The Building Schools for the Future (BSF) “Strategy for Change” document (July 2006) contains guidance for local authorities in BSF on a number of policy areas, including extended schools and community provision, and strategically developing their sport provision. In addition, Partnerships for Schools, Sport England and the Youth Sport Trust have jointly funded Sports Facilities Advisers to work closely with local authorities to ensure the strategic development of sport within the programme.
There is also a wide range of guidance available to all local authorities. For (a), the community use of school facilities, key documents include the prospectus “Extended Schools: Opportunity and Access to All”, and “Planning and Funding Extended Schools” as well as the design guide “Designing Schools for Extended Services”. For (b), planning for community sporting need, they include “Guidance on High Quality PE and Sport for Young People” and the design guide “Inspirational Design for PE and Sport Spaces”. These documents are available to view or order at:
www.teachernet.gov.uk
Access to school facilities by the wider local community outside the school day should be possible in any school. The areas of school accommodation covered by Building Schools for the Future funding are set out in Building Bulletin 98. This includes allowance for facilities to encourage schools’ extended and community use. It takes account of the need for security, dual-use facilities (which can be used for both educational and non-educational purposes, such as visiting health professionals at certain times), and community use without disruption to pupils’ work, and includes facilities such as:
alternative ‘reception’ facilities and access for out-of-hours use;
sports hall, activity studio and changing facilities suitable for public use;
accessible toilets and lockers for use by adult visitors;
a community office and storage spaces separate from those used by the school.
Note:
However, BSF will not fund accommodation for dedicated non-educational services other than residential accommodation for SEN schools. Provision of these would require the joining up of other funding streams with BSF funding, such as funding from SureStart, Primary Care Trusts, DCMS, or ODPM. Further guidance on joining-up funding streams has been issued for BSF authorities.