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1 September: Green light for plan to transform city schools

Initial plans to transform secondary education in Portsmouth have been approved by the government in a massive boost to the city's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

The government has approved the city's 'Strategy for Change Part 1' for BSF and Portsmouth is the first of 15 local authorities who were accepted into the national programme earlier this year,to have their plans approved.

This means that the city can now press ahead with the multi-million pound transformation programme that will see the rebuilding or refurbishment of all 12 city schools where there are pupils of secondary school age.

Government funding of between £100 and £200 million is anticipated to turn 'Building Schools for the Future' plans into a reality in Portsmouth.

Councillor Eleanor Scott is Cabinet Member for Education, Children and Young People at the city council. She said: "This is excellent news and I am delighted that the government has accepted our plans.

"BSF is about more than just school buildings - it should transform education and learning in our city for generations to come and give young people the chance to realise their potential.

"We have demonstrated to the government that we have the vision and capacity to succeed in this transformation of learning and that we are well placed to make the most of the opportunities BSF presents."

Plans accepted by the government include a vision for learning for the city that aims to continue to develop choice and access to a good range of schools, enhance ICT provision and provide improved and sustainable buildings that will provide excellent learning environments and better social facilities.

The vision has been developed with a range of partners including children and young people, headteachers, schools governors and councillors.

Changes in the arrangements of governing secondary schools to allow them to continue to improve their performance have also been approved by the government. This means that:

• Admiral Lord Nelson, City of Portsmouth Girls', Mayfield, Miltoncross, Priory and Springfield will remain community schools and support citywide collaborations
• St Luke's will become an Academy and support citywide collaborations
• City of Portsmouth Boys' and King Richard will become Trust schools and support citywide collaborations
• St Edmunds will remain a voluntary aided school and support citywide collaborations
• Redwood Park and Harbour will remain community special schools

Admiral Lord Nelson, City of Portsmouth Boys', Mayfield, Miltoncross and Priory secondary schools will also work with Portsmouth College as a loose federation focusing on specific targeted areas of English and Maths.

Mike Fowler is Project Director for BSF in Portsmouth. He said: "We are delighted that our plans have been accepted by the government.

"We have deliberately focused on getting the basic ingredients right for Portsmouth and learning from the experience of authorities who are ahead of us in the national programme.

"This acceptance by the government, the first of all authorities in our wave of the national programme to have their plans accepted, demonstrates that we are well placed to further develop and deliver the transformation of learning."

Details of the main aspects of the proposals for BSF so far can be found at www.portsmouthcc.gov.uk/learning, by telephoning (023) 9284 1117 or e-mailing bsf@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.

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