Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is an investment programme that is renovating or rebuilding every secondary school in England and reforming the landscape of secondary education. Initiated in 2005, the programme aims to have begun significant rebuilding and remodelling projects in every local authority by 2016.
Highbury Fields students visiting the Royal Festival Hall © Alys Tomlinson
How can teachers and students get involved?
BSF is not just about buildings. It seeks to transform our approach to teaching and learning. There are exciting projects taking place across England, and organisations ready to help you when your school joins the BSF programme.
The (CABE) and the Sorrell Foundation are two national organisations that support teaching and learning about and through BSF.
CABE
CABE has a national education programme that supports teachers’ work on BSF through:
- an education grants programme for teachers to help carry out BSF projects
- an network of teachers and providers offering advice and information
- resources, such as a BSF-themed issue of the educational magazine 360° (available spring 2009)
- a climate change school event, Green Day, which can be used to prompt activities and projects linking climate change and BSF.
Student engagement is a key part of BSF. Students in schools that are going through the BSF process are given the opportunity to complete a set of design quality indicator (DQI) questionnaires which then inform the design brief.
The Green Day event can help to equip students with a better understanding of how good design can make buildings and places more sustainable. As a result, students are better placed to contribute positively to the design process of their new school.
The Michael Tippett School, the first BSF school in London © Tim Soar
The Sorrell Foundation
The Sorrell Foundation works with BSF through its programme ‘Joinedupdesignforschools’ which:
- helps teachers and young people articulate how their school could be improved through good design
- gives students a say in what happens to their school under BSF
- helps schools understand the responsibilities of building design as clients on their project
- enables student client teams to follow a process of research and discussion, including creative workshops, inspirational visits and engagement with the school’s communities.
At the end of the Joinedupdesignforschools process, a final brief is presented to each participating school along with the local authority, BSF managers and architects at a special celebration event. To find out more, visit the Sorrell Foundation website.
Architecture centres
There are 23 architecture centres throughout the UK, with their own education programmes working in formal and informal education, and many working within BSF, piloting Learning Outside the Classroom and built environment education projects for CABE and DCSF for example.
Architecture centres work for the creation of better quality neighbourhoods, buildings and public spaces across the UK, achieving this through:
- participation: enabling real public engagement in architecture, the built environment and the public realm
- advocacy: promoting the case for architecture and design of the highest quality
- education: developing a greater public understanding of architecture, design and the public space.
Further information
BSF information on teachernet
Primary Capital Programme (PCP) information on teachernet
Contact your local architecture centre for support through your BSF/PCP process
Helpful information and downloadable publications on BSF found on the CABE website
