Partnerships for Schools (PfS) was established in 2004 as a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), wholly owned and funded by the Department for Education (DfE), to deliver the UK's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. In March 2006, PfS also took on responsibility for delivering the Academies programme, integrating delivery into BSF where possible.
Every state secondary school in England – around 3,500 in total – was to be rebuilt or refurbished by PfS over the duration of the programme, affecting around 3.3 million young people and thousands of teachers.
As of September 2008, 22 local authorities had selected their private sector partner for BSF and in so doing signed contracts worth £2.5bn that would see nearly 150 schools rebuilt or refurbished.
On 16 June 2009 the new Schools Minister, Vernon Coaker, announced that from 1 October 2009 PfS would also take on the responsibility for the distribution of capital for the Primary Capital Programme, Devolved Formula Capital and the Targeted Capital programme on behalf of the DCSF. Prior to this PfS had been charged with administering the cross government Co-location Fund.
PfS was reported as being criticised by the National Audit Office for being over optimistic in its targets, for using consultants uneconomically, and for having high staff costs (the Chief Executive and top four directors received about £750,000 pa in total); the Shadow Schools Secretary warned that it should 'slim down' its bureaucracy. It was also reported to have unsuccessfully attempted to censor unfavourable comments from a critical report by the Policy Exchangethink tank.[1][2]
The private finance initiative (PFI) was a United Kingdom government procurement policy aimed at creating "public–private partnerships" (PPPs) where private firms are contracted to complete and manage public projects. Initially launched in 1992 by Prime Minister John Major, and expanded considerably by the Blair government, PFI is part of the wider programme of privatisation and financialisation, and presented as a means for increasing accountability and efficiency for public spending.
Further education in the United Kingdom and Ireland is education in addition to that received at secondary school, that is distinct from the higher education (HE) offered in universities and other academic institutions. It may be at any level in compulsory secondary education, from entry to higher level qualifications such as awards, certificates, diplomas and other vocational, competency-based qualifications through awarding organisations including City and Guilds, Edexcel (BTEC) and OCR. FE colleges may also offer HE qualifications such as HNC, HND, foundation degree or PGCE. The colleges are also a large service provider for apprenticeships where most of the training takes place at the apprentices' workplace, supplemented with day release into college.
The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) was a United Kingdom government department between 2001 and 2007, responsible for the education system as well as children's services in England.
A public–private partnership is an arrangement between two or more public and private sectors of a long-term nature. Typically, it involves private capital financing government projects and services up-front, and then drawing profits from taxpayers and/or users over the course of the PPP contract. Public–private partnerships have been implemented in multiple countries and are primarily used for infrastructure projects. They have been used for building, equipping, operating and maintaining schools, hospitals, transport systems, and water and sewerage systems.
The National Audit Office (NAO) is an independent Parliamentary body in the United Kingdom which is responsible for auditing central government departments, government agencies and non-departmental public bodies. The NAO also carries out value for money (VFM) audits into the administration of public policy.
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) was a non-departmental public body jointly sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) in England. It closed on 31 March 2010 and was replaced by the Skills Funding Agency and the Young People's Learning Agency.
Metronet Rail was one of two infrastructure companies in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with London Underground. A consortium of private companies, Metronet was responsible for the maintenance, renewal, and upgrade of the infrastructure on nine London Underground lines from 2003 to 2008.
The specialist schools programme (SSP), initially the Technology Colleges programme and alternatively the specialist schools initiative and specialist schools policy, was a government programme in the United Kingdom which encouraged state schools in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland to raise private sponsorships in order to become specialist schools – schools that specialise in certain areas of the curriculum – to boost achievement, cooperation and diversity in the school system. Initially introduced in 1993 as a policy of John Major's Conservative government, it was relaunched in 1997 as a flagship policy of the New Labour governments, expanding significantly under Prime Minister Tony Blair and his successor Gordon Brown. In April 2011, after the election of the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition in May 2010, the scheme was abolished and its funding absorbed into the general schools budget. By this time, it had established a near-universal specialist system of secondary education, with almost every state-funded secondary school in England having specialised.
An academy school in England is a state-funded school which is directly funded by the Department for Education and independent of local authority control. The terms of the arrangements are set out in individual Academy Funding Agreements. Most academies are secondary schools. However, slightly more than 25% of primary schools, as well, as some of the remaining first and middle schools, are also academies.
The Audit Commission was a statutory corporation in the United Kingdom. The commission’s primary objective was to appoint auditors to a range of local public bodies in England, set the standards for auditors and oversee their work. The commission closed on 31 March 2015, with its functions being transferred to the voluntary, not-for-profit or private sector.
Educational Action Challenging Homophobia (EACH) is a charity based in the United Kingdom which "affirms the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people and reduces discrimination experienced because of sexual orientation or gender identity." Since 2003, EACH has delivered training and consultancy services on sexuality and gender identity matters across the statutory, voluntary and private sectors. It also provides support to those affected by homophobic, biphobic or transphobic bullying through its nationwide, freephone helpline.
Building Schools for the Future (BSF) was the name given to the British government's investment programme in secondary school buildings in England in the 2000s. The programme was ambitious in its costs, timescales and objectives, with politicians from all English political parties supportive of the principle but questioning the wisdom and cost effectiveness of the scheme. The delivery of the programme was overseen by Partnerships for Schools (PfS), a non-departmental public body formed through a joint venture between the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), Partnerships UK and private sector partners. Fourteen local education authorities were asked to take part in the first wave of the Building Schools for the Future programme for the fiscal year 2005/6. By December 2009, 96 local authorities had joined the programme.
The Music Manifesto is a government-supported campaign to improve young people's music education in England based on an agreed strategy and set of priorities. It promotes a 'music for all' agenda and wishes to see more musical opportunities for more young people.
Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education. DCSF was replaced by the Department for Education after the change of government following the 2010 General Election.
Wey Valley Academy was a coeducational secondary school with academy status in Broadwey, Weymouth, in the county of Dorset, in southern England.
North Cambridge Academy is a small secondary school with academy status, located in North Cambridge, England. Founded in 1959 the school has also been known as Manor Community College, and The Manor.
Education Business Partnerships (EBPs) were, until 2011, UK-government-sponsored bodies. In 2011 the Department for Education (DfE) abolished funding for Education Business Links. EBPs now directly contract with schools to provide Work Experience, Work Related Learning, Enterprise Education and Careers Education, Information and Guidance (CEIAG) by linking the worlds of business and education to offer young people a rewarding and realistic introduction to work. Around two thirds of secondary schools nationally have decided to maintain a work experience offer.
The Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government, established in September 2008 to improve public infrastructure investment. SFT operates at arm's length from the Government but works closely with the public and private sectors to deliver value-for-money on all public sector infrastructure investment across the country. The trust has the aim of saving £100–£150 million each year through a wide range of activities.
The Department for Education (DfE) is the British government department responsible for child protection, child services, education, apprenticeships and wider skills in England.
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