPRISE

r u o y Mind s s e n i s u b n ow may 2012

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ENTERPRISE

Not happy with the services provided by your local authority? Think you could do better yourself? One group of schools in West Yorkshire did just that. CARRIE SERVICE looks at the enterprise opportunities for schools and how thinking like a business can mean better services

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chools are operating differently these days.

Despite the uproar that followed one government think-tank suggesting schools could be run as profitable businesses, the changes brought about by academies has meant that schools are already getting their business hats on. With the local authorities now taking a backseat in terms of providing services, schools are seizing the opportunity to take control and create the services they want.

TRUST IT The Education Ossett Community Trust is a group of nine schools in West Yorkshire that formed an alliance in 2008. Part of the reason the trust was created was due to a general lack of satisfaction the schools had with the services provided by the local authorities. “We didn’t feel like we were getting value for money,” says Tracy Jackson, assistant principal at Ossett Academy, the largest school in the trust. “The biggest bone of contention was grounds maintenance. Some [schools] purchased it from the local authority, some had private contractors, but nobody was happy with the service.” The main issue was that schools felt they couldn’t pick up the phone and just ring somebody when they needed it, instead they had to deal with miles of bureaucratic red tape before they could get anything done.

“They just felt that it didn’t feel like a service, that it was being done to them rather than being done for them,” Jackson tells me.

So the trust took matters into its own hands and decided to run an in-house grounds maintenance service. A business plan was drawn up and hey presto, they are now into their fourth year of running the service, and Jackson says it has been a huge success: “We employed two members of staff, bought the equipment second-hand and learned a lot on the way.

We made a couple of mistakes but within three years it was in the black.” After the success of their first project they then started offering out payroll as a service: “Initially it was just schools within the trust, but we support another three schools now outside of the trust.”

They have currently reached their limit, with no plans to expand their services any further, as this Jackson believes would defeat the whole purpose of offering a more personalised service. “We don’t want to go huge with it because the whole point of it is, it’s local, it’s service based and people feel like they are getting a personal service. I think it would dilute what it is we’re trying to do.”

teething problems together. When Ossett Academy first set up its payroll system (just for itself) five or six years ago, they did it in conjunction with another large secondary school. “I think it was that which gave us the confidence right at the start to think ‘We can do this,’” recalls Jackson, “but I don’t think we’d have done it [had we been] on our own. It’s too scary!” The other school who worked with Ossett on the project now provides payroll services for schools in the local area, just as Ossett Academy does within the trust, proving that by working together you can achieve something huge.

THE BUSINESS OF EDUCATION It looks as though we will be seeing see more and more schools forming consortia and working together in this way, particularly with the number of academies increasing.

Although they may not be operating under a profit-making system such as those bandied about in the press recently, it does mean that schools are thinking about how they manage their own funds and services and are looking at turnover and costs rather than simply spending the money they are allotted. This is going to be the secret weapon schools need to survive, as funds are cut and responsibilities change hands. “Schools need to think about the reducing capacity of the local authorities and they need to think quickly about it,” warns Jackson, and it should be larger schools that set the ball rolling: “The

Schools need to think about the reducing capacity of the local authorities and they need to think quickly about it

WORK TOGETHER If running your own service in house sounds like something you’d be interested in, but you’re a little afraid to take the plunge, Jackson advises teaming up with another similar school so that you can work through the

secondary schools that have got the capacity have got a duty really to work with their pyramid and establish what expertise they’ve got.” If you feel that you could provide a better service than the one you are using at the moment, or if you have sports facilities or a good catering system that you’d like to share with other schools – go for it. But don’t bite off more than you can chew. Ossett staged its service integration over three or four years, taking on one project at a time. It’s also important to realise that there are some areas that are probably best left to the local authorities, particularly anything with legal implications. School admissions are one example of this as it is very difficult for schools to compete with the economies of scale that the local authorities have in this area. The key is to create a detailed business plan, weigh up the pros and cons and ensure that it is cost effective – and that doesn’t always mean cheaper.

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CONVERT

DELIVER

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ACADEMIES

The conversion of PFI schools to academies has proved more complex than hoped. For about the last six months the majority of PFI schools conversions have been on hold while the DfE and PFI funders have wrangled over a legal risk – that the wording of the Academies Act might make PFI payments unlawful. The wait may now be over as this issue appears to be resolved. So this is an opportune moment to consider some of the practical and commercial issues which can continue to arise on PFI conversions. ANJA BERIRO and CRAIG ELDER of Browne Jacobson explore the issues that converting PFI schools currently face

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he first raft of private finance initiative (PFI) schools has now converted. Even the dreaded “vires issue” seems to be in retreat. So what issues could converting PFI schools face?

WHAT “FUNDER ISSUE?”

In essence, banks which had funded the construction of PFI schools became concerned that the wording of the Academies Act could make it unlawful for councils to continue to make PFI payments in respect of academies.

This resulted in a great deal of debate between the funders, various legal advisers (including a number of leading QCs) and the Department for Education (DfE). In some cases, this has delayed conversions by up to a year.

For high-performing schools hoping for a smooth transition to academy status, the process really had started to seem unending.

However on the majority of schemes this issue appears, finally, to be resolved. It is therefore a good time for PFI schools contemplating conversion to consider the issues that may be involved.

PFI DOCUMENTS – WHAT ARE THE ISSUES? Deed of Variation to the PFI contract Varying the original Project Agreement is an additional requirement for a PFI converter. These should not prove controversial, and are intended to make sure (for example) that the academy can take advantage of the “required insurances” under the PFI contract. However, funders do still raise issues on these variations such as attempting to ensure that, in fact, the academy could never make such a claim. They may also ask the academy to enter into various direct obligations to the PFI funder which need to be reviewed carefully.

As the Deed of Variation is between the local authority and the PFI contractor, the main practical issue for the school is its lack of control over its completion. If a funder doesn’t view it as particularly important it could flounder for weeks in the inbox of the funder’s lawyer before being turned around. This can lead to frustrating delays, even now that the main “funder issue” appears to have been resolved.

School agreement The governing body of a PFI school will have entered into a Governing Body Agreement (GBA) when the Project Agreement was signed. This sets out certain obligations (mainly related to payments by the school to the local authority to cover both the construction of any new buildings and ongoing services). It will also set out arrangements for, among other things, agreeing changes to services, action by the authority for non-compliance by the PFI contractor and exchanges of relevant information.

On conversion, the GBA is effectively replaced by a School Agreement which will include similar obligations to those under the GBA. On key matters such as payment, the starting point is that the arrangements under the GBA should be reflected under the DFE’s standard form School Agreement.

What DFE hadn’t fully anticipated was the range of GBAs in use. Almost every local authority has drafted its GBA differently. Some have a reasonable

amount of detail and some literally nothing more than a side of A4. In the latter case, a lot of commercial discussions may be needed to turn it into something resembling the DFE’s 40-plus page School Agreement.

What has become apparent is that when the Project Agreement was entered into originally, and at the same time the GBA, the local authority hadn’t usually considered that at some point in the future the budgets for these schools would be taken out of their hands. The GBA often requires knowledge of how that authority runs its budgets and is based, quite rightly, on a relationship of trust between them and the school. The problem now is that the local authority no longer has the same control over the budgets and the new academy may want a much clearer explanation for the amounts that it is being asked to pay.

This is where a knowledge and understanding of complex PFI and other project documents is essential on the part of the school’s lawyers. To be able to work out whether the School Agreement is right requires the lawyer to dissect certain parts of the Project Agreement and other documents and translate this into appropriate wording. If there is a financial detriment to either side this could lead to lengthy negotiations.

Allocation of risk is another issue that often pops up during these negotiations. There are a number of ways of allocating risk and cost through PFI documents for matters such as school meals and utilities which must be approached on a case by case basis.

Another important point is the payment by the authority to the academy of any deductions that are made from the Unitary Charge. It is often the case that prior to conversion the authority and school split this financial gain. Postconversion the academy should be receiving all of these. It is even more important if the academy has agreed to pay a management fee to the authority in relation to the Project Agreement.

Principal agreement The Principal Agreement is the other additional document for PFI schools.

This gives comfort to the local authority that, should the academy stop paying its contribution, the DFE will assist. It also covers what is known as the “Affordability Gap” payment, which is required when the sums paid by the academies (plus any PFI credits) don’t fully cover the payments that must be made by the local authority to the PFI contractor. From the school’s perspective, we need to make sure that no additional obligations – particularly any obligation in relation to the Affordability Gap – are included.

EFFECTS ON TIMETABLE AND LOCAL AUTHORITY FEES Any PFI conversion is likely to take considerably longer than for a non-PFI school. Some local authorities undertake the work themselves but others will use external lawyers and they will want to pass the cost of this onto the school.

As hard as it may be to swallow, DfE are likely to take the position that this is a matter for the local authority and the school.

In the opinion of DfE, a PFI conversion is likely to take around 6 months.

In reality, much depends on whether there is a meeting of minds between the local authority and the school on timing, and whether protracted debate is required on the commercial issues.

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WORK/LIFE

Break Time ?

Secret life of a business manager

BUNGALOW BURSAR

A bursar in Oxfordshire has turned her £265,000 bungalow into a £1m architectural masterpiece after a seven-year development project.

When Pauline Andrews (59) bought the 1960s concrete house near Thame with her surveyor husband Richard (63) in 2001, she intended to create a stunning new home without losing the original building, the Daily Mail reports.

NUMBER CRUNCHING Everyone deserves five minutes break, and business managers are no

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exception. So pour yourself a coffee, get a biscuit from the tin and have a go at this little puzzle. It is sure to keep your little grey cells ticking

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6 8

4 3 3 6 2 8

your break time.

Seven years later and they have transformed a bungalow into a work of modern art, complete with a glass-walled garden room overlooking an Italianate terrace.

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took a lot of determination and patience but it was worth it in the end,” said Richard Andrews.

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over and help while away

“Working through the planning permission

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“The original bungalow was 1,200sqft, but we now have a large home of 2,750sqft in a

AROUND THE CLASSES

beautiful location.”

It’s fair to say this school bursar used the planning skills honed in her career in education

With all those classes going on around you every day, we think you

business to good use in her private life, and will

should be well placed to answer these little teasers

be smiling all the way to the bank.

HISTORY In which year was the Berlin Wall built?

Do you have an interesting hobby or activity? Are you involved with any clubs

GEOGRAPHY What is Britain’s most southerly national park?

SCIENCE Brent Blend, Tapis, Minas and Midway Sunset Heavy are well-known classifications of what expensive commodity?

MUSIC Which solo artist also had UK top ten hits with Queen, Mick Jagger and Bing Crosby?

PE A myologist studies what?

ENGLISH How long did Rip Van Winkle sleep for?

at your school? We would love to hear from you. Write to editor@edexec. co.uk with the subject line “secret life” and 200 words on your hobby, why you enjoy it and why you would recommend it to other business managers. If you have a photo of yourself, that would be even better.

Every entry written by an SBM and featured wins a voucher, so why not share your secret life with us?

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10 M&S

ANSWERS History – 1961; Science – crude oil; PE – muscles; Geography – Dartmoor; Music – David Bowie; English – 20 years

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