Ref: PR 2433
Date: 30/11/2009

New look improved schools are on the way after Wakefield Council’s bid to be entered into the Building Schools for the Future scheme was approved.

This means that the first five secondary schools entered into the programme will benefit from a multi-million pound investment programme to improve teaching and learning, starting in early 2010.

With capital funding likely to be in the region of £80-100m in the first phase of the programme, secondary schools in the north east of the district will be the first to benefit.

These include Airedale High School, Knottingley High School, Carleton Community High School, Freeston Business and Enterprise College and Castleford High School.

Cllr Pat Garbutt, Wakefield Council’s cabinet member for children and young people, said: “This is wonderful news for children, young people and communities across the district.

“This investment will help ensure we continue improving the education and aspirations of our young people by providing them with new, improved and inspiring places to learn.

“This forms part of our vision for education in the district, based around ‘our children, our future’, to make Wakefield district simply the best place for young people to live and learn.”

Joanne Roney, Chief Executive of Wakefield Council, said: “Attracting this kind of funding is a major boost for education in our district and it will make a real difference to the lives of young people here.

“We are now looking forward to using this money to create learning environments fit for the 21st century to help our young people realise their potential.”

Wakefield’s district’s BSF highlights include:

• A full and wide-ranging consultation process that will involve all school and community stakeholders
• Ensuring secondary schools are the hubs of their local communities
• Raise attainment and aspirations further by improved personalisation of learning and innovative approaches to curriculum.
• Offer continued support and engagement by co-location of services
• Make schools as a critical contributor to the local authority’s regenerative community strategy
• Look to build on innovative governance, leadership and partnerships
• Fully utilize the potential of ICT to support personalised learning and service delivery

BSF is the largest single schools capital investment programme for over 50 years. The aim is to rebuild or renew England’s state secondary schools estate during the lifetime of the programme.

For more information on education visit www.wakefield.gov.uk or call 0845 8 506 506.

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