Vol8 is2

BUILDINGFUTURESVol 8 Issue 2 November 2013

New Chairman Meet your new EBDOG National Chairman

Transforming Vision A new Solihull school at the heart of an economic and social regeneration project

Popular Demand A look at a range of impressive projects across Richmond Borough Council

ALSO: Special Educational Needs

PLUS: Goodbye from Graham Olway

DfE News National Audit Office News

Building Futures is the official journal of theEducation Building Development Officers Group

FRONT COVER.indd 1 17/11/2013 12:48

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Building Futures: Volume 8 Issue 2 | www.dmbpublishing.co.uk/BuildingFutures 1


Welcome to Building Futures

Contents2 New Chairman

Introducing Peter Colenutt, your new EBDOG National Chairman.

3 Goodbye From GrahamPrevious EBDOG Chairman, Graham Olway MBE, bids a fond farewell.

4 DfE NewsAn update from the DfE on their Targeted Basic Need Programme.

5 National Audit OfficeA report on findings from the Public Accounts Committee on the Capital Funding of New School Places.

6 Primary ExpansionNPS Group offers its thoughts on minimising disruption and risk to Children’s ongoing development and learning when expanding the school estate in order to provide additional places.

8 Transforming VisionHow Solihull Council has put its newest school at the heart of an economic and social regeneration project and transformed the life chances and educational opportunites for families and the wider community.

11 Special Educational NeedsGill Hawkins reports on improving provision for pupils with special educational needs or disability.

16 Popular DemandSome of the impressive projects across Richmond Borough Council geared to meeting the ever-growing demand for new school places.

21 Rules for SchoolsA range of ideas to help you keep track of those legislative and housekeeping concerns.

FRONT COVER: St Mary’s and St Peter’s CE Primary School, Richmond Borough Council..

Contents.indd 1 17/11/2013 14:27



EBDOG News

I would like to introduce myself as the newly elected Chairman of EBDOG. I joined the Executive

Committee in 2011 and was elected as Chairman in September 2013. I have thirty years of public sector experience, currently the Head of Strategic Development for Hampshire County Council and Isle of Wight Council Children’s Services Departments, working in partnership with the Hampshire County Council Design and Property Services Teams that were recently shortlisted for the RIBA client of the year. I am a founding member of the Property Services Cluster, an innovative, collaborative arrangement delivering £500m of school building projects across four authorities in the South East.

In taking up the role of Chairman, I will seek to continue to develop the working relationships with the DfE and EFA. As Head of Strategic Development for Hampshire County Council’s Children’s Services I work across the school organisation and capital maintenance functions, so I trust this experience will hold us in good stead for the future.

The agenda to reduce costs is key to us all, and significant savings can be achieved at the strategic planning stage, when options are first being considered. This is a key role for the local authority (LA) along with keeping the local school community abreast of proposals. The majority of schools capital spending is delivered through capital development teams from within LAs. Some authorities including Hampshire have developed collaborative cluster arrangements with other LAs for increased buying power, again an important

consideration when seeking to drive down costs.

As future years will bring many more challenges for us all, it will be an honour to lead EBDOG with the support of the Executive through those changes, ensuring we remain a fit-for-purpose organisation that can respond to change. Part of this will no doubt include developing relationships with Academies and other types of school governance. I am a huge advocate of the work of the LA and have no doubt of the essential need for a strong LA voice at the table with the EFA and DfE. We must never underestimate the importance of this relationship. Being a national, trusted and well-established group, EBDOG covers the whole country. If you have not attended a recent regional group meeting, please contact your local representative, listed on the EBDOG web site. Local groups are only as strong as you make them and all key messages are reported back to the Executive. It is imperative that EBDOG remains a strong and structured voice for all LAs, even if some cannot attend our organised events. The current economic climate will require many of us to revisit staffing structures; experienced members can offer support and guidance at a time of high staff turnover.

There is no doubt that Graham Olway will be a hard act to follow. However, I will give the role of Chairman my full commitment, portraying EBDOG as the critical friend to the DfE and EFA; seeking to improve the outcomes for all children across the country. Finally, I

would like to offer my considerable thanks to Graham Olway for all his hard work as Chairman of EBDOG.His determination to drive the organisation forward has been key to our success over recent years and has made EBDOG an essential voice for all Local Authorities across the country. Thank you Graham. m

Peter Colenutt EBDOG National Chairman

NewChairman

New EBDOG National Chairman, Peter Colenutt.

Contributions on all aspects of Building Futures are welcome and should be sent to the editor at the Kent office. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy and reliability in Building Futures, the publishers can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by the contributors, manufacturers or advertisers. Copyright for all the material published in this journal remains with the publishers.

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Chairman's Comment.indd 2 17/11/2013 14:02



EBDOG News

I’m sure some of you may have been surprised to see a new face as the EBDOG National Chairman

as you opened ‘Building Futures’. If you weren’t already aware, I have taken on a new role within West Sussex County Council as Strategic Development Commissioning Manager and combined with being awarded the MBE for my services to education over six years as EBDOG Chairman, I felt it was time to stand aside.

I am incredibly grateful to DMB for allowing me the opportunity to reflect back on the last six years and I hope it will resonate with a number of you. Looking back to 2007 when I took over as National Chairman seems so long ago and an incredible amount of change has happened in that time. Even further ago, I first attended an EBDOG Conference in November 2000 in Salford and was ‘inducted’ into the strange but true world of EBDOG. Since 2000, I have been fortunate to attend all but one of the conferences and I have seen EBDOG grow and mature despite the uncertainty of the world we operate in.

Throughout my involvement with EBDOG I have had the privilege to work with some incredibly talented and capable people and there are literally hundreds of people who I have engaged with, and whilst the names may have changed, the commitment shown by everyone continues.

The timing of the May EBDOG conference always seemed to clash with the birthdays of two of my children and I seem to recall having to pay a price for missing 16th and 18th birthdays! I can also remember getting a phone call on the morning of the Newquay Conference (Nov 2008) from my youngest son telling me he had crashed his car – thankfully he was unhurt.

However, EBDOG is about more than just attending conferences and I am particularly pleased that the last few years have seen a continued interest in the regional groups.

When I joined the EBDOG Executive in 2004, as preparation for West Sussex hosting the conference in May 2005, the Executive was made up almost entirely from past hosts of conferences. This changed as we moved to developing a constitution following work put in by Ray Baker of Cheshire who encouraged us to move towards regional representation; rightly so in my view. I have had the opportunity to attend regional group meetings in the South East, South West and London and they are a credit to their organisers who ensure the EBDOG members in their geographic area are kept informed of issues.

The work of Technology Forge in hosting the EBDOG website and mailing list, after encouragement from Chris Gilbert of Birmingham, has been very much appreciated and allows the network to communicate quickly and regularly on relevant issues. I have had regular praise from DfE/EFA colleagues who value our mailing list over their own as ours gets straight to the desk of the relevant person. Whilst interest is often expressed from public sector companies in getting hold of our exclusive mailing list, it has always been refused as we get enough junk mail already.

The growth of EBDOG has been recognised by colleagues in the DfE and EFA as well as those formerly in PfS. It is a credit to the DfE and EFA that at very senior levels they are very much aware and supportive of EBDOG and regularly ask for EBDOG’s view on issues. As you can imagine, the Executive Committee is very willing to put across our views to the DfE/EFA as well as get directly involved with working

groups on various topics. Past DfE colleagues who have truly valued EBDOG are such as Philip Parker and Steve Avis who sticks in my mind at Blackpool’s Conference when he expressed surprise that DfE funding as supported borrowing was of no real use to many floor authorities and grant i.e. ‘real money’ was what was needed which he succeeded in achieving. Stuart Miller was another DfE contact who worked well with us and the more recent colleagues such as Jo Thomas & Julie Bramman have continued to follow the well worn path to EBDOG. One central government colleague who has, in my view, stood above all others is Anthony Walker of the EFA. He purposely asked for EBDOG input into the national Property Data Survey that was being undertaken and Gareth Simmons, Chris Dyer and Clive Mailing were our representatives on that working group to good effect. His professionalism and drive and determination have been very much welcomed by the Executive Committee who he has met with on many occasions.

When 2013 began I expected it to be memorable only for a ‘significant’ birthday I celebrate in October. As we near the end of 2013 I have been incredibly humbled and proud to be

Goodbye from Graham

Graham Olway MBE

Graham Olway Goodbye.indd 3 17/11/2013 13:59



EBDOG News/DfE

awarded the MBE for my services to education as National EBDOG Chairman; completed walking the full length of the South Downs Way and secured a new role with West Sussex County Council – it has certainly been a memorable year for me and my family. If you are reading this article whilst attending the November EBDOG Conference on Friday 22nd November, you will find Peter Colenutt from Hampshire County Council as the new Chairman and I will be in Windsor Castle receiving my MBE award – fate has played its hand again by arranging the MBE award on the same day and whilst I was originally determined to still attend the Conference, I hope you will forgive me for now not attending! The date is also memorable as it will be 50 years to the day since President John F Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, but I will remember the significance of the date for happier reasons.

I will, however, be sad to miss Peter Colenutt’s first EBDOG conference as Chairman. I have known Peter since 1991 when we both worked in the same education office for Hampshire County Council. I am sure he will be a very able Chairman who will continue to promote EBDOG and involve the Executive Committee with DfE/EFA at every opportunity. If he receives the same level of support and friendship I have had as Chairman he will be a very lucky man and I will continue to watch developments with interest as an ‘Old Dog’.

Thank you all for your friendship and support throughout my six years as Chairman and especially for the many best wishes I received on being awarded the MBE – without everyone’s involvement in EBDOG it would not have been possible.

Finally, I hope you enjoy the Twickenham Conference and I gather arrangements are well underway for 2014’s conferences so the future of EBDOG is in all your hands. m

Graham Olway MBE

W ith demand for primary and secondary school places running high, and

with continued population growth being predicted, the Department launched the Targeted Basic Need (TBN) programme in March 2013 to provide around £820 million in additional funding for the provision of 74,000 new, additional high-quality school places in those areas that face the greatest pressure for places over the next two years. Local authorities will be expected to deliver the new places by September 2015, with the first TBN places coming on stream in 2014.

Local authorities were invited to bid for additional places achieved either by expanding existing outstanding or good schools or by creating new Academies and Free Schools. In assessing the bids the main factor taken into account was the level of basic need, but other factors included how readily the project could be delivered, and how the Local Authority (LA) had used other capital funding, including annual allocations, to address basic need. Applications to expand existing schools were only considered where Ofsted had rated them as outstanding or good.

In July this year, the Department announced 378 successful projects across 84 local authorities. That means that with the additional TBN funding, local authorities will deliver up to 74,000 much needed new places in 45 new schools and 333 expansions by September 2015. Since September, projects in Croydon and Thurrock have been taken forward as free school projects. That means the places will still be delivered, but through the free schools programme.

Local authorities have been charged with using the TBN funding to procure their own places. Value for money is a key driver of the

programme and funding has been based on the same methodology as the Priority School Building Programme. This ensures a consistent funding allocation is provided that allows core facilities to be delivered, with an emphasis on good design; durability, ease of maintenance and low energy bills. Local authorities will report progress to the EFA on a regular basis to allow the EFA to understand issues, and offer advice and support where appropriate.

New schools delivered through the programme will be established through the presumption competition, which ensures that LAs can identify their preferred sponsors for a new Academy or free school following a publicised open competition for sponsors. That process is already underway for all the new schools in the programme, and we expect to have identified sponsors for all the new TBN schools by Christmas.

Expansions are also underway, with planning permission being sought for projects during this term.

The Department has stuck to its original instructions for bidders closely, and not allowed local authorities to change schools or sites for expansions or new schools except in the most exceptional circumstances. This reflects the care that was taken to identify how deliverable a project would be on a particular site during the assessment of bids. It is hoped that this will maintain the 2015 delivery date for the places, keeping pace with the demand that local authorities outlined in their bids.

The Targeted Basic Need Programme is unlikely to be repeated, but provides much-needed places where the pressure is being felt the most. Congratulations to all those local authorities which secured funding. m

Targeted Basic Need

Graham Olway Goodbye.indd 4 17/11/2013 14:00



National Audit Office

Capital Funding of New School PlacesThe Department for Education

makes a substantial financial contribution to the cost of

delivering new school places – around £5 billion in capital funding to local authorities in the spending period up to March 2015. Although legal responsibility for providing sufficient schools, and therefore school places, rests with authorities, the Department is accountable for overall value for money delivered from the funding it provides, and is responsible for the policy and statutory framework underpinning the delivery of school places.

The number of children starting school fluctuates each year, increasing if the birth rate and inward migration grow. Demand for places has been increasing for a number of years, due to the largest ten-year increase in the birth rate since the 1950s between 2001 and 2011. Reasons for this include a six per cent increase in the number of childbearing women since 2003, and women who postponed having children in their twenties in the 1990s having children in the 2000s.The growth in population and pupil numbers has been particularly concentrated in a number of authority areas.

The Committee of Public Accounts met in March 2013 to discuss the National Audit Office report on capital funding for new school places, published earlier that month, and to question the Department for Education’s Accounting Officer, Chris Wormald, on the funding and delivery of school places, and the future challenges.

Based on this meeting, the Committee concluded in its June report that the Department had been slow to respond to the rising demand for school places. It had slowly improved its approach to allocating funding for new places

to local authorities, but could still do more to target this funding to the areas that needed it most. The Committee was concerned that the scale of financial contributions required from some authorities introduced wider risks to the maintenance of the school estate and might exacerbate pressures on authorities’ finances. The Committee was also concerned about how authorities would be able to meet their statutory obligation to ensure sufficient school places as the number of academies and free schools grew.

The Committee further concluded that the Department did not have a good enough understanding of what value for money looked like in the delivery of school places, and whether it was being achieved. The Department also did not sufficiently understand the risks to children’s learning and development that might arise as authorities strain the sinews of the school estate to deliver enough places.

The Committee therefore made the following recommendations in its report:

• The Department should work with the Office for National Statistics, the Department of Health and local authorities to model different scenarios in order to manage emerging demand better.

• It should set out how it planned to use the new information on places it had started to gather from local authorities to ensure that funds went to those authorities with the greatest need for extra places.

• It should develop more realistic assumptions about the level of financial contribution authorities were expected to make, which took account of the wider financial challenges authorities faced.

• It should set out the actions it proposed to take to help resolve matters should discussions between authorities and academies or free schools about their possible expansion to provide extra places break down.

• It should improve its understanding of the full costs incurred by authorities in providing new school places, and clarify how it would support and challenge authorities and show value for money was being achieved.

• It should set out how it intended to monitor the impact that the pressures to increase place numbers were having on educational opportunities, quality and standards.

In its response, the Government said it accepted all but one of the recommendations. On the recommendation it did not accept, regarding the level of financial contribution expected from local authorities, the Government said the Department expected that the funding it was giving over the course of this Parliament should be sufficient to meet the total cost of meeting demand for new school places. The Department had also started to collect data on the different funding streams authorities are using to deliver new places. m

On 12 September 2013 the Treasury published the Government’s response to the June 2013 report from the Committee of Public Accounts of the House of

Commons, Department for Education: Capital funding

for new school places.

NAO Article.indd 5 17/11/2013 14:01



Primary Expansion

This increase reflects the trend of rising birth rate, migration into the local authority areas, higher occupation level of housing accommodation and

the availability of a number of popular and successful schools within the areas.

Although many authorities have to put in temporary classroom accommodation as the only option to meet the demands by the start of autumn term, permanent capacity would be preferred as it helps the schools to plan their expansion with higher degree of certainty and provides greater confidence to parents when applying for a school place.

NPS’s ethos of strong understanding of public sectors in suppporting our client organisation to provide quality and innovative public service is reflected not only in the effective partnering working relationship during the whole process, but also the achievements on the outcomes at each key stage of the programme.

We recognise the local authority clients’ key objective for delivering an affordable capital programme at a significant pace, whilst ensuring full consultation with the school community and minimising disruption to the schools involved. We carried out risk management regime to establish a fundamental understanding on the Value for Money for the capital investment between the stakeholder’s visions and the scope of funding priority.

NPS’s approach to school expansion projects goes beyond the accommodation brief of “more new classrooms” or place capacity increase by formula. We think there is much more scope to improve and to integrate than just that.

We believe it is essential at the start of the design consultation, the architect must first understand the school’s pedagogy and the constraints and the opportunities of the current school site and issues of each school’s facilities and asset management related priorities

Children’s Learning and Development First when Revamping the

School Estate

Local authorities have a legal duty to provide sufficient school places. “The number of children entering reception classes has been rising for

some years, putting pressure on school places with greater stress falling on particular local authority areas where population growth has accelerated”,

said the Ofsted Committee in June this year.

NPS Article - Primary Expansion.indd 6 17/11/2013 14:04

� 7


Primary Expansion

to be taken into considerations prior to developing the expansion options. It would be too simplistic for the local authorities to brief the architects only to design the required additional accommodation on site, avoiding any re-planning of the existing schools. Some school layouts

afford to be adaptable to expansion with minimum interventions, e.g. in linear format or by duplicating existing classroom cluster format, most would benefit from a considered re-think, to ensure the expanded school works as an integrated new school.

One good example of a recently completed NPS project for a London Borough primary school was fundamentally re-organised in the expansion design, with a new boulevard approach prominently to the new school entrance reception, with direct visual connectivity to the newly formed Foundation Stage, Key Stage one and Key Stage two blocks distinctly designed with individual identity.

Another example of expansion for a Victorian school building was achieved by converting the small school hall at the upper floor into two classrooms, and to re-create a modern school hall to a range of PE standards at the front of the school site, also suited for extended school programme by the community.

It is important that we do not overlook the effect that different ways of providing new places might have on pupils’ learning, while any risk to children’s learning and development arising from the adaptation of the school estate to deliver enough places is alleviated. m

NPS is a national organisation delivering a comprehensive and flexible range of property services tailored to meet the needs of both public and private sector clients.

Our professional, coordinated approach can help to acquire or bui ld new premises, expand or improve existing accommodation and save you money by optimising the performance of your property.

Our highly qualifi ed and experienced staff have a wide range of skills and expertise, together with in-depth knowledge of local markets and the property development process.

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NPS Group Lancaster House 16 Central Avenue St. Andrews Business Park Norwich NR7 0HR Tel: 01603 706000 Fax: 01603 706001nps.co.uk

agency and estates management

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management and consultancy

surveying and maintenance

NPS Article - Primary Expansion.indd 7 17/11/2013 14:04



New Build

Over ten years ago Solihull Council took a long hard look at the northern area of their Borough. It recognised it needed to transform the life chances of families and

the wider community in this area, at the same time as improving education and children’s services.

The vision was to create a regeneration partnership, to embark on social and

economic regeneration, alongside the transformation of education opportunities for both the primary and secondary pupils. This approach involved creating a wider regeneration partnership supported by Government funding.

Bishop Wilson Bishop Wilson, Church of England Primary School, opened in September 2013 and is the latest

addition to the North Solihull School improvement programme.

The striking, new school building looks out onto the newly created Chelmunds Cross village centre; where currently an Enterprise Centre, providing office space for small and new business and a new health building (GP, Dental Centre and pharmacy) are being constructed.

The innovative £10 million school building incorporates co-located public services facilities, including

health and the new CofE St Andrew’s Church – which can be incorporated into the school hall. There is dedicated community space; an Excellence in the Communities adult education facility; nursery; early years’ wraparound; before and after school provision; a specialist ‘Additional Resource Centre’ (for pupils with speech and language needs) and a multi-use games area and sports field.

A review of teaching and learning during the pre-design phase led to

Transforming Vision

Bishop Wilson Solihull.indd 8 17/11/2013 12:53



New Build

the design of a highly flexible learning environment, based on three ‘communities’ of learning. Allowing pupils to be easily taught in varying group sizes, and cross year group working. The school, like others across the borough, has a strong emphasis on ICT and incorporates the latest technologies.

FundingGiven the recent economic downturn, allied to the reduced levels of education capital streams, impacted significantly on the regeneration programme. After the successful completion of a number of regeneration projects, including three new primary schools, the Council had to revise the delivery plan for the North Solihull Primary Programme in order to maintain momentum.

In March 2011 the Council renewed its commitment to the vision by supporting it with significant capital investment through a mix of funding streams. Totalling some £35 million, including prudential borrowing, capital grant, land receipts and school contributions, seven schools are now either being rebuilt or remodelled. The Council believes that continuing to improve the outcomes for the communities in the North of the Borough is one of its key policy priorities.

Anthony Watson, Capital Development Manager at the Council, said:“The new Bishop Wilson School is the result of a huge effort from a whole range of people. It has been a flagship project that has resulted in a fantastic building.

“The design was based upon a vision prepared by stakeholders and approved by the Council in 2010. The front of the building will lead onto the new Chelmund’s Cross Village Centre bringing the school right into the heart of the community.

“The commitment of the Council to this programme, as part of the wider regeneration plan, deserves real credit.”




New Build

Design ApproachA large amount of time and energy was dedicated to pre-design considerations for Bishop Wilson and the other schools in the Regeneration programme. This allowed for the development of an early-stage education brief, which incorporated a process of discussion and articulation regarding the types of teaching and learning activities that should be taking place within the school.

The pre-design vision was then embedded within the schools design. A partnership between educationalists, the school, architects and the project team ensured the building design dovetailed with the school development planning process. This provides the opportunity to use the building as a springboard for future teaching and learning processes within a modern and innovative setting. m

Jon Kirk, Headteacher at Bishop Wilson, said:“After the many months of planning it was wonderful to welcome children and parents to our brand new school. Everyone at the school is incredibly excited by our new home and really looking forward to teaching in this fantastic environment.

“We are also looking forward to becoming a valuable resource for Chelmund’s Cross community with our partners at St Andrew’s Church, the other service providers and the group managing the community space.”




SEN

Improving Provision for Pupils with Special Educational Needs

or DisabilityOfsted reports that the most important factor in determining best outcomes for children with SEN is the quality of provision. (2010) Support & Aspiration DfE

Gill Hawkins reports [email protected]

Children and young people with a special educational need (SEN) or disability have diverse

abilities, characteristics or needs.

They attend school to learn, achieve, take part and join in with others, progressing towards independence and adulthood. They require good quality school spaces.

Many pupils with SEN have additional help; some depend on a high level of support; but others have unmet needs and are excluded from school. They have a higher risk of having poor outcomes in their life. A pupil with a disability has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial, long-term and adverse effect on his or her ability to do normal day-to-day activities.

6-7% of pupils are disabled; 4-5% with SEN.

A pupil with a special educational need has a learning difficulty or disability that calls for educational or training provision that is additional to or different from that generally provided for pupils of the same age. i.e. special educational provision. 20% of all pupils are identified with SEN.

Early identification and assessment helps. A child has a main SEN or disability, varying from mild to severe, as well as other needs. Varied support is given in a holistic way. Pupils have additional support provided from within the school (about 11%); or from outside of the school (about 6%) or have a ‘Statement of SEN’ (about 3%).

They have:

• individual help in class or small groups

• more staff to teach and support them

• learning aids or adapted computers

• adjustable height furniture or carrels

• varied teaching or learning methods

• specialist intervention e.g. therapies

• an adapted or alternative curriculum

• a range of specialist provision; made

• in an appropriate way for their age, ability, social context, and health and safety risks.

Local Authorities (LAs) make provision depending on their pupil needs (SEN varies widely by LA from 12% to 34% of all pupils).

Most pupils with SEN or disability go to a mainstream school or academy (19%); some require more support and go to a special school (1%) which is organised to make special educational provision. Other pupils with SEN attend a hospital school or a pupil referral unit, if excluded. (Some are

dual registered at two of the above)

Schools provide for pupils with SEN with:

• a variety of specialist facilities or spaces

• a Resourced Provision to support pupils with a SEN, who go to main classes mostly

• a Designated Unit for pupils with a SEN, as a main base, who also take part at school.

The Children and Families Bill 2013 Part 3 sets out a single assessment for children or young people with SEN, from aged 2 to 25, which is reviewed every 12 months. The Education Health Care Plan (ECH) secures:

• Special Educational Provision by the Local Authority Education Service

• Health Provision by the general practitioner and relevant NHS commissioning bodies

• Social Care Provision by the Local Authority Social Services and others providers.

SEN Article.indd 11 17/11/2013 13:57



SEN

LAs are responsible for SEN, ECHP plans, securing provision, joint commissioning, co-ordinating services with other providers and for optional personal budgets.

LAs, school governors and proprietors must provide SEN information on pupils with SEN, and special educational provision for:

• physical, mental health and emotional well-being;

• protection from abuse and neglect;

• control by them over their day-to-day lives;

• participation in education, training and recreation;

• social and economic well-being;

• the contribution made by them to society. LAs and schools have duties for disability equality and accessibility for information, curriculum and to physical environment and they make reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils (Equality Act 2010, DDA95).

The School Premises (England) Regulations 2012 set minimum standards and state:

The school premises must be suitable for the pupils, for whom it is provided, having regard to their ages, numbers, sex and any special requirements.

A pupil has special requirements if they have any needs arising from physical, medical, sensory, learning,

emotional, or behavioural difficulties which require provision that is additional to or different from that generally required by children of the same age in schools other than special schools.

Children with SEN or disability require more than minimum standards for their needs.

Points to consider are set out below:

Suitable toilet and washing facilities

• BS6465 for toilet provision states a ratio for special schools of 1 toilet or urinal with a wash hand basin for every 10 pupils.

• many pupils with SEN are ambulant and use facilities typical for community settings.

• ensure reasonable travel distances for pupils’ age, health and for support workers

• accessible toilets vary with left, right or peninsular layouts and may have a shower

• younger disabled pupils have smaller sized fittings for support or toilet training

• facilities can have a changing bed and shower or a shower-bed and sluice; with ceiling mounted or portable hoists, space for carers; bins, stores and nearby laundry.

• facilities for sports, arts, or community use.

Suitable medical and therapy spaces

• for medical treatment requiring privacy,

• for looking after sick or injured pupils with a wash facility and accessible toilet near.

• a large medical room with stores enables specialist interventions e.g. physiotherapy. - spaces should be suitable for the therapy activity, staff and pupil needs e.g. a small quiet room, medium-sized room, SEN base.

• special schools have different ranges of specialist well equipped therapy spaces.

A pupil has complex needs if the pupil has profound, multiple learning difficulties in additional to other sensory impairment which requires provision that is additional or different from that generally provided to pupils of the same age (other than in special schools or by children with special requirements).

Extra medical accommodation must be made for pupils with complex needs:

• nurses’ room(s)(medicines/ tube-feeds)

• stores for supplies (medical gas cylinders)

• therapy rooms and stores (physiotherapy)

• hydrotherapy pool with changing rooms

• room for use and storage of bulky items of mobility equipment or supports: standing or side-lying frames, class-chairs, wheelchairs.

SEN Article.indd 12 17/11/2013 13:58



SEN

Premises maintained for health & safety:

• for equal access, use and assisted means of escape to suit people with SEN or disability

Suitable acoustics and sound insulation for activities in each space means having:

• good sound insulation, sound absorbing materials, low background noise, good acoustics for speech; avoiding sudden noise interruptions or highly reverberant surfaces that can confuse or distress pupils.

Pupils with SEN require different acoustics for special classes or schools – seek advice.

Suitable natural and artificial lighting for activities in each space means that:

• pupils with SEN can see others’ faces, the whiteboard, working plane, or computer screen, with no cast shadows, glare or interference reflections, and use task lights,

• there are views out, sunlight or daylight control, luminaires with no glare, no visible light source and no flicker or strobe effect

• surfaces have tonal contrast, suitable colours, are not highly reflective or highly patterned; large glazed areas are marked

• suitable emergency lights are used for access, alarms, refuges, fire-protected lifts.

Pupils require different types of lighting for special classes or schools- seek advice.

Suitable water supplies for drinking water and toilet facilities are required; and also for practical work, kitchens, sprinklers, under-floor heating, or low- surface-temperature radiators, or hydrotherapy, or sink covers and tamper-proof taps e.g. if pupils with autism are attracted to water.

Suitable accessible outdoor spaces are required for pupils with SEN or disability to take part with others for physical education on grass pitches, all-weather, hard-surfaced courts, multi-use games areas; for social activities or to rest quietly.

Health, safety, welfare and wellbeing are paramount for pupils with SEN or disability Design matters for the quality of provision. Consult the school about their needs. A ‘PASS’ strategy can assist on projects:

P – Practical Provision for pupils and staffA – Accessible for active participation S – Safe with support for contributionsS – Suitable spaces, materials, services

Practical provision for pupils and staff:• the provision made generally for pupils: the school

organisation; number of pupils and staff; year or class groups; subjects taught (general, specialist practical); social, dining, outdoor and community activities, any support made and how pupils with SEN or disability are involved.

• the special educational, health and social care provision made

• the numbers of pupils, staff, their groups; fewer pupils in class, small group or class

• the particular SEN (severity or extent); the varied pupil and staff needs, curriculum, activities, resources, aids, ICT, interventions

• the number, type of and requirements for classrooms, SEN bases or support spaces

• any separate provision made for younger or older pupils, year groups, or if different pupil groups have conflicting needs e.g. for more boisterous and vulnerable pupils

• social, dining, meeting or outdoor spaces

• staff, storage, ancillary or services spaces.

Ensure efficient, effective use of space. e.g. more group rooms for SEN, learning, behaviour, language, gifted & talented and rationalised offices.

Accessible for active participation; and attractive and appropriate for self-worth:

• with a suitable layout, with signs, symbols, visual contrast, tactile cues;, shallow steps and ramps, rest or refuge places, handrails, guarding, easy-to-use doors

• a canopy or sheltered entrance for pupils with SEN to transfer to or from buses or taxis

• a help point, a safe welcoming reception – suitable siting of rooms and ‘travel times’

• safe accessible wide circulation routes, for peak use; well-lit with good acoustics

• safe, accessible, well equipped spaces.

SEN Article.indd 13 17/11/2013 13:58



SEN

Safe with support for contributions with:• a safe place to store personal belongings aids or

mobility equipment (& re-charge it)

• a safe place to calm down in a small room or safe contained outdoor space

• pleasant, personal care, medical, therapy spaces; treatment with dignity & respect

• good sightlines for oversight with no re-entrant spaces where bullying can occur

• passive supervision and privacy by using blinds to windows in doors, walls, screens

• health and safety risks assessed for pupils who are unaware of danger or harm

• support spaces for pupils, staff or parents (SENCo, visiting staff and parents, outreach, carers)

• sufficient safe storage ( ICT, resources, tools,)

• tamper-proof controls for practical work

• safe display and storage of pupils work

Suitable spaces, materials, services with:• good proportions that suit the activities square,

near square rectangular (9:7ratio) not long or narrow (8m2=2.82x.2.82 not 4x2m)

• sufficient size (floor area and height) for:

• the number of pupils, their age and size, diverse needs, belongings and movement

• teaching and support staff to work well

• varied activities taking place at one time

• pupils well-positioned to suit their needs

• teaching resources, learning aids and ICT

• sensory, communication or mobility aids;

• use of furniture, fittings and equipment

• use of machinery with safe clearances

• safe circulation including for people who use wheelchairs and mobility equipment.

• flexibility and adaptability for daily use to re-arrange furniture; or for change of use or for suitable multi-use for diverse needs.

Suitable sustainable materials are robust safe, e.g. without sharp edges or corners easily maintained; e.g. slip-resistant floors or carpets that do not give friction burns. Suitable sustainable accessible services for heat, light, ventilation, access security, communications, fire safety, electrical or electronic systems, plant or maintenance.

A well-designed school benefits everyone. EBDOG invites you to start a forum for SEN & disability.

19 Westgate Bay Avenue, Westgate-on-Sea, Kent CT8 8AHTel: 01843 846649 � Fax: 01843 807853Email: [email protected] � www.dmbpublishing.co.uk

Specialist publishers of Premises and Maintenance Handbooks for Councils and

Local Authorities nationwide

DMB Publishing Ltd offer a professional, first-class service, producing a variety of high-quality publications including, Wallplanners, Maintenance,

Premises and Energy Management Handbooks primarily to Councils and Local Authorities nationwide.

With a select, dedicated team of sales, administration and print professionals, our service is founded on over 25 years experience working closely and successfully with

municipal organisations.

Our publications are completely self financed and supported through content-specific, industry relevant advertising, so there is no direct cost to our clients. And depending on the

variety of options chosen, can be easily updated as necessary.

If you have a project you think we can help with call us today on 01843 846649, or for more information and examples of our projects, visit our website at: www.dmbpublishing.co.uk


SEN Article.indd 14 17/11/2013 13:58



SEN

A Summary of SEN Typical Support: specialist intervention, teaching and support spaces.

Special Educational Need Support & Specialist Intervention Teaching & Support Spaces

Specific learning difficulty SpLD e.g. reading – dyslexia numbers – dyscalculia – coordination – dyspraxia

Learning, Behaviour & Social skills Learning aids, ICT Practical work Dyslexia Dyscalculia specialists Dyspraxia – Movement & Exercise Physio &-Occupational therapies, Speech & language therapy

Main class <30 pupils 54-64m2 Classes 15-25 pupils 48-54m2 Small group rooms 8 - 20m2

SEN base 24-54m2 store 4m2 Speech therapy room 12-20m2 Medical/therapy room 12-30m2

Moderate learning difficulty MLD Difficulty with concepts

Severe learning difficulty SLD – cognitive impairment, delayed development. Simple speech language & learning. Social needs.

Simple learning tactile aids, ICT signs, symbols & practical work Learning, and behaviour support Social and independence skills. Behaviour support, calming place

Small group/calming 8 - 20m2 Medium-sized room 16 - 40m2 Class 6-8 SLD pupils 55 - 58m2 Class 6-8 SLD/ PMLD 59 - 64 m2 SpLg therapy 12-20m2 stores 4m2

Profound multiple learning difficulty PMLD - Multiple disabilities with complex medical needs Learn in very small steps. High level of health & social support.

Learning social behaviour support Communication & health needs Mobility, sensory or tactile aids, Pupil groups: 4-5 or 6-8. 1:1 work Therapies, ICT, multi-sensory work Hoists mobility aids personal care:

Class base 54 - 58m2 / 59 - 64m2 Small group rooms 12 - 24m2 Equipment bays & stores 8 - 24m2 Sensory18 - 30m2 Soft Play18 -30m2 Nurse/MI room14-30m2 store 6-10m2

Physiotherapy 20-50m2 store 4-6m2

Hydrotherapy suite 125-300m2

Behaviour, emotional and social difficulty BESD – Behaviours impede learning Delay in development Active, distracted, have outbursts; or withdrawn.

Learning social behaviour support Home-base, nurture group or play Social activities; reward system Need safe places to calm down -May climb or run. Wellbeing issues Educational Psychologist/ Psychiatrist

Small group / calming room 8-16m2 Class 6-8 pupils 48-56m2 store 5-6m2 Nurture group/Homebase 25-75m2 Play / Social base 30-60m2

Sports Hall 272m2, 315m2, 372m2 Safe outdoor space 30-60m2

Speech, Language and Communication Needs SCLN speech delay, impaired or difficulty understanding

Learning ICT communication aids Speech & language therapy SpLg Small group- social skills, role play Quiet. Good lighting & acoustics,

Small & medium sized groups 8-16m2, 16-30m2, stores 4m2

SpLg therapy 12-20m2 store 4m2 Class base 6-10 pupils 55-60m2

Autistic Spectrum disorder ASD Difficulty with stimuli, understanding social interactions. Rigid thinking. Behaviour that challenges.

Learning aids ICT carrels /screens Low stimulus, subdued, ordered Behaviour support, calming place Security: may run out, cause harm Safe tamper-proof fittings/services

Small group/calming rooms 8 -16m2 ASD Resource 55-100m2 store 4-6m2

Class base 6-8 pupils 55-64m2 Social / activity room 55-75m2 Safe outdoor space 30-60 m2

Hearing Impairment HI Different types of hearing loss impairment to deaf. Radio aids hearing aids, signing. BSL, & gesturing

HI Support, Signing, Lip reading ICT, CCTV, Sound field systems, Audiology SpLg therapy, social skills. Clear layout, Visual alarms Low stimulus, good lighting acoustics

Small group room 12-20m2 HI/SpLg therapy room 12-24m2 HI resource 30-50m2 store 4-6m2 Audiology/consulting 20-24/12-18m2 Technicians 20m2 store 6m2

Visual Impairment VIDifferent types of vision loss or impairment to blindnessUse residual sense, mobility equipment e.g. sticks

VI Sensory support. Mobility training, Special ICT Braille Moon signs symbols tactile 3D aids Clear layout Visual tonal contrast Tactile signs Speech/sound alarm

Class base 6-8 pupils 48-58m2

VI resources prep/store 24-64m2 Technician /resources 16-48m2 Multi-sensory room 15-30m2

Mobility training 50-64m2

Multi-sensory Impairment MSIDeaf blind Visual & Hearing impaired with some residual sense.

Learning behaviour support HI, VI, MSI tactile aids adapted ICT Multi Practical tactile sensory work 1;1 Mobility training Class of 4-5pupils

Small room/calming 9-16m2 Classbase 4-6 pupils 49-59m2 Sensory 16-30m2 Soft Play16-30m2 Mobility training 50-64m2 store 6m2

Physical Disability PD Physical disability impacts on learning; health social communication needs May tire easily & need rest. Access for wheelchair users

Mobility, communication ICT aids learning & independence support scribe support worker nurse carer Occupational & Physio-therapies Hoists Personal care Places to rest. Safe circulation Refuge places

Medical & rest room 20-30 m2 Accessible toilets 8-15m2 Changing rooms 15-25m2 Physiotherapy room 20-50m2 Equipment bays & stores 8-20m2 Hydrotherapy suite 120-300m2

N. B. Special school spaces: general teaching 50-60m2, practical: primary 20-55 m2; secondary 55-80 m2 dining 80-120m2, halls 100 -180 m2. Consult schools on curriculum, Post 16, social, staff, storage and ancillary spaces).

SEN Article.indd 15 17/11/2013 13:59



School Places

Primary schoolsRichmond Borough is a victim of its own success, having some of the best performing primary schools in the country, putting strains on our already full classrooms. Over the last few years, this has meant that we have had to find increasingly innovative and diverse solutions to the ever increasing demand for school places arising from population growth, economic factors and in particular the high standards of education in the borough.

We have a 10 Year Plan for primary places and have so far created 2,070 new permanent primary places and 660 temporary primary places. This is in a context of the third smallest borough in London, being just 21

Popular Demand

Meeting the demand for school places in

Richmond upon Thames

Above: St Mary’s and St Peter’s CE Primary School front entrance – and

Right: the main hall.



School Places

square miles, which contains over 100 parks including Richmond Park. There are 55 schools, that includes one nursery, 43 primary age range (14 VA, 6 PFI, 21 community and 2 free schools), nine secondary (1 CE VA, 1 Catholic VA, 7 academies) and two special

educational needs schools. Space for development is limited and requirements exacting.

We have developed a wide range of innovative solutions to meet the demand for school places. This includes:

• the expansion of existing schools, including our first four form entry primary school;

• the conversion of separate infant and junior schools to each become a through primary school;

• the extensive conversion of a site previously used as a MHT hospital to enable expansion by a third site for a primary school;

• the conversion of a site

previously used by two facilities, the Richmond Adult Community College and the Curriculum Training Centre to provide the location for the new St Richard

Popular Demand

Above: St Mary’s CE Primary, Strafford Road site.

Left: the library.


School Places

Reynolds Catholic College (two schools, primary and secondary under one unit) taking pupils 4 to 19. There are also plans to include SEN provision;

• the creation of Shared Forms of Entry (SFE), where three schools are grouped to take one form of entry between them with a 2:2:3 class ratio;

• welcoming high quality free school providers. Two new primary schools opened in September 2013, St Mary’s Hampton CE Primary and Thomson House School.

Secondary schoolsFollowing a rebuild project under the One School Pathfinder programme, the exciting new Teddington School opened in September 2010. This was followed by sponsored academy capital projects for Hampton and Twickenham academies (Learning Schools Trust) and for Richmond Park Academy, (Academies Enterprise Trust).

In September 2013, the new St Richard Reynolds Catholic College opened to receive its first intake of pupils – 30 primary and 150 secondary. With time limitations and access to only half the site vacated by Richmond Adult and Community College for the first year, development has had to be phased, the refurbishment of two existing buildings forming the initial project.

Right: St Mary’s Strafford Road classroom.

Above: Grey Court – extension to Newman House listed building.

Left: Grey Court – extension to main school building.


School Places

Left: Teddington School atrium.

Below: ICT centre.

Bottom: Teddington School main entrance.

Richmond Council is now embarking on exciting capital projects for sixth form provision at five secondary schools. Projects are due to start on site during autumn 2013 and will be ready to open from September 2014. They include Grey Court, Orleans Park, Teddington, Waldegrave and Christ’s schools. Christ’s also includes an additional form of entry.

Also under discussion is an innovative scheme for a new secondary school with SEN provision. Involving collaboration with Richmond upon Thames College, plans are being developed for new facilities to provide further choice and new secondary school places to meet our increasing demand.


School Places

Special educational needsIn 2009, the Borough undertook an in-depth review of provision for children and young people with special educational needs. The resulting report indicated that additional bespoke resources were required. Within the following three years there resulted 20 provisions attached to mainstream schools across the borough. The capital projects undertaken ensure that the four main principles were met:

• Improved inclusion

• Improved parental choice due to enhanced local options

• Improved outcomes for children and young people

• Reduced cost of out-borough placements

Following successful Targeted Basic Need bids, further plans are underway for the re-organisation of our two special schools, Strathmore and Clarendon. This will provide much needed additional SEN places to meet increasing demand.

Richmond upon Thames is proud of our innovative and inclusive approach to working. We closely collaborate with our four diocesan boards, academies, free schools and community schools to provide high quality places for our community. We work in a culture of high expectations and exacting demands and it is our responsibility to provide timely and appropriate solutions to these diverse and exciting challenges. m

Top: Hampton Academy main entrance.

Above: Hampton Academy classroom.

Right: Chase Bridge Primary School exterior.

Below: Chase Bridge main entrance interior

and reception.


Compliance & Legislation

With the ever-changing directives from government, along with the James review, we keep hearing the same point asked; are we reaching our responsibilities for schools?

W ith additional placement programmes and schools capital allocation from DfE, we need

to consider the property maintenance of not only existing schools, but new builds and upcoming projects. This is the time that we need to support and encourage those responsible to seek the advice and coaching of literature available.

n This ensures our educational properties are fully equipped to handle and manage all issues that may arise.

n With the headteachers being responsible for their properties adherence; not only ensuring the safety of the property, but also the pupils and staff.

n With innovative planning and building solutions, these need to be correlated to the property maintenance and management of each individual site.

DMB can deliver this in the form of informative handbooks for the headteachers, bursars and so on, which can involve the need for an additional resource, when these are currently limited or overstretched.

With legislation in place, there are many wall charts and planners we can offer to cover all necessary scopes, in a clear and concise manner. This minimises the need to seek extra resources, ensuring delivery of deadlines, checks, and inspections, in a fresh and simple approach.

These wall charts range from Health & Safety, Preventative Maintenance, Servicing & Testing to Energy wall charts for children, plus many more including bespoke planners and charts. m

A range of attractive, informative wall planners from DMB Publishing Ltd.

For more information call us on 01843 846649.

Rules for Schools.indd 21 17/11/2013 14:36

Please contact me with details of your planned regional meetings so that they can be included in future issues of this journal.

Peter Colenutt, EBDOG National Chairman

EBDOGCONFERENCE

DIARYEBDOG Conferences

22nd November 2013Twickenham

Next ConferencesMay 2014Blackpool

November 2014Portsmouth

May 2015Plymouth

Visit the Building Futures Website: www.dmbpublishing.co.uk/BuildingFutures for additional information as it comes in.

BACK COVER.indd 1 16/11/2013 21:31

Vol8 is2

Documents

new solihull school

elected chairman of

newest school

school estate

grahamprevious ebdog

childrens ongoing development

visionhow solihull council

head of strategic development