Transforming Secondary Education in Hackney
If you would like to see a videa of the present Lower site school and the Artist impressions of the proposed new school, please click on the images above.
What is BSF?
The Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme is an exciting programme that will transform all secondary, special schools and pupil referral units in Hackney by 2015. It was launched by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), now known as Department for Education, in February 2003. Hackney has more than £170 million to rebuild or renew every secondary, special schools and pupil referral unit in the borough with the aim to transform educational standards by providing 21st century learning environments.
The Hackney BSF programme has been developed by Hackney Council in partnership with The Learning Trust. This partnership recognises that the BSF programme and schools are at the heart of successfully delivering the five, ‘Every Child Matters’ outcomes; being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution, and achieving economic wellbeing.
What the programme will mean?
BSF is not just a building programme. It will mean:
- raising education standards through well designed, multipurpose buildings with state-of-the-art learning environments and easy-to-use technology to transform teaching and learning
- creating schools that offer facilities to the wider community with a range of public and local services so more people can benefit
Who is delivering the programme?
The programme is being delivered by Mouchel Babcock Education (MBE). MBE, chosen by Hackney Council, is a joint venture company between Mouchel and Babcock Infrastructure Services set up specifically for the BSF Programme.
Plans for Cardinal Pole Catholic School
The school is currently split across two sites, The Upper School on Kenworthy Road and the Lower School on Victoria Park Road. Built in the 1950’s and extended in the 1960’s the Upper School occupies a very restrictive site, with limited external space. The Lower School comprises a Victorian Grade II listed former hospital building which presents a number of suitability problems in delivering a modern curriculum. The site for our new school is Morning Lane.
In June 2009, the school entered into a Vision review process which re-examined curriculum delivery, design priorities and school aspirations under BSF, in autumn 2009 we started to develop the design for the new school and on the 1st September 2010 planning permission was granted for our new school to built on Morning Lane.
On the 4th November 2010 it was confirmed that the funds for our new school were approved by the Government and all contracts had been finalised and signed by the School Governors, Roman Catholic Diocese of Westminster, Hackney Council and Mouchel Babcock Education.
As a result, we will now definitely be moving to Morning Lane and are currently on schedule to take occupancy of our new building in September 2012.
Images of New School on Morning Lane
For more information on BSF Programme, visit the following websites:
http://www.hackney.gov.uk/xe-bsf.htm
http://www.partnershipsforschools.org.uk/
http://www.learningtrust.co.uk/