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News

Launch date set for £multi-million school investment programme

Borough of Poole and Bournemouth Borough Council officially entered the national Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme on Friday 11^th April 2008.

Council leaders met with representatives from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and Partnerships for Schools (the agency responsible for delivering the BSF programme), to sign a Memorandum of Understanding that kick-starts the project.

Barry Watts, Programme Director for BSF, working for Bournemouth and Poole Councils, said "This is a very exciting time for us.  Our project team has been working behind the scenes for many months to ensure we are ready to enter the programme on schedule.  

"We have been working closely with head teachers to consider what the future of education in Bournemouth and Poole should look like, and over the coming months will begin a wide-spread consultation with the local community, schools, young people and key stakeholders on the options for change which may help us achieve this."

Building Schools for the Future will be the largest single investment into education in the region and will see schools rebuilt, renewed or refurbished depending on level of need. Eight schools in Bournemouth and Poole are allocated to Wave 6 of the national programme, starting on 11^th April, with the remaining schools due to come on board in later stages.

Jane Portman, Director for Children & Families Services at Bournemouth said; "This is a fantastic opportunity to transform education for several generations to come, the biggest single investment in schools for 50 years.  The positive impact this programme will have on the lives of thousands of young people cannot be underestimated, and we are delighted to be part of one of the early waves of the programme."

John Nash, Strategic Director of Children and Young People's Services in Poole, said "Our vision is to transform education and the lives of all children and young people in Bournemouth and Poole.  Building Schools for the Future provides a great opportunity for us to do this and it's a real advantage that we can pull our expertise and resources together to make the most of it.  We hope to build on this ground breaking partnership in other areas of council work to the benefit of residents across the conurbation."

Tim Byles, Chief Executive of Partnerships for Schools, said: "BSF is about transforming education and improving the life chances for all young people across the country, providing teachers with the work places they deserve, and putting schools back at the centre of their communities. I look forward to working with Bournemouth and Poole on its BSF journey."

For further information on the Building Schools for the Future Project in Bournemouth and Poole, please contact the Project Team on 01202 451986 or by email .

Laura Cook, BSF Communications Officer