You may be aware that the DfES has allocated a small amount of funding
to improve staff working accommodation - £147,000 in 2002/03 with an additional
£339,000 in 2003/04.
It is proposed to target this funding to primary sector schools that
according to AMP suitability data, currently only have one staff area. A staff
area is defined as a staff room, a headteacher’s office, a secretary’s office
or any shared area for the use of teaching or non-teaching staff. This proposal
has been supported by the Schools’ AMP Consultative Group which includes in its
membership, headteacher representatives from the primary, secondary and special
schools sector.
Within the list of schools identified as having only one staff area,
greater priority will be given to those schools that have already identified
staff accommodation as a priority within a school premises development plan and
begun to investigate potential capital projects. These schools must be willing
to contribute a proportion of their devolved formula capital grant (DFCG)
towards any capital project.
I attach for your information, a list of those schools that according to
our data, currently have only one staff area. If your school does not appear on
this list and you have only one area as defined above, please contact
Christopher Harrison on 01603-222353, who will make a note of your school.
Visits to these schools and those on the attached list, will be arranged to
confirm the number of staff areas in the school and to further discuss
potential projects. These schools will receive information regarding the visits
in the second half of the Autumn Term.
I must stress at this early stage that the relatively small amount of
funding available, even when combined with schools’ own funds, will be
insufficient to address the staff accommodation needs of all the identified
schools. It is for this reason that it is necessary to give priority to those
schools that have already gone some way in investigating potential projects.