BSFBlog

As part of our BSF Communication Strategy I have been accompanying Cabinet Member for Children Services, Councillor Tony Gosling around the BSF Wave 3 Secondary Schools.

During the last two months, Councillor Tony Gosling and I have visited all the schools, met the Headteachers and had a tour of each of the individual schools. These personal visits have provided an opportunity for Councillor Tony Gosling, who is a lead member of the BSF Project Board, to discuss with the individual Headteachers their vision for education, to see their school current buildings, their proposed new innovative building designs proposals, to meet the children and to see the excellent practice within our schools.

I feel that this has been a very rewarding and enlightening experience for everyone concerned. So much so that Councillor Tony Gosling has requested that I make similar individual arrangements for accompanied visits to the BSF Wave 13 schools within the next 2-3 months.

 Regards

Kevin

The BSF Core Evaluation Team has now completed the ITPD individual Consortium interviews. Each Consortium were provided with the individual opportunity to give a 45 minute Presentation followed by a focused Q & A session led by our Core Team. This phase within the ITPD Evaluative Process has provided a very useful and informative vehicle for the team to engage with each Consortium's Principle Specialists and subsequently for them to engage with us.

The outcomes of this phase will now feed into the overall evaluation of the ITPD Stage which will be completed in early February.

Keep watching this space, for these final ITPD evaluation results and the introduction of the next stage of the Procurement Process, the Invitation to Continue in Dialogue (ITCD) Stage. 

Regards

Kevin

As part of our search for outstanding practice to help shape our thoughts on School Building Design, John Galbraith the BSF Co-ordinator, Tim Harrington LA Senior SIP and I attended a specialised BSF Conference in London in late November 2007 which had Building Design as its focus.

Following this conference, which we found very useful, I have been in dialogue with two of the schools who were presenting on that day. As an out come of this dialogue, Senior Staff representatives from 4 of the BSF Wave 3 schools and selected senior members of the BSF Team, will be visiting these two schools to examine their nationally recognised good practice.

Later on this week, I shall be accompanying the Headteacher of FTC and a Senior Leader from the school, along with two Senior BSF Team Members, to visit Newline Learning Academy in Kent. The object of our visit is to look at and examine their established use of "flexible spaces" and its impact on teaching and learning.

Early next week, I shall be accompanying the Headteachers of Melior Community College, FTC, Brumby Engineering College and Frederick Gough Language College plus Andy Bird our BSF Team ICT Lead, to visit Broughton Hall High School in Liverpool. The object of our visit is to look at and examine their established curriculum development in "Project Based Learning" and its impact on teaching and learning.

Both these visits will add to our experience base, assist the schools attending curricular development and visioning and provide a practical and pragmatic perspective on the impact that these types of approach can have on teaching and learning.

I feel confident that the participating Headteachers, are all looking forward to the visits and to sharing the outcomes with their staff and the rest of the Secondary Schools in North Lincolnshire on their return.

Regards

Kevin

The New Year has seen the BSF Core Evaluation Team really focused on the ITPD Stage of the Procurement Evaluation process. Since the beginning of January we have been working constantly on evaluating the 3 Consortiums ITPD inputs.

As I have mentioned in earlier Blogs, we are using a particular piece of evaluative software, which we have received very comprehensive training for, which is real bonus and asset to our task.

Selected Senior members of staff from all the BSF Wave 3 schools have also been involved in the evaluative process, as members of the Core Sub-Groups. We have appreciated their support and positive input.

Our initial evaluations of the ITPD Stage have now been finalised. We move into the following phase of the ITPD Evaluation Process next week, when the BSF Core Evaluation Team engages with the 3 Consortiums individually.

Will continue to keep you informed of the ITPD Evaluation Process.

Regards

Kevin