The Primary Capital Programme (PCP) is one of a number of
programmes supporting the principles within ‘Suffolk’s Vision for
Learning: Transforming Learning with Communities’. Other projects
include the School Organisation Review, Building Schools for the
Future and the Review of Special Education provision.
The Government’s Primary Capital Programme (PCP) is designed
to provide authorities with funding to modernise and rationalise
primary school accommodation over the next 14 years. By the end of
the programme, the Goverment aims to have modernised and
rationalised up to 50% of primary school nationally. The
Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) issued the
following
PCP guidance to Local Authorities
Suffolk’s PCP allocation is expected to be £5.17m in 2009-10 and
£7.55m 2010-11. Over the life of the programme it is expected
that Suffolk will recieve around £100 million investment to
improve primary schools. In Suffolk, we are charged by the (DCSF)
with improving 50% of primary schools in the worst physical
condition. These schools will either be rebuilt or
refurbished.
The programme offers the opportunity to provide inspiring,
improved environments to support effective teaching and learning
and, where possible, link with children’s centres and extended
schools developments.
The overall vision for change - transforming learning with
communities was approved by Suffolk County Council's Cabinet
on 4th March 2008. This is now helping schools to develop
their own vision for learning in relation to the Primary Capital
Programme and the
Building Schools for the Future Programme (BSF) for secondary
schools.(PCP).
Our
draft Primary Strategy for Change is made up of five core
elements:
- our local perspective – setting out
broad aims and objectives
- a baseline analysis – educational
performance, social deprivation, need for places, condition of
buildings, extended services and co-location of schools, children’s
centres and wider children’s services
- our long-term aims – investment
priorities, better buildings and pattern and type of schools,
national and local policy objectives
- our approach to change – how the
programme will be run
- our initial investment priorities –
specific priorities for the first four years of the
programme
To secure the funding the
draft strategy has to gain final approval from Suffolk
County Council's Cabinet before being submitted to the DCSF by
16 June 2008.
Consultation
In developing the
PCP Strategy for Change, views regarding the prioritisation and
the delivery of the programme were gathered at meetings held with
head teachers, governors, diocese, councillors and other
stakeholders in Ipswich, Haverhill and Lowestoft.
These meetings highlighted the following criteria as most important
when considering which primary schools should be included in
the first few years of the programme. The key criteria are:
- The ability to support the principles within ‘Suffolk’s Vision
for Learning: Transforming Learning with Communities’ to improve
educational standards;
- Highest condition need;
- Highest deprivation indicator and;
- Highest level of urban surplus places.
If you would like to comments on the
draft strategy, please email
schools@educ.suffolkcc.gov.uk
by 14th May 2008.