Revision to the Primary Capital Programme

Following extensive consultations and discussions last year we submitted our Primary Strategy for Change to DCSF last June. Last term we heard that our Strategy, in common with the majority of authorities, was graded as Category 2 approved with modification. It meant that although funding for the first year (2009-2010) was confirmed, we needed to adjust our strategy to address schools achieving below the floor targets and how this will be addressed choice and diversity, particularly parental preference issues before the DCSF would approve funding for future years.

The clear message from the DCSF about schools which are not reaching the floor targets in particular, has significant implications for reviewing the way in which we have prioritised schools for inclusion in the first four years of PCP. We will therefore find it increasingly difficult to give such a high priority to schools with predominantly building condition/suitability issues, as opposed to performance/effectiveness issues.

There are also a number of revisions which we need to make in the light of lessons learned from the first years projects, and the current economic climate, in particular:

the impact of the economic slowdown on those projects included as a response to growth

the impact of current budgetary pressures on the opportunity to contribute capital from other local funding sources

the uncertain level of financial allocation post-2011

the impact that a transformational approach has on costs

Taking all these factors into account, we have taken the following steps to revising the programme:

We have reviewed each of the schools identified as achieving below floor targets to consider whether a PCP project is relevant in terms of transforming outcomes for children. Only one, Greenacre Primary in Great Yarmouth, has emerged as needing to be included in the programme as a matter of urgency.

We have revisited the original prioritisation factors and data to give a greater emphasis to those schools with higher performance/effectiveness needs

We have identified a priority group of schools in the original programme on this basis for significant early attention through PCP, to form the core of the revised programme

We have allocated these schools across the next three years of the programme, keeping as close to the earlier programme as possible

We have reconsidered all schemes in the programme which were prioritised for reasons of growth and/or modernisation

We have allocated a cost envelope to those schemes remaining in PCP to specific years to permit implementation of a £10 million programme for each year

We have produced the attached table to demonstrate the indicative programme

For future programmes, (i.e. beyond 2012/13) it is proposed that any further projects in schools in the hard to shift category be given priority and brought forward into the Programme whenever appropriate through our annual review of all relevant data.

The broad proposals for revision were considered by the Capital Priorities Group and the Strategy for Change Executive Board, both of which have headteacher and governor representatives, and received strong support from each group. Norfolk County Council Cabinet will be considering the revisions at their meeting on 6^th April, and the full paper can be viewed on the Norfolk County Council website www.norfolk.gov.uk from Monday 30 March. All schools will have an opportunity to comment on the revised Primary Strategy for Change via the PCP section of the Norfolk Schools website by Friday 3^rd April. We have also written to the Diocesan Directors of Education, Norfolk Governors Network and SNAPP.

A Primary Capital Project requires a considerable lead-in time, during which headteachers and chairs of governors need to reflect upon how global trends may impact on the future of schools and learning, identify the impact of national education levers on participants local situation and define core values for learning in the 21^st century. Thought must also be given to improving the involvement of local communities in their schools. A training programme is being set up which will guide headteachers through this period of reflection before beginning to think about building design, and we will be contacting those schools identified in the programme very soon with details.