Primary Capital

Tuesday January 19th 2010, Victoria Park Plaza, London, 08:30 - 16:00

Primary Capital Programme: Modernising the Primary School Sector

“It is plain common sense for all our capital programmes to now come under a single umbrella, including the Primary Capital Programme which has now started in earnest this year. Local authorities, schools and all our partners want one point of contact for all their school building work – and today’s announcement will make all our programmes more effective, efficient, streamlined and accountable”

Rt Hon Ed Balls MP, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (June 2009)

Overview

In 2005, the Government announced the £7billion Primary Capital Programme with the aim of redesigning, refurbishing or rebuilding half of all primary schools in England by 2023.

By drawing on lessons from the continuing £45 billion Building Schools for the Future programme, the objective of the Primary Capital Programme is not only to transform the physical appearance of primary schools but also to equip schools for the 21st century through the widespread use of information technology (IT) to improve the teaching and learning experience through personalised learning and thereby raising student attainment levels.

Furthermore, the Primary Capital Programme makes it easier for partner organisations to collaborate to deliver the aims of the Every Child Matters agenda. For example, by promoting sustainable design and more energy efficient buildings as well as collaborative, sustainable procurement practices; retraining school cooks and redesigning kitchens to promote healthy eating to reduce childhood obesity; or, redesigning spaces to provide all-day child-care facilities.

In short, primary schools will be able to play a bigger role in their communities, by extending the range of services they offer and the times they open to become community assets from which the local neighbourhood and surrounding communities will benefit.

However, it is not just the primary school sector infrastructure that is being modernised; other areas of the sector are also currently undergoing great change. Sir Jim Rose, who reviewed the primary school curriculum, published his final report on the 30th April 2009. As of September 2008, schools are required to observe new, tougher nutrition standards and, in 2010, primary schools will be required to teach a foreign language throughout all years of Key Stage 2.

Agenda

With great change taking place throughout the primary school sector, this forum will provide attendees with the opportunity to raise questions not only about the Primary Capital Programme but also about the wider modernisation programme underway in the primary sector.

08:30	Registration and Coffee
09:10	Chair’s Welcome Address Roy Blatchford, Former HM Inspector of Schools, Founding Director, National Education Trust (NET) (CONFIRMED)
09:20	Modernising the Primary School Sector Current State of Play with Progress in Delivery of PCP Nationally PfS Role as Delivery Agency for all Schools Capital Programmes Key Challenges and Opportunities for the Primary Capital Programme Approach to delivery support & development of strategic investment plans Early Activities & Linking Experience from BSF, Academies & Co-location Programmes Kerrie Norman, PCP Programme Director, Partnerships for Schools (CONFIRMED)
09:40	A Modern, Responsive Primary Curriculum Putting children at the heart of the primary curriculum A flexible curriculum that challenges, excites and engages The roots of life-long learning Building on the best of Rose and Alexander Brian Male, CEO, Curriculum Foundation (CONFIRMED)
10:00	Implementing our Strategy for Change in the Primary Sector Leeds: our story Project overview: clear vision, key objectives Project management: running the Primary Capital Programme in Leeds Best value considerations Building a sustainable school Tony Palmer, Head of Service for Estates, Education Leeds (CONFIRMED)
10:20	The International Primary Curriculum: Helping Children to Develop Academically, Personally and Internationally Exciting, engaging and real ways to learn Clear progression in skills development Engage and inspire children of all abilities International-mindedness explicitly built into the curriculum Steven Mark, Director, International Primary Curriculum (IPC) (CONFIRMED)
10:35	Questions and Answers Session
10:55	Coffee Break and Networking
11:25	Modern, Foreign Language Learning and the Primary Curriculum 21st Century Schools: evaluating the Rose Review recommendations Implementing change: putting languages at the heart of the primary curriculum New Media and language learning opportunities: supporting the skills and training needs of language teachers Dr Cynthia Martin, President, Association for Language Learning and Senior Lecturer in Modern Languages Education, University of Reading (CONFIRMED)
11:45	Digital Participation, Digital Literacy and Curriculum What is digital literacy? Beyond functional ICT skills: encourage the development of evaluative and enquiry-based active learning Active learners: making digital technologies integral to learning Supporting digital literacy: key examples Sarah Payton, Learning Researcher, Futurelab (CONFIRMED)
12:05	Preparing to Deliver 21st Century Learning Spaces Transforming learning and teaching in North Somerset - school networks and innovation Visioning at school and local authority level Learning spaces and challenging our assumptions - A Strategy of Attention Children and young people as design champions Hope and determination Andrea Sully, Learning Research and Development Adviser, North Somerset Council (CONFIRMED)
12:25	Case Study: Changing Primary Schools for Good - Seven Field Primary School School background and ethos Consultation process: listening to the needs of the community Management team: strategic and project management Learning hub: meeting the learning, social and recreational needs of the school and wider community Design for lifelong learning: Flexible learning spaces Outside learning spaces Shaping the curriculum: language learning, and vertical grouping ICT: thin client solutions and wireless access Keeping it green: sustainable school design Zita McCormick, Head Teacher, Seven Fields Primary School (CONFIRMED)
12:45	Questions and Answers Session
13:05	Lunch
14:05	Case Study: Effective Project Management – Manor Community Primary School Context for change: amalgamating an infant and a junior school into one all-through primary school Leadership team: key objectives for project Developing a community asset: consultation process Design criteria: ICT facilities Sustainable development David Lloyd, Head Teacher, Manor Community Primary School (CONFIRMED)
14:25	Renewing Primary schools Understanding the needs of children Engaging with the children, teachers, local authorities and the community Developing a learning led brief Achieving sustainable design: doing more for less John Waldron, Principal, spaces4learning and Member School Client Forum, RIBA (CONFIRMED)
14:45	Coffee Break and Networking
15:05	Co-locating Main Stream Primary and Special School Starting out; planning for co-location Site topography Creating an inclusive school Delivering transformational change for children and a whole community Sandra Firm, Head Teacher, Phoenix Primary School (CONFIRMED)
15:25	Closing Keynote: Integrating Technology into the Primary Capital Programme Understanding the ICT opportunities presented by PCP Planning for technology in new and re-furbished buildings Using ICT to support key policy areas Nina Woodcock, Head of Capital Building Programmes, BECTA (CONFIRMED)
15:45	Questions and Answers Session
16:05	Close

*programme subject to change without notice

Exhibitors

Fieldwork Education

Unistage

Audience

Delegates will be drawn from: directors of education, elected members, teachers, governors, architects, engineers and building surveyors, project managers, school finance directors, directors of procurement, energy-efficiency advisors, school improvement officers, youth and community workers, police, directors of policy and planning, directors of asset management, directors of children’s services, heads of sustainable development, school inspectors, building and facilities managers, third and private sector.