Sunderland’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) vision is to transform teaching and learning by creating 21st Century environments and introducing cutting edge technology to the classroom.

Part of the first funding allocation of the government’s 15 year plan, Sunderland City Council’s current £120 million programme will renew half of its secondary schools by 2010.

With one school already complete, work is well under way to build three new academies and rebuild or refurbish three community schools.

Why a Sunderland Model?

From the earliest days of BSF, the council has challenged the national norm to pioneer an innovative approach.

Embarking upon the journey in 2004, it found itself in a situation where in order to secure funding it should consider city academies, but could not jeopardise successful partnerships with schools, the local college and the University of Sunderland.

The city academy structure posed a risk to this interdependent system, which was reliant upon significant levels of educational and financial cooperation from all partners. Of particular concern was a potential threat to the city’s highly collaborative approach to 14-19 provision.

Following considerable negotiation, government approved the groundbreaking ‘Sunderland Model’. All three resulting academies have well-respected local sponsors, committed to a partnership approach.

The council co-sponsors all three academies, whilst the university is a member of the city’s strategic Educational Leadership Board (ELB) and a sponsor of Red House Academy.

Key principles of the Sunderland Model include:

*Admissions policies will be the same as for schools maintained by the council, with no selection

*Academies will be fully accessible to pupils with special educational needs and will support policies for increased inclusion in all mainstream schools

*Schools and academies will work together to maintain the city’s low levels of exclusion

Academies will support the Sunderland 14 to 19 strategy, working with all strategic
partners

Transformation through ICT

BSF is not just about shiny new buildings. At the heart of the plans, a £16 million partnership with RM has been carefully developed to ensure that students gain access to the best new opportunities.

It includes a sophisticated managed ICT service that will be fully integrated into the fabric of the BSF schools, state-of-the-art hardware, professional development programmes for staff, new management information systems and a shared learning platform or Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

Which schools will benefit?

Washington School will be completely rebuilt by September 2009.

Sponsored by Northumbrian Water and Sunderland City Council, Castle View Enterprise Academy will replace Castle View School in September 2009.

Sponsored by software and technology group Leighton, the University of Sunderland and the council, Red House Academy will replace Hylton Red House School, also in September 2009.

Sponsored by people and property business Gentoo and the council, Academy 360 will replace Pennywell School and Quarry View Primary School. Open from September, the academy will educate four to 16 year olds from existing sites until the new building is ready in September 2009.

The council is working with Balfour Beatty Construction Northern Limited to design and build these four schemes, following financial close this spring.

Biddick School Sports College and St Robert of Newminster RC School will receive major refurbishments by 2010. Sandhill View School will benefit from an ICT ’refresh’.

Oxclose Community School started the city’s BSF programme with an £11.5 million ‘quick win’. At its June 2007 re-opening, Schools Minister Jim Knight and PfS chief executive Tim Byles took part in celebrations to mark the launch of one of the very first BSF schools in the country.

14-19

In keeping with the city’s 14-19 strategy, students across Sunderland will have access to ten new diploma lines, the most of any area in the north east. They may also access a range of courses at the council’s new Harraton and Pallion skills centres, which have benefited from the BSF programme.

All Sunderland students will benefit from the expertise and experience that the academy sponsors will bring. Sponsors will be working in partnership with all of Sunderland’s schools and the Harraton and Pallion centres.

Looking ahead

With a second wave to follow, completing the city’s BSF picture, the council will continue to work with its partners over the coming years to pioneer the excellence and innovation making transformation a reality, and encouraging children and families to flourish.

Through BSF, the council and its partners remain committed to providing the best possible learning opportunities for a better future for all of Sunderland’s communities.