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BSEC 2010: BSF on target, on timetable and well appreciated

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:14:55 GMT

In one of his last public platform outings before pre-election purdah, Tim Byles was upbeat about the performance of Building Schools for the Future

'How to adopt digital media in schools' - Ewan McIntosh

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:14:53 GMT

The rapidly changing world of social networking is sometimes seen as more of a threat than an opportunity for schools. Educator Ewan McIntosh goes online to show how it doesn't have to be that way

'To change learning, leaders must challenge the status quo'

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:24:49 GMT

Primary school leaders and teachers face unparalleled challenges in developing their premises. Whether they are remodelling or rebuilding their schools, there are basic questions about transforming learning that they have to embrace, as Ann Aston reports.

Gerald Haigh's Five Things To Think About - 29

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:14:10 GMT

John Dunford's final performance as ASCL general secretary, business nous for primaries and lively views on gaming are included in our new regular column.

Platform alterations: how to ensure your VLE is open to all users

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:37:24 GMT

All schools undergoing BSF are expected to adopt learning platforms as part of their ICT managed services - but has enough thought been given to their accessibility, especially for students with special educational needs? John Galloway reports.

'Inspirational' value of the BSF Leadership Programme

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:23:45 GMT

Taking part in the pilot of the National College's BSF Leadership Programme was an inspirational experience for staff from the Neale Wade Community College in Cambridgeshire. Pete Roythorne found out how the course helped them on their journey.

Gerald Haigh's Five Things to Think About - 28

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:19:51 GMT

Did you know that 23 per cent of school toilets don't have hot water? This and other sad bog standards are uncovered in our regular column.

The Surface to Air design missiles - young people

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:19:46 GMT

When you've pounded the aisles at the BSEC exhibition, and sat through the speeches and seminars, what's a good way to get the creative juices flowing again? Visit the learners at Design My Learning Space.

How to avoid woeful wifi – strategic process, not products

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:08:08 GMT

Brunel Academy's problems with its wireless network have made headlines. And wifi is an issue for BSF. But some other Bristol schools are getting the benefits of a strategic analysis developed locally.

From the heart - the key to Beaumont Leys' Grand Prix

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:19:03 GMT

On November 12 2009, a school in one of the most deprived areas of Leicester walked away with the Grand Prix in Partnerships for Schools’ (PfS) Excellence in BSF Awards. Pete Roythorne finds out why.

Chickens, eggs and innovation - the Saltash.net experience

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:18:53 GMT

Putting learning first is the key to building an innovative school – but curriculum innovation is easier said than done. Welcome to Saltash.net in Cornwall, a Specialist Science, Maths and Computing school with a rural dimension - and a growing global reputation for innovation.

The devil I know - why it's game on in 21st century schools

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 07:09:42 GMT

Computer games are making their way into schools, including those involved in Building Schools for the Future. Derek Robertson has helped make this possible in Scotland and further afield as he tries to ensure that the games' context, where children learn and enjoy success, is brought to the classroom. Here he shares insights into how games-based learning can be part of innovation in the curriculum.

Future website: please log-in here

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:53:48 GMT

Due to a technical problem, the normal log-in for this site is not operating. While we fix the problem, please follow this link to log-in to access all the features of this site.

Gerald Haigh's Five Things To Think About – 26

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:50:53 GMT

Parental reporting is nearly here, sustainability hits the roof and virtualisation brings real network savings. And there's more from our regular column.

Gerald Haigh's Five Things To Think About - 25

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:57:11 GMT

In the first column of the year comes news of BATA's support for ICT and inclusion, online design for BSF and glimpses of future learning.

'ICT is never static', and special schools face shortfalls

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:15:55 GMT

To pick up insights for school leaders in BSF, Sally McKeown visited Oak Field School and Sports College in Nottingham, a new all-age school which accommodates children with physical and profound learning disabilities.

Involve all staff - Michael Tippett School's recipe for BSF success

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:40:39 GMT

The experience of building this multi-award-winning special school in Lambeth, south London holds lessons for all BSF participants, learns John Galloway. And one of the most important was to involve all the staff from the start.

Designing for special needs: the thinking behind BB102

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:14:15 GMT

Designing a learning space for children with disabilities and special needs is a complex task requiring a wide range of skills, expertise and understanding. One major source of help is the DCSF's Building Bulletin 102. Sally McKeown talks to one of the authors of this official guidance for creating schools which are accessible to all.

Designing for special needs: a practical exploration of BB102

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:32:35 GMT

Building Bulletin 102 provides official guidance for any school designing for children with disabilities or special educational needs - but it's much more than a formula for calculating area. Used properly, BB102 can also inspire radical learning space design.

Welcome to your BSF Phase 1 leadership programme

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:42:03 GMT

Working in Building Schools for the Future is a major challenge. But there is plenty of advice and wisdom to be had. We have tailored these resources for use on Phase 1 of the National College's Leadership Programme

North Tynesiders give their verdict on the BSF Leadership Programme

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:46:19 GMT

North Tyneside school leaders used the National College’s leadership programme to learn from others who have already been through BSF. Getting the vision for learning right is a vital first step before a single brick is laid. The programme, say North Tynesiders, enabled them to build their capacity to handle the challenges.

Take Your Partners 4 - Governors

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:00:20 GMT

A knowledgeable and proactive governing body will prove to be one of your greatest allies throughout the BSF or PCP experience, writes Arnold Evans

Gerald Haigh's Five Things to Think About - 21

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:07:47 GMT

School capital projects are supposed to have innovation at their hearts. Gerald Haigh plays the magpie for innovative approaches, from the learning and teaching to new-generation wireless networks.

From theory to practice - deep learning in the 21st century

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:05:05 GMT

Australian educator Esme Capp was visiting Birmingham to work with the National College and with Robin Hood Primary School when Future journalist Bill Hicks caught up with her.

Take Your Partners 1 - Getting Started

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 07:00:48 GMT

As a leader in a school about to undergo BSF or PCP, you should be embarking on one of the most rewarding experiences of your professional life – but also one of the most hair-raising. You’re going to have to “engage with stakeholders”, and work closely with a wide range of professionals. Which is where this new series from writer Arnold Evans comes in. Let him take you by the hand, and make the introductions at the great BSF/PCP party.

Take Your Partners 2 - Workforce

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 07:00:42 GMT

Communications are crucial for good working relationships when your school is involved in Building Schools for the Future or the Primary Capital Programme, says Arnold Evans.

It’s 2009 – so where is 21st century learning?

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:50:02 GMT

Bob Harrison reads the runes from conferences and reports, and takes the pulse for learning and ICT

Knowsley conference promises "dose of inspiration"

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:36:27 GMT

Global speakers, industry leaders and cutting edge practitioners are in the line-up for the BCSE's World Learning Environments Conference, to be held in and around Liverpool in November.

Gerald Haigh's Five Things To Think About - 16

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:15:36 GMT

From the creativity of Tim Rylands (left) through to the curtailing of pupils' money laundering through online money handling, Gerald Haigh's column explores more opportunities and challenges.

New e-safety website an 'invaluable' resource for schools

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:14:52 GMT

Concern about e-safety is the biggest single contributor to teachers' growing workload, according to research. And it's not just children who are targeted by the cyber-bullies - teachers and even heads can be just as vulnerable. Which is why all school leaders should welcome the arrival of the first definitive website on e-safety in education - all the more so for its informed advice on the use of social networking sites by staff and children alike.

'From bog standard to brilliant' - Leeds' BSF mission

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:24:08 GMT

'I was lucky I grew up in Leeds.' 'The expectations of the whole community have been raised' These are the kind of responses prompted by the city's ambitious approach to Building Schools for the Future, writes Bob Harrison

Seeing is believing – the highs and lows of BSF school visits

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:24:01 GMT

Out-of-this-world science labs, Google’s beanbags and dance studios without mirrors: staff at Southfields Community College share the features that have inspired and occasionally horrified them during their researches, in the third part of our series charting the south London school’s BSF journey

Danish inspiration: all wrapped up in school

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:53:39 GMT

Danish schools like Hellerup, Ørestad and Ordrup are synonymous with world-leading design for learning spaces. At a recent event in London, some of the key professionals behind these buildings shared their expertise with UK counterparts from the BSF community.

'Card schools' a key tool for brainstorming BSF

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:55:26 GMT

School leaders hard pressed by their roles in new-build and remodelled schools in Building Schools for the Future and the Primary Capital Programme, are gaining insights from card games. But not the poker or brag variety - we're not talking Las Vegas, but a new, free interactive resource on this website.

Managed ICT services and the 'innovation bubble'

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:59:39 GMT

The politics surrounding some managed ICT services have attracted controversy, but the argument does not appear to be about the concept. In fact the first wave of BSF schools is enjoying benefits yielded from previous experiences, and transformational ICT is now supported by what Steve Moss describes as the “innovation bubble”. He explains how it works to Pete Roythorne.

Suite and sour: primary network rooms getting stale?

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:28:21 GMT

Do ICT suites have any place in 21st century primary schools? Katy Potts weighs up the research findings and comes to a decisive answer: 'No!' So why do so many school leaders still press for ICT suites? And what's missing from ICT strategies that leads them to seek the supposed safety of obsolescent solutions?

School dining spaces: feed the body, feed the mind

Wed, 20 May 2009 18:15:19 GMT

School dining spaces and kitchens can easily get overlooked when you’re involved with BSF, but getting the design right will result in healthier, happier pupils - and bring an emotional heart to the school. Pete Roythorne examines the latest thinking.

Hands-on ICT for hands-off learning: Robin Hood Primary School

Wed, 20 May 2009 18:15:16 GMT

It may not look like a school of the future, but Robin Hood Primary School in Solihull uses ICT in ways that give pupils a truly 21st century taste for learning. Sally McKeown discovers how the school has remodelled its spaces to enable a new approach to learning and teaching.

Talking transformation: Sir John Sorrell on the power of the school 'conversation'

Mon, 18 May 2009 09:01:01 GMT

The Sorrell Foundation has helped bring student voice to the heart of the design process for new and remodelled school capital projects. Beyond this, as the charity's founder Sir John Sorrell explains, its unique ‘conversation’ technique can be used by any school to transform the learning experience of pupils.

Golden Lane - a special school's perspective on co-location

Tue, 05 May 2009 15:45:28 GMT

The Golden Lane Campus in the heart of London brings together a special school, a primary school, and a children’s centre. This adventure in school co-location shows how staff, governors, parents and pupils have to work together to get the building they really want - to the benefit of pupils and the wider community. The lessons they had to learn have relevance way beyond this densely-packed quarter of the capital city.

Death to the myth of the 'digital native'

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:32:56 GMT

Merely putting ICT into a classroom will not transform learning, Dr Angela McFarlane warned at Partnerships for Schools' Building Schools for the Future:ICT event in London last week.

Project management: who's the best person for the job?

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:35:05 GMT

There comes a point in every BSF or PCP project when someone has to keep a grip on mind-numbing amounts of detail. In other words, a project manager. So who is the best person to get the job done?

Free guide to outdoor learning spaces for primary schools

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:48:23 GMT

Futurelab's new report on primary learning spaces offers a stimulating reminder to all involved in PCP programmes of the importance of outdoor areas.

Joined-up design programme puts children first

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:42:58 GMT

The Sorrell Foundation puts pupils in the driving seat of designing schools for the future. Its architects and designers work with children and teenagers so they can play a vital role in making sure that the next generation of schools are fit places for learning in the 21st century, writes Frances Rafferty.

The heart of the matter: curriculum innovation and BSF

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:41:57 GMT

A 21st century school must be built around a 21st century curriculum - that much is obvious. But what does such a curriculum look like? John Galloway surveys some of the most promising models of curriculum change around

When there are too many learners to know - go human scale

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:36:30 GMT

‘You can’t teach kids if you don’t know them’ - Patrick Kelly explores human scale education and how the ideas are taking root

Space invaders - remodelling schools for 21st century learning

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:54:17 GMT

BSF has become so identified with the building of brand new schools, that it's easy to forget that the first wave of BSF, way back in 2005, was as much about remodelling existing schools as it was about starting anew, writes Patrick Kelly.

Emphasise learning over building - or lose out on transformation

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:58:09 GMT

There's a danger that the once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform children's learning offered by BSF and PCP will be squandered, according to a new series of "provocation papers" published by Futurelab and Toshiba.

Getting the feel of ICT: East Sussex primaries benefit from local expertise

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:57:55 GMT

When East Sussex embarked on its first wave of PCP developments, it turned to one of its leading lights in ICT – Christine Terrey, head teacher at Grays School in Newhaven – to ensure that all the schools involved with the programme were giving enough thought to ICT when forming their visions for learning.

Masters of the fourth dimension: re-learning the art of timetabling

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:59:35 GMT

As school leaders approaching BSF or PCP, you'll have to grasp not only the three spatial dimensions of your new building - but also the vital fourth dimension, time. Join John Davitt as he learns from a group of cutting-edge "timetablists".

Merged special schools lead regeneration in north Solihull

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:04:29 GMT

Having two schools one site could be a problem but co-locating two special schools on what were the playing fields of a mainstream school in Solihull has proved to be a remarkably good decision. Even better, this scheme is proving to be a focal point for much needed community regeneration.

Getting down to the nitty gritty: Southfields Community College, part 2

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:14:42 GMT

In our second visit to Southfields Community College as it moves on through the BSF process, head teacher Jacqueline Valin gives advice on how she keeps the plates spinning and maintains her enthusiasm for planning an innovative and exciting learning environment.

Strategies for Change: what they are, and how to develop them

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:23:44 GMT

What exactly is a Strategy for Change? And how can school leaders and local authority officers develop an effective one? George Cole canvasses the experts.

Total inclusion: Manchester's Gorton Education Village

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:10:51 GMT

Manchester’s first completed BSF project, Gorton Education Village, opened in September, bringing two schools – a comprehensive and a specialist SEN college – together on one eight-acre campus.

The reality of bringing mainstream and SEN pupils together in one building required deep consultation at every stage of the process. For Gorton, “involving stakeholders” was not just a worthy concept, but an absolute necessity.

Leap that digital gap: an inner-city PRU shows how it's done

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 16:55:06 GMT

The UK’s largest pupil referral unit, The Bridge Academy in west London, is not only bridging the digital divide but has transformed the way it engages its pupils thanks to its ground-breaking managed learning environment.

Lighting the lamp of learning – the lava lamp that is

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:44:27 GMT

In a multibillion-pound school building project, how much attention should be spent on settings - the furniture and equipment? More than you might think – it’s what determines the comfort of your learners. And they have a lot to say about it, as the NCSL has discovered.

Team teaching at Leigh Technology Academy

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:32:05 GMT

A radical pedagogy requires a radical building. Both are in place at Leigh Technology Academy in Dartford, Kent. From its adoption of team teaching, to its CEO Frank Green's intention that 14 year-olds must be treated like adults, this Academy is different - and its alternative approach has already produced astonishing results, writes Jack Kenny.

Historic site, or school of the future?

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:45:38 GMT

It's a delicate problem - how does a school occupying historic premises remodel itself to meet the demands of 21st century education, without damaging its heritage? As Gerald Haigh discovers, some schools have already faced the problem and found ways of striking a balance.

Grand designs: Sharrow School, Sheffield

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 17:14:07 GMT

When is a school not a school? ‘When it’s a community building where teaching and learning takes place’ might seem like a phrase from the book of educational waffle. But there’s no better way to describe this amazing, colourful and open plan building in the heart of one of Sheffield’s most deprived areas. Sharrow School defies any traditional notion of what a school should look like and feel like. And that’s just how they like it at Sharrow.