Your task

As part of this assignment you are required to create a software design for a robot assistant in the UH computer labs.

The design should identify the major software components, drawing on the principles of modular design introduced in the lectures. You should indicate the relationships and the information flow between components. The design should be included as a diagram within your Word document. You may wish to create the design in Powerpoint, Visio or another drawing program and paste the resultant picture into Word.

The focus of your report should be on the following questions:

–           What functions will your system provide?

–           What accessibility features have you included and why?

You will be expected to draw on the principles of accessible design as discussed in the lectures. You might also use your knowledge and understanding of the topic as supplemented by:

• the module reading materials;
• secondary research

Please use the Harvard Referencing System (see http://www.studynet2.herts.ac.uk/ptl/common/LIS.nsf/lis/busharvard) to reference your sources.

There is no fixed structure for your report, but it would be important to ensure that the three components below are present:

1. Introduction and functionality.

Discuss what the functions provided by your system are. For example,

• Respond to a student signalling for help (raised hand)
• Monitor student screens to ensure students are performing tasks accurately
• Alert students (via sound / visual displays) when class is about to end
• Alert students when it detects they are about to leave without logging off
• Log off for students should they ignore this alert
• Raise an alert to the tutor if the robot cannot assist a student

These are not the only possible relevant functions, and you will need to justify your choices.

2. Accessibility of your design

Justify why your design is accessible. You will need to make specific references to your functional and design choices, and consider the different accommodations which must be made.

It is unlikely that your design will be accessible to all sections of society. You are required to justify why you have made the accessibility choices that you have.

3. References

You will need to include at least three references (the lecture material may count as one of these). You should use Harvard-style referencing.

Marking criteria (100 marks)

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N ovember 2009 – FINAL
Lynda Cox
Project Director
Turner & Townsend
10 Bedford Street
London
WC2E 9HE
United Kingdom
t: +49 (0)20 7420 0900
e: lynda.cox@turntown.co.uk
w: turnerandtownsend.com
Transforming Learning in Brent
Brent Building Schools for the Future
Brent Council
PROJECT INITIATION
DOCUMENT (PID)
.
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DOCUMENT CONTROL 2
1 INTRODUCTION 4
2 PROJECT DEFINITION 6
3 PROJECT OBJECTIVES 10
4 PROJECT SCOPE 18
5 PROJECT DELIVERABLES 27
6 CONSTRAINTS 29
7 INTERFACES 32
8 ASSUMPTIONS 33
9 PROJECT MANAGEMENT, GOVERNANCE, PROJECT CONTROLS & BUDGET 34
10 PROJECT PLAN 50
11 COMMUNICATIONS PLAN 51
12 RISK MANAGEMENT 52
Appendix A 56
Terms of Reference for Project Board and Project Team 56
Project Governance 56
Project Board, Project Team, Work Stream Group Memberships 56
Project Directory 56
Appendix B 57
Project Director’s Job Description 57
Project Manager’s Job Description 57
Appendix C 58
Memorandum of Understanding 58
Appendix D 59
Draft Risk Register 59
Appendix E 60
Readiness to Deliver 60
Appendix F 61
Draft Master Programme 61
Appendix G 62
Draft Communication Plan 62
Appendix H 63
Map of Geographical Area Covered 63
Appendix I 64
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Full Project Scope 64
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Document Control
Revision History
Date Author Reviewed Status Version Change Ref
26 June 09 C Hofmann Lynda Cox
Draft – First Draft for review
by Project Team members
Draft 1A
All sections
reviewed
21 July 09 L Cox
Draft – First Draft for review
by Project Board members
Draft 2
All sections
reviewed
22 July 09 C Hofmann Lynda Cox
Draft – First Draft for review
by Project Board members
Draft 2B
Section 5.1 &
Section 10
23 July 09 L Cox
Mustafa
Salih
Draft – First Draft for review
by Project Board members
Draft 3
All sections
reviewed
23
September
09
L Cox
Mustafa
Salih
Final draft including Copland
for approval by Project Board
Draft 4
All sections
reviewed
30
September
09
L Cox
Mustafa
Salih
Final draft Draft 5
All sections
reviewed
L Cox
Mustafa
Salih
Final Final
All sections
reviewed
© Turner & Townsend Project Management. All rights reserved November 2009. This document is
expressly provided to and solely for the use of Brent Council and must not be quoted from, referred to,
used by or distributed to any other party without the prior consent of Turner & Townsend Project
Management who accept no liability of whatsoever nature for any use by any other party.
F:\LON\PM\PPP\PPP PROJECTS\PM16573 – BRENT BSF\4.3 PID\REV 1A DRAFT\PID – 090626 REV 1A DRAFT.DOC
Approvals
This Project Initiation Document has, following discussions, been accepted by the Project
Board. It is signed off hereunder by the Chairman of the Project Board on behalf of the Board
members.
Signature and Date Version
Gareth Daniel
(Chief Executive (Sponsor))
John Christie
(Director of Children &
Families)
Distribution
Name Position Date of Issue Version
Project Team 29/06/09 Draft 1A
Project Team 10/09/09 Draft 3
Project Board 10/09/09 Draft 3
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Project Board 08/10/09 Draft 5
Project Board 03/12/09 Final
Project Team 08/12/09 Final
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1 Introduction
The Project Initiation Document (PID) sets out the proposed work programme and project management
arrangements for the management and governance of the Transforming Learning in Brent, Building Schools for the
Future (BSF) programme for Brent Council. This PID aims to provide a clear understanding of the revised project
objectives, key deliverables, timescales, roles and responsibilities and management of risk.
The PID is a baseline document and amendments can only be made once approved by Project Board. This would
usually be as a consequence of an exception or through the change control process.
1.1 Background
BSF was launched by the Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) (previously Department of
Education and Skills (DfES)) in February 2004 and is the largest single capital investment programme in 50 years.
BSF is a 15 year programme (over 15 Waves) which will ultimately see almost every secondary school in the
country either rebuilt or refurbished.
Brent Council submitted an Expression of Interest (EoI) to Partnerships for Schools (PfS) for entry into Wave 7 of
the National BSF programme. The EoI was subsequently approved. Brent Council has now proceeded to the
Readiness to Deliver (RtD) stage and originally submitted its RtD to PfS for approval on the 8th May 2009, which
was evaluated. PfS has stated that no project will formally start until it is content that Brent Council is ready to
deliver.
Further to the submission of the RtD Brent Council attended a Panel meeting stage with PfS. The Panel meeting
forms part of the BSF ‘Pre-Engagement’ stage. This stage is essentially a qualification stage through which Local
Authorities, who wish to enter the BSF programme, compete against each other to gain a funding allocation in a
particular programme Wave.
PfS has decided that at this point Brent Council will not be joining the current programme. However the Council
resubmitted its Readiness to Deliver on the 17th September 2009 to become part of the next intake and attended a
Panle meeting on the 4 November 2009. A decision on the Council’s acceptance onto the programme is expected
during November 2009. If successful Brent Council will commence on programme in either January or March
2010.
1.2 Local Context
Brent is an outer London Authority, with many inner London characteristics. It has a growing and diverse
population, and is one of only three Boroughs where black and minority ethnic groups (BME) make up the majority
of the population. The Borough is home to some of the country’s largest regeneration programmes, with
opportunities for wholesale transformation and growth in Wembley, South Kilburn, Stonebridge, Church End,
Alperton, Colindale and the North Circular Road. As a council we have a long track record of successful
regeneration programmes, and moving forward we see BSF as a critical component of driving and delivering
change in our priority areas across the Borough.
Fundamental to the success of these programmes will be our ability to break the deep rooted cycle of deprivation
evident in large parts of the Borough. According to the Government’s index of deprivation, Brent is within the
15% most deprived areas in the country. Parts of the south of the Borough – Stonebridge, Kilburn, Harlesden,
Church End – are amongst the most deprived neighbourhoods in London. Other areas – Wembley, Chalkhill and
Barham Park – are clearly falling down the deprivation rankings.
Notwithstanding this many of our education outcomes across the Borough are strong. For several years GCSE
results at KS4 in Brent have been above the London and national average. Numbers of young people who are not
in education, employment and training (NEET) are low. Retention and progression rates for post 16 education are
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good, and a significant number of Year 13 students move on to higher education. Our attendance figures are
above the national average and Ofsted rates 11 of our 14 secondary schools as good or outstanding.
Many of our school buildings are old, shabby and deteriorating. Some are not fit for purpose and fail to meet the
diverse needs of our learners. In their current condition very few are capable of positioning themselves as true
community hubs. Significant investment will be required if our schools are to drive both regeneration and place
shaping in our priority areas, and deliver additional capacity to meet the needs of the expected growth within the
Borough.
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2 Project Definition
2.1 High Level Strategic Objectives
Brent Council’s shared aim is to ensure that all children and young people lead happy, fulfilling and successful
lives. We want Brent’s children to realise their potential and succeed in life. Our challenge is to support the large
proportion of children who experience the greatest barriers to learning: those who live transient lives, those with
additional or acute needs, and those who live in our priority neighbourhoods or within families on low incomes.
Our performance to date indicates that good progress has been made against the goals we have set but there are
still areas where our performance needs to be strengthened. We also need to consider the scale of population
growth and the changing profile of children and young people in Brent. There is already clear evidence of
increasing deprivation and this likely to be exacerbated by the current economic downturn.
Brent Council views BSF as being integral to the delivery of the priorities contained within both our Corporate
Strategy and our Community Plan. A critical component of this is ensuring that we build tangible links between
our BSF programme and other regeneration priorities.
Our BSF programme will be directly linked with our other regeneration programmes. Our Local Development
Framework and our Regeneration Strategy set out a clear set of regeneration and growth priorities in Wembley,
South Kilburn, North Circular Road, Alperton, Church End and Colindale. Internally Brent Council has a Major
Project Group, with a specific remit for driving forward regeneration within these areas in a corporate and
collaborative fashion. The development of the BSF programme has been integral to the shaping of these wider
regeneration priorities, and likewise will be at the heart of their delivery.
All of the Borough’s secondary schools are already linked to primary schools, through extended school clusters and
all are part of Local Partnership Boards. We will build on this to ensure a direct link between BSF and our Primary
Capital Programme (PCP), and in some instances we will create all-through schools on a single site. We will also
integrate our existing Academy and the three new proposed academies into our BSF programme. By bringing our
school improvement programmes together, we will be able to better deliver co-located community facilities on
school sites and promote extended community access. This will ensure that our schools are able to become true
community hubs and act as real catalysts for growth and regeneration.
We are particularly keen to explore the location of community sports facilities on school sites, and have recently
achieved this in South Kilburn by working closely with Westminster’s BSF programme. Other appropriate facilities
for co-location may include Children’s Centres/Family Centres, health facilities and cultural facilities.
Brent’s Children’s Partnership has developed a Children and Young People’s Plan (CYYP) which sets out our
collective vision and aspirations for young people, and informs the way relevant services are commissioned. The
key strategic objectives are to:
§ Ensure excellent education and training is available to all our children and young people;
§ Ensure our children and young people remain safe and protected;
§ Ensure access to the very best opportunities in and out of school;
§ Support the development of strong families to improve outcomes for children.
Local services have a track record of developing and delivering excellent and innovative services which benefit
those in most need, including extended schools, and support when children move from primary to secondary
school. The achievement of Brent’s children and young people has improved dramatically in recent years.
Collectively, Brent’s young people are among the top performers in London and many of our education outcomes
across the Borough are strong. There are exceptions to the overall strong education performance, and there are
significant variations in standards both between schools and between different groups of students. For example,
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we have particular concerns about the performance of Somali students (in 2008 just 35% achieved A*-Cs
including English and Mathematics) and Black Caribbean students (in 2008 just 40% achieved A*-Cs including
English and Maths). There remains a disparity between the performances of students eligible for free school meals
(FSM) and the remaining students, although our Improving Outcomes programme has made significant strides
towards reducing that gap in recent years, focussing specifically on black and minority ethnic (BAME) students.
Our vision for lasting educational transformation through BSF reflects the priorities in the CYPP, as well as Brent
Council’s wider regeneration, growth, community safety, culture and sport priorities. We are determined to
narrow the gaps in standards so that all schools exceed national and floor targets by 2017. Equally it is critical
that we build on the progress we have already made towards closing the attainment gap between those minority
groups who consistently under-perform and the rest of the Borough’s students. Brent Council will work across
traditional agency boundaries to achieve the priorities we have set and we know that without this, we will not be
able to improve children and young people’s prospects across all the five Every Child Matters (ECM) outcomes.
Our BSF strategy is a vital component in achieving this.
2.2 How will Brent Council address its Remit for Change?
The Remit for Change is where PfS sets out the strategic objectives and targets for the Council as informed by the
pre-engagement process and Readiness to Deliver. It sets out a delivery timeframe and the key dates and
milestones leading to submission and approval of the Outline Business Case (OBC).
[DN: Insert info on Remit for Change when received from PfS.]
2.3 The key elements of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) confirms the mutual obligations and respective roles and
responsibilities of PfS and Brent Council. It establishes a clear set of expectations between both parties in
delivering BSF both nationally and locally, and makes explicit to Brent Council what to expect when embarking on
the BSF programme.
The MoU builds on the RtD commitments and is intended to assist in aligning stakeholders at the beginning of the
project and to increase the likelihood of securing a successful project delivered on time. Although the MoU is not a
legally binding document, it is owned by each of the parties to it, and was signed by PfS on 29 April 2009 and
Brent Council on 7 May 2009.
A copy of the MoU is provided in Appendix C of this document.
The key elements/responsibilities of the MoU and the how Brent Council will address them, during the course of
the BSF programme, are outlined below.
Governance and Management
§ Appoint Project Sponsor – Project Sponsor appointed (Chief Executive)
§ Set up Project Board – Project Board set up and fully operational
§ Scheme support at senior level – Project Team and work stream groups set up and operating
§ PfS permitted to access meetings and information – Access to meetings and information granted
§ Internal membership – Please refer to Appendix A for memberships
§ Appoint Project Director – Acknowledged and in progress
§ Appointment of External Advisors – Acknowledged and in progress
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Information Sharing
§ Budget for resources and advisory support – Agreed
§ Allow PfS to attend all meetings – Access to meetings and information granted
Standard Structure
§ Commitment to use standard Local Education Partnership (LEP) structure – Agreed
§ Appoint LEP Director – Acknowledged to be agreed
§ Commitment to use LEP as integrator of ICT – Acknowledged to be agreed
§ Default funding solution for new build is through PFI – Acknowledged
Standard Documents
§ Commit to use standard suite of documentation – Acknowledged
§ PfS enforces use of standard documentation – Acknowledged
§ Funding is dependent on the above – Acknowledged
Resources Internal
§ Confirm commitment to fund and commit
§ Project Sponsor time – Agreed
§ Project Director Time – Agreed
§ Project Team – Agreed
§ Independent client design advisors – Agreed
§ Ensure adequate resources are in place for the BSF process – Acknowledged
Resources External
§ Commit to appoint, fund and manage external advisors – Agreed
§ Appoint external advisors as early as possible but prior to Remit Meeting – Agreed
Funding
§ Responsibility for maximising other funding sources – Agreed
§ Tailor estates solution for benchmark funding allocation – Acknowledged to be agreed
§ Determine procurement route for best value for money – Acknowledged to be agreed
§ Provide costed control options for each school site – Acknowledged to be agreed
§ Provide indicative construction programme minimising school disruption – Acknowledged to be agreed
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Communication
§ Inform PfS of any planned communications – Acknowledged, outlined in Communication Plan
§ Approval required for any BSF press releases – Acknowledged, outlined in Communication Plan
§ Include PfS Chief Executive Officer quote in every press release – Acknowledged, outlined in Communication
Plan
§ Alert PfS Communication Director to any local issues that may cause negative publicity – Acknowledged
§ Agree lines to take on any rapid rebuttal with PfS Communication Director – Acknowledged, lines yet to be
agreed
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3 Project Objectives
3.1 What is Brent Council seeking to achieve through its BSF Programme?
BSF will enable Brent Council to transform learning in Brent. At the heart of this will be the effective
personalisation of learning to ensure that each learner has the opportunity to achieve and succeed. Our ICT
service will fully support this aim. Brent Council is seeking to transform learning through its BSF programme as
below:
§ A clearly communicated and shared vision for personalisation inspired by the BSF process;
§ Strong leadership and governance within each school committed to the transformation agenda;
§ High quality staff in schools and across other services who share the drive for effective personalisation;
§ An effective 0-19 framework for assessment for learning and pupil progress tracking. This will incorporate
parent and student voice and ensure parents have easy access to information and targeted support;
§ A flexible, skills-based personal curriculum that supports creativity and culture, where Functional Skills and
Personalised Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS) are embedded within delivery, that will allow young people to
access qualifications ‘when they are ready’ rather than at pre-determined ages;
§ A collaborative and connected approach to 14-19 delivery involving colleges and other providers using
innovative ICT solutions to transform learning;
§ A strong system to support vulnerable learners which focuses attention on hard to reach families and those
that may be unable to engage effectively on their own;
§ A transformational e-learning strategy that makes best use of media-rich digital technologies within learning
spaces that enable personalised use of ICT and curriculum innovation.
3.1.1 A clearly communicated and shared vision for personalisation
As part of the strategy to transform learning in Brent through BSF, the Education Improvement Partnership (EIP)
(Brent’s strategic partnership involving all secondary Heads and Children and Families Officers) will draw up a
‘Learning Contract’ which will have personalisation at its heart to ensure that all Brent learners have a broad
curriculum which meets their individual needs and talents.
ICT will support this by enabling learners to access resources across the Borough. Our open access policy will offer
learners the opportunity to design personalised learning pathways supported by our learning platform. Intelligent
data will be available to learners to build upon their pathways.
3.1.2 Strong leadership and governance within each school committed to the transformational
agenda
We will develop change plans for each of these areas that will identify how Brent Council intends to achieve
transformation. These plans will look beyond the short term and will support the LEP in identifying the continuing
change required post construction to effect educational transformation. These plans will support the development
of capacity building at both school and local authority level to ensure long-term sustainable change and will also
identify how we will guarantee the sustainable leadership necessary to lead and shape the transformed school
system in Brent that BSF will enable. System leadership in the future will evolve around the leadership of learning
communities rather than single institutions and leadership will become more participative and inclusive than at
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present. This will include the development of the strategic role of school governance to reflect this changing model
of schooling.
Our strategy will support us by:
§ Acknowledging that change is a journey and not a destination – our plans will change as we evaluate our
progress;
§ Building capacity in our schools and at a local authority level to support transformation;
§ Providing a clear change framework to support the work of all stakeholders;
§ Making clear what we need to do to transform;
§ Empowering those who are leading change to be innovative and radical;
§ Developing the necessary skills, knowledge and attitudes that will support us in new ways of working;
§ Enabling the innovative use of new technologies;
§ Ensuring that schools and the local authority are expert clients in the transformation process;
§ Helping us to manage the emotional journey that transformation will require;
• Making links between the various performances regimes to ensure that we can make judgements about the
progress we are making against the milestones we have identified.
The change management process will be supported and enhanced through a Continuing Professional Development
(CPD) programme led by the EIP and through the workforce reform and modernisation agenda. This process will
engage non-school based staff from other service areas – libraries, culture and sports – in order to ensure an
effective multi-agency approach to our transformation agenda. ICT will underpin this approach and enable
innovation. ICT will give leaders the opportunity to refine and develop their institutional leadership by providing
timely and relevant information. It will support workforce reform. Our managed ICT service will in turn support
this, providing teachers and support staff with the time and space to be effective practitioners. Our two existing
City Learning Centres (CLCs) will have a key role as change leaders and champions of new technologies.
3.1.3 An effective 0-19 framework for assessment for learning and pupil progress tracking. This
will incorporate parent and student voice and ensure parents have easy access to
information and targeted support
Brent Council has a transformational vision for the curriculum at all key stages. In addition to meeting the five
Every Child Matters (ECM) outcomes our vision has the ultimate aim of creating highly successful learners who are
confident individuals and responsible citizens. We have robust plans in place to ensure delivery of the secondary
strategy and BSF will enable us to deliver the National Curriculum Big Picture by organising learning to focus on
attitudes and attributes, functional skills, personal learning and thinking skills, and knowledge and understanding
to:
§ Ensure all young people are more fulfilled, better equipped for a knowledge based economy and employment,
and will engage in lifelong learning;
§ Accelerate learning and achievement at each key stage including KS3;
§ Strengthen the delivery of each school’s specialism;
§ Support the development of schools’ second or third specialism;
§ Provide Brent’s young people with the possibilities of taking part in the enormous range of opportunities
presented by the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics and their legacy, which is particularly important given the
role of Wembley Stadium as a key Olympic venue.
The partnership-wide curriculum will broaden the opportunities available to all young people, meet their needs,
stretch their talents and thus contribute to national participation targets. To ensure that all young people choose
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the most effective curriculum pathway, high quality Information Advice and Guidance (IAG) is a partnership
priority. The partnership’s IAG provision has been assessed as good and its provision for targeted groups effective.
We believe that every young person should experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of
learning and personal development, whatever their age, ability or circumstances. BSF investment will support our
drive to make more use of the environment to support learning. Learning outside the classroom – be it within
school grounds or in the wider locality – provides a stimulating and varied context for creativity, problem-solving,
decision-making and participation. Local buildings, streets and green spaces are very much a part of young
people’s lives and BSF will allow opportunities for young people to shape their future learning environments and
ensure that our new and remodelled schools are seen as part of a much wider learning environment that embraces
the local community.
3.1.4 A flexible, skills-based personal curriculum that supports creativity and culture, where
Functional Skills and Personalised Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS) are embedded within
delivery, that will allow young people to access qualifications ‘when they are ready’ rather
than at pre-determined ages;
The opportunity through BSF to completely re-design how the curriculum is delivered and its content will provide
many opportunities for young people to develop as independent and life-long learners. The use of ICT and flexible
learning spaces will promote the tailoring of a curriculum to suit the stage of progress, talents and interests of all
learners. All-through campuses and co-location of special school provision will enable individual schools to draw on
the expertise of others. In Brent we intend to move from single institutions to collaborative, multiple campuses,
giving learners and communities access to a much wider range of expertise and specialised facilities.
This personalisation of learning will ensure that our young people learn in ways which engage and motivate them.
They will employ a range of learning styles, enabled by new and remodelled spaces, which will support their
development into confident, motivated, independent learners who can apply their learning across a range of
contexts.
3.1.5 A collaborative and connected approach to 14-19 delivery involving colleges and other
providers using innovative ICT solutions to transform learning;
Brent Council’s 14-19 strategy is driven by the 14-19 Partnership comprising all schools, work-based learning
providers, the College of North West London, Learning & Skills Centre, Connexions, Education Business Partnership
(EBP) and alternative education provision. The partnership’s proven track record, endorsed by the DCSF 14-19
Progress Check assessment in October 2008, showed that effectiveness and collaborative arrangements are strong
and will ensure effective delivery of the 14-19 entitlement.
The 14-19 Partnership’s vision and strategic plan put the development of skills and competencies at the heart of
the curriculum. There is a robust strategy for the delivery of all 17 diploma lines at each level by 2013, including
the Foundation Learning Tier and Apprenticeships. All our schools have specialist status and between them cover
most of the range of specialisms available. The diploma offer by all schools is strategically linked to their
specialism. By improving standards in all schools through the opportunities supported by BSF we will extend
choice further as all our secondary schools will offer more than one specialism. This will enable a strategic balance
of specialisms across the borough and further support and enhance the diploma offer at 14-19.
The diploma lines are being phased in over a five year period, starting with Creative and Media from 2009. The
partnership has agreed a lead provider and delivery partners for each diploma based on each school’s specialist
status and its identified expertise. All schools will be involved in the delivery of at least one diploma. The facility
to remodel provision and ICT infrastructures through BSF will enable increased efficiency for the delivery of
extended schools core offer for learners and underpin Brent Council’s robust strategy for the 14-19 and vocational
offer.
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Each secondary school provides post 16 education; four schools in the south of the borough are part of a 6th form
consortium and the two single sex faith schools also offer a joint provision at post 16. We have a Further
Education College which works very closely with all secondary schools, offering alternative pathways, and has sites
in both the north and the south of the borough.
3.1.6 A strong system to support vulnerable learners which focuses attention on hard to reach
families and those that may be unable to engage effectively on their own;
All our schools are linked to primary schools through extended school clusters and all are part of locality
partnership boards. These arrangements enable the strategic planning of extended facilities, support community
access to school facilities, drive local priority-setting and help meet community needs through multi-agency
working.
At the heart of the BSF strategy will be the co-location of multi-agency services in local neighbourhoods. We are
already well advanced in developing integrated teams co-located on school sites and successfully applied for
funding through the Cross-Government Co-Location fund for two school based capital projects. BSF investment will
further support our strategic plan to deliver five integrated teams in localities which will identify needs early and
offer appropriate support including speedy access to specialist services.
The development of an educational, social and community campus in Brent schools will transform facilities through
improved building design. This will ensure the ability to provide access to the widest range of opportunities for an
increasingly diverse community and its learning needs. The quality of place will enhance the success of our
integrated services agenda by making the local community want to make use of the facilities located within and
around our schools. We will do this by ensuring that our BSF school designs fully meet the needs of our young
people and the wider community, are visually attractive, safe, accessible, functional, and improve the character
and quality of the local area.
Through improved community access, innovative technology solutions and enhanced family learning opportunities
the BSF investment will empower parents to be part of a successful learning experience and support the
development of adult skills and thus improve employability. In turn, this will promote improved social mobility
using the enhanced facilities to address the causes of underachievement. ICT will give us the opportunity, built on
a structured change management programme, to bring agencies together by offering a common learning platform
and real time communication. This will enhance their engagement with each other and help promote inter agency
working.
The outstanding capacity of our schools to drive community cohesion will be further enhanced through community
consultation and the relocation of cultural facilities within schools. BSF development funding will enable innovative
building designs to capture Brent Council’s extensive diversity and enable extended school use of such facilities
during and beyond the traditional school day. A joined up approach with our library service will also offer new
ways of accessing learning and learning resources for our pupils and community. BSF will provide greater
opportunities for cultural learning and enable schools to deliver the core offer.
Through BSF we intend to remodel all schools to include a welcoming facility for parents which will be linked to
extended school developments. This will assist in home-school liaison and we hope will encourage the more ‘hard
to reach’ families to feel that schools have something broader to offer which is personalised to their lives.
Technology will support our aim to engage parents and carers.
Through BSF, with the current estate greatly enhanced, the additional, expanded and co-located provision will
offer parents a very much greater diversity and choice of school provision for their children.
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3.1.7 A transformational e-learning strategy that makes best use of media-rich digital
technologies within learning spaces that enable personalised use of ICT and curriculum
innovation.
ICT will, through the provision of a managed ICT service and a managed learning environment for schools by the
LEP, underpin the transformation that BSF will enable in Brent. The use of new technologies will:
§ Support our personalising of the learning experience which will result in improved learner engagement and
learning outcomes;
§ Create a flexible learning environment so that resources can be accessed whenever and wherever they are
needed, including from home;
§ Support all staff, through professional development, and provide tools for collaboration, management and
administration;
• Enable secure and reliable communications between the school and parents, other schools, the local authority
and children’s services.
Our open access policy of enabling our workforce and community to access learning and information at a time and
place that suits their needs will drive our ICT strategy. BSF will support us in making our schools places where our
communities can benefit from our investment in technology. Most schools already subscribe to the London
Managed Learning Environment (MLE) and Brent has lead the way in the creation of an ICT Strategic Leadership
programme that addresses the contribution that ICT can make to personalised learning, the new curricula,
assessment and communications with parents and the community and change management.
Brent Council has secured agreement to use an integrated ICT managed service in line with its ICT strategy and
BSF requirements. The development of a managed service will support innovation, enabling the development of econfidence
across our schools. The ICT service will support us in intelligent management and use of data, learning
platform development and innovative device strategies. We will work with our ICT partner to implement an
ongoing change management process to enable the workforce to benefit fully from the new opportunities
available.
As well as enhancing the curriculum, teaching and learning will support school leadership, management and
administration of our schools by enabling the secure transfer of data with other schools, local authorities, and
children’s services and be accessible to all who need to use it – including school governors. It will support
communication with parents about students’ attendance, behaviour and attainment and allow for efficient
administrative and financial systems including electronic filing and cashless financial transactions within the
school. It will also support school leaders in the analysis of data to provide information about course effectiveness,
staff and learner performance and enable the use of pupil performance data to inform decisions about staff
development and deployment.
We recognise that achieving our vision is dependent on all schools being hubs at the heart of their communities,
delivering excellent personalised education and effectively contributing to all aspects of well being at the front line
of a preventative system. We believe that services should be needs-led and personalised.
The impact of BSF will be that young people develop as independent and life-long learners who develop the skills,
capabilities and competencies needed for a 21st Century society and economy.
3.2 Why is it important to achieve these objectives?
Brent still has too many children who do not achieve their potential. Although Brent schools overall do well against
national benchmark indicators the current school ‘stock’ and delivery cannot improve further without the
transformational opportunity provided by significant investment from BSF.
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3.3 How will the outcomes of BSF be measured to confirm they have successfully been
delivered?
The CYPP identifies our key strategic objectives for transforming educational outcomes in Brent and these
outcomes reflect the wider ambitions of the CYPP. To support the delivery of our transformational agenda, we
have identified the following Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) – aligned to those in the CYPP – for our BSF
programme. We believe that they are aspirational and reflect the added value that BSF investment will bring to
Brent. They have been derived from the principal objectives of our BSF programme and demonstrate how
outcomes will improve beyond the completion of our BSF programme and, as such, reflect transformational
change sustained over time.
The KPIs will be subject to our corporate monitoring procedures and will be subject to annual review and
modification where necessary. Each school will be expected to identify within its own SfC a set of KPIs that
demonstrate how Brent Council’s aspirations are to be achieved across each school site in Brent. Schools will be
expected to make the KPIs part of their ongoing school improvement planning processes and subject to annual
review by their Schools Improvement Plan (SIP).
Our BSF KPIs are:
• All secondary schools are rated as Outstanding for effectiveness;
• All secondary schools have an agreed learning contract;
• All young people and their families have access to high quality provision matched to their needs;
• KS4 data indicates that there are no significant differences in attainment between different ethnic groups or
between boys and girls;
• Permanent exclusions are significantly reduced;
• Each school’s attendance figures match or exceed national averages and no school is categorised for persistent
absence (PA);
• All young people leave full-time education by age 19 with sufficient skills and qualifications to enable them to
engage in employment or higher education;
• 95% of children participate in five hours of quality PE/sport per week;
• Reduction in the percentage of the adult population who do no physical activity per week;
• Surveys (e.g. Tell Us) indicate that young people feel safe at school and enjoy their learning;
• Surveys of families indicate that they feel supported by schools and extended services;
• All young people aged 14-19 have access to a broad range of high quality learning pathways;
• New build schools achieve a 60% reduction in carbon emissions;
• New build schools achieve a BREEAM rating of Excellent for sustainability.
3.4 Delivery of Strategy for Change (SfC)
The detail Brent Council provided in RtD submission describes the ‘what is to be done’ element of their strategic
planning. The SfC is the ‘how it will be done’ component; providing additional detail to the information already
provided in the RtD and setting out a clear, robust and resourced plan for delivering the key challenges and
objectives identified. It ensures that Brent Council’s educational priorities are at the forefront of their BSF planning
processes, enabling more forward-looking learning environments to be developed. School staff, governors and the
local community will need to be engaged with the local authority’s development of its strategic objectives and
plans for its SfC.
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The SfC ties together local education and estate strategies – thus encouraging Brent Council to focus
simultaneously on the two principal elements of the BSF programme.
The three key sections of the SfC are:
§ Transformational overview
§ Proposals to address Key Estate Proposals
§ Project planning;
§ Updated RtD school chart.
The SfC will capture:
§ How Ministerial expectations set out in the Remit for Change will be met;
§ The key objectives of local education and corporate strategies and how these will meet local needs;
§ How BSF investment in ICT and buildings will enable Brent Council to fulfil its role as strategic commissioner
and learners champion of school places to transform outcomes for children and young people;
§ What requirements these objectives place on the school and FE estate and how BSF and LSC investment will
meet those requirements; and
§ The change management strategy and plans to lead and support implementation and delivery.
Brent Council’s SfC will be prepared in accordance wit the BSF Strategy for Change guidance for Local Authorities
in BSF Wave 7-9 (May 2009). Drafting has commenced on Brent Council’s SfC with input from the Project Team
and work stream groups.
3.5 Delivery of the Outline Business Case (OBC)
The OBC is a detailed assessment of what is achievable and affordable in BSF. It provides sufficient detail to
secure formal approval to begin the procurement of a private sector partner.
The OBC aims to ensure that projects are sufficiently robust to move into procurement, and in particular, that they
are affordable, offer value for money, will be attractive to the market and have the necessary local authority
resources and experience in place.
The three key strands of the SfC – meeting the education challenges; the estate strategy; and the procurement
strategy are developed in more practical and financial detail in the OBC. For example, each school’s SfC is
developed to reflect its own needs and priorities, as well as the overall education priorities from Brent Council’s
wider SfC. Each school’s strategy is then used to inform the design for the school.
The OBC will include the confirmation that the SfC aims and plans remain current (or reasons are given for
alternatives developed since the SfC was approved) and in particular that they fit area wide objectives, meet the
Ministerial ‘Remit for Change’, help deliver key policy developments and will improve student outcomes.
Brent Council’s OBC will be prepared in accordance with the PfS OBC guidance.
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3.6 Delivery of Procurement
Brent Council recognises its liabilities to accord fully with European Union (EU), national and local government,
Treasury procurement, legislation and directives together with Town Planning, Building Control and other statutory
requirements.
3.7 Establishment of Local Education Partnership (LEP)
Brent Council has agreed that the BSF programme will be delivered through a LEP. The basis for the
establishment of the LEP has not been determined at present.
3.8 Delivery of Financial Close
To be agreed.
3.9 Internal Resources to support Strategic Partnering Framework (SPF)
The SPF arrangements will be managed by the Commercial, Facilities management (FM) and Legal work stream
group. Decisions in regard to the SPF will be managed by the Project Team and Project Board according to the
project management governance arrangements.
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4 Project Scope
4.1 Brent Council’s First Wave of Schools
For our first wave projects we will develop four schools as learning campuses to support our transformational
vision and to provide a coherent approach to raising attainment. They will model the possibilities opened up by
ICT, the co-location of integrated services and provision of world class, specialist facilities for Diplomas. The first
wave of schools will consist of:
• Alperton Community School – 100% new build on existing site
• Cardinal Hinsley Mathematics and Computing College – 100% new build on existing site
• Queen’s Park Community School – 0%-20% new build (extension) and refurbishment
• Copland Community School – 100% new build on existing site
Learning campuses will be delivered in a variety of ways at different schools. Alperton Community School’s allthrough
provision will have an integrated children’s centre and further its lead role in developing Functional Skills.
Cardinal Hinsley Mathematics and Computing College in the south of the borough, is supporting the delivery of IT
and Sport and Active Leisure Diplomas and will have an on-site targeted multi-agency team for young people with
additional needs and new arrivals. Queens Park Community School, a fully extended school with an integrated
children’s centre, sited at the heart of south Brent’s regeneration activities, is leading on the development of the
Business, Administration and Finance Diploma and will also provide additional school places and resourced SEN
provision. Copland School is a leading edge school for Inclusion and a Science Specialist College. Plans for
expansion are in place and emphasise the concept of a Science College where all students have the opportunity to
follow a course of 10 GCSE subjects in the Upper School. Through extra work Copland students may take
additional GCSE examinations – up to 14 subjects. Students are expected to continue their studies in the sixth
form by taking GCSE, ‘A’ levels, Vocational and Access courses. All four schools will have access to high quality
ICT, flexible learning and community spaces that enable all stakeholders, especially young people and families, to
engage in intergenerational and life-long learning. We will use the new facilities to train and develop a high
quality, flexible workforce. Our Top Priority projects are the right projects to make the biggest impact on our
transformational strategy within a funding allocation of approximately £80m.
Details of the full project scope are attached at Appendix I.
4.2 The Geographical Area covered
A map detailing the geographical area covered is attached Appendix H.
4.3 Linked Capital Projects
Our BSF programme will be directly linked with our other education and regeneration programmes. Demand for
additional capacity in both primary and secondary is being felt across the Borough but the position is acute in the
Wembley area. There is also a lack of secondary provision in the south of the Borough centred on the Stonebridge
area. There is considerable demand from parents in the south of the Borough for places in north Brent schools
which currently cannot be satisfied. In view of this Brent Council is developing an all-through Academy in
Wembley. The admissions criteria for the new Academy will give priority to secondary pupils both in the Wembley
area and in the Stonebridge area.
Our Local Development Framework and our Regeneration Strategy set out a clear set of regeneration and growth
priorities in Wembley, South Kilburn, North Circular Road, Alperton, Church End and Colindale. Internally Brent
Council has a Major Project Group, with a specific remit for driving forward regeneration within these areas in a
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corporate and collaborative fashion. The development of the BSF programme has been integral to the shaping of
these wider regeneration priorities, and likewise will be at the heart of their delivery.
The ongoing regeneration of Wembley is a clear example of Brent Council’s ability to deliver complex, multiagency
regeneration programmes in an effective and efficient way. Brent Council published a vision setting out its
long term aspirations for Wembley and has subsequently worked with a range of public, private and community
partners to deliver against these. Specifically, Brent Council played a key role in delivering a multi-million public
transport improvement programme – establishing with the London Development Agency a dedicated project
management team to oversee capacity and improvements to each of Wembley’s three tube and rail stations.
Brent Council is now working with landowners and developers to bring forward major mixed use developments,
and is taking a direct stake in the regeneration of the area by building a new Civic Centre at the heart of the new
Wembley. Critically Brent Council has also taken a lead on a range of revenue based employment projects to
ensure that local people are in prime position to reap the benefits of the physical transformation of the area.
Currently this only includes secondary school provision but it is anticipated that the remit of the LEP may be
extended to include:
§ Primary Capital Programme (PCP)
§ Regeneration
§ Libraries
§ Sport and physical activity
§ Culture
Brent Council’s Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) notice will be checked against the local scope to
ensure that it includes all the services the Council may wish to deliver via the LEP, as agreed with PfS.
4.4 School Organisation Issues
The diversity and mobility of Brent’s population is increasing and this is reflected in population growth. Recent
figures indicate that there are significant numbers of people moving into the Borough and creating new emerging
communities, as well as significant numbers of transient people within the Borough. The Office for National
Statistics (ONS) estimates that in 2006 our population was 271,400. However, independent research
commissioned by Brent Council estimates the figure to be nearer 289,000 in March 2007. This growth, which is
largely in the south of the Borough, predominantly comprises young adults, often with pre-school or young
children. The increase in young children was confirmed by the 2008 Childcare Sufficiency Assessment undertaken
by Brent Council.
4.4.1 New Schools and Expansion
The number of secondary pupils in the Borough has been increasing each year. Between 2003-04 and 2007-08,
there has been an increase of 783 Y7-11 pupils. In percentage terms, the secondary school population has
increased by 5.4% in a span of just four academic years. The forecast for Y7-11 by 2017-18 currently stands at
15,205 school places –a 5.7% increase on 2008. Demand for sixth form places has also been increasing, rising
from 3453 places in 2004 to 3761 places in 2008.
Brent Council has a steadily growing 11–16 school population, which is centred around not only the growth areas
within the Borough, through three of London’s key regeneration areas Wembley, South Kilburn and Chalkhill, but
also around the increase of overseas migrant workers and their families entering Brent. The rise of migrants into
the Borough is reflected in the increase in casual admissions; between January 2006 and December 2008 we
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required 1920 primary places and 2315 secondary places and annually we have to find, on average, 600 primary
places and 750 secondary places for casual admissions.
Brent is a net exporter of secondary pupils (in 2008, 3,662 pupils travelled out of the borough whilst 3,206
travelled in), but more Brent children are choosing to attend school in Brent. In 2008 77% of secondary aged
pupils resident in Brent attended maintained schools within the Council; this is an increase from 73% since 2006.
Cross border movement mainly occurs when the child lives close to the Brent borders, or parents have chosen a
specific school in another Borough e.g. a faith school.
As set out in the London Spatial Plan and Brent Council’s Local Development Framework Brent is expected to
experience significant housing growth over the next nine years and this will impact on school rolls. Detailed below
is a socio-model of the population increase due to housing growth and the subsequent number of FE required to
accommodate this growth:
This demand for additional capacity in both primary and secondary is being felt across the Borough but the
position is acute in the Wembley area. There is also a lack of secondary provision in the south of the Borough
centred on the Stonebridge area. There is considerable demand from parents in the south of the Borough for
places in north Brent schools which currently cannot be satisfied. In view of this Brent Council is developing an allthrough
Academy in Wembley. The admissions criteria for the new Academy will give priority to secondary pupils
both in the Wembley area and in the Stonebridge area.
Even with the development of the Academy the pressure on school places remains acute with currently (as at 8
January 2009) 124 children aged 4 – 16 without a school place. In addition Brent Council has established
temporary “projects” for secondary pupils who cannot find places and who need to acquire a working knowledge of
English. In February 2009 these projects (effectively overspill capacity) provided education for 130 pupils.
This overall increase in pupils has had a dramatic effect on the demand for school places. Two of the schools
identified for the top priority phase of our BSF programme are over capacity with sizeable waiting lists.
There is now only one secondary school with any surplus capacity: a Roman Catholic boys’ school and this school
has become increasingly popular with Polish, Brazilian and Portuguese families moving into the Borough. The BSF
programme is critical to assisting with our urgently required expansion plans.
The following current projects will provide an additional eight forms of entry (FE) through:
New
Housing
New
Population
New Children
& Young
People Aged
0-18
Nursery
Classes
Req
Primary
School
FEs
Secondary
School
FEs
Post-
16
FEs
Alperton 1,553 3,563 732 3.9 1.3 0.9 1.1
Burnt Oak/Colindale 2,544 5,836 1,199 6.4 2.2 1.4 1.8
Church End 853 1,957 402 2.1 0.7 0.5 0.6
South Kilburn 2,381 5,802 1,384 7.5 2.5 1.6 2.0
Wembley Phase 1 3,728 8,209 1,183 8.4 2.0 0.8 1.3
Wembley Phase 2 NE 1,200 2,839 628 3.3 1.1 0.8 0.9
Wembley Phase 2 NW 1,200 2,745 568 3.1 1.0 0.6 0.8
Rest of Wembley 5,152 11,820 2,428 13.0 4.4 2.8 3.6
Park Royal 1,099 2,521 518 2.8 0.9 0.6 0.8
Other 2,419 5,550 1,140 6.1 2.1 1.3 1.7
Total 22,129 50,840 10,180 56.6 18.4 11.3 14.4
Sub-Total Wembley 11,280 25,612 4,806 27.8 8.6 5.1 6.6
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§ Wembley Park Academy (+6FE) – new school;
§ Preston Manor High School (+1FE) – popular schools initiative
§ Claremont High School (+1FE) – popular schools initiative.
Brent Council’s BSF plans incorporate a number of strategically planned school expansions based on our robust
projections and comprise a new secondary school including primary and Post 16 education places in the growth
area of Alperton in the north of the borough.
A forecasting exercise has been undertaken which takes account of the slackening in demand for in-year
admissions in 2008. Nevertheless it shows that there is still a demand for an additional 10FE in secondary schools
by 2016 and 16FE by 2018 in addition to the 2FE that was added by expansion of two secondary schools in 2007
(Preston Manor High School and Claremont High School).
The forecast of numbers is based on projections provided by the GLA. The shortfalls identified are based on
maintaining a 5% surplus capacity (the Audit Commission has, in the past, recommended 10%). This is a tight
planning margin and is an approach taken to ensure Brent Council does not build too much surplus into the
system. The reason for adopting 5% is because of the uncertainties in the future relating to housing growth and
migration. The above figures are the minimum growth we believe we should aim to deliver.
Within this growth we recognise that our post 16 provision is increasing in popularity with a significant proportion
of our current schools’ sixth forms already at maximum capacity with further demand for them to grow. In view of
this we have been in discussions with the further and higher education providers within the borough to ensure that
Brent Council makes provision for its pupils with the implementation of both diplomas and a campaign to
encourage our young people to continue further and higher education. Our BSF and EIP governance model ensure
close working with representatives from the Further Education sector.
The numbers of children and young people in Brent with profound and multiple learning difficulties is rising. This is
also the case for autistic spectrum disorder. There has been a 20% increase in the numbers of new statements of
SEN comparing 2006/07 to 2007/08 and this trend is continuing. The increasing demand has been taken into
account in our BSF planning for the number of places required to meet specialist needs both within mainstream
and special schools. Queens Park is at the heart of our inclusion plans and through our first BSF project we will be
developing a 15 place SEN Resource Centre as an integral part of this mainstream school.
Our pupil number projections extending beyond the probable length of our BSF programme for: 11-16, post 16
and SEN can be seen in the supplementary information submitted with this document.
All our first wave schools are expansion schemes that have been batched early on to help us meet our statutory
duty. The expansion details are shown below:
§ Alperton School 100% new build +1FE
§ Cardinal Hinsley 100% new build +1FE
§ Queens Park School 0-20% Extension
+ refurbishment +2FE
§ Copland School 100% new build
4.4.2 Consultation
Brent Council understands that effective consultation, engagement and communication are vital success factors
within any transformational change programme.
On a Borough wide basis a number of consultations have already taken place including:
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• A Good School Place for Every Child in Brent – July 2008
• School Places Consultation – Have your Say – July 2008
Brent Council has already developed its Communication Plan for BSF to initially deliver the educational vision
‘Transforming Learning in Brent’. This has included each school in the Top Priority phase consulting with its
stakeholders on the proposals for BSF.
The statutory consultation process in regard to our Top Priority BSF schools is anticipated to commence once the
council is on programme and Brent Council has developed a programme for delivering these statutory
requirements as set out in the Communication Plan.
The Communication Plan also sets out the long term strategy for the development of communication across the
Borough from within Brent Council, and out to the schools and wider community to ensure that one consistent and
joined up message is delivered for this programme. The BSF team, council members and schools are already using
a secure portal known as ‘Huddle’ to communicate internally, which will be a valuable communication medium with
potential partner’s right through the procurement phase. Brent Council has already created its own BSF web page
on its website to inform staff, pupils, parents and general members of the public not only about the BSF
programme but how it may impact on their lives and how they can get involved in the process.
The complex nature of BSF means that there are many and varied stakeholder groups both internally and
externally. As part of our Communication Plan we have undertaken a stakeholder analysis and identified a
significant number of stakeholders. With this in mind we have then developed a stakeholder management plan and
have already engaged in consultation with key stakeholders within the council and with the schools and governors.
All the schools and school governors have been briefed on the process and a number of head teachers, teaching
staff and governors have joined the work stream groups, Project Team and hold key representation on the Project
Board. As part of our initial EOI, Brent Council undertook a lengthy consultation process. As we progress further
into the BSF programme we intend to carry out further detailed consultation to ensure that we fully understand
the hopes, wishes and aspirations of our community so that they can maximise educational, sport and cultural
benefits from our BSF programme.
Brent Council has already had excellent initial stakeholder support for its BSF proposals from all of its Head
teachers and Chairs of Governors. Brent’s Children’s Partnership has fully endorsed our BSF strategy and will
continue to be a key stakeholder as we progress through BSF. The Brent Youth Parliament recently received a
presentation from the Project Team on the BSF Programme and not only actively welcomed the proposals but wish
to engage further in the process. We have already met with the Sorrell Foundation and agreed to utilise their
support for ensuring real engagement and involvement from our children and young people in the design of their
schools from September 2009 (subject to the outcome of our Readiness to Deliver submission). Community
Partnerships and local MPs have shown cross party support to improving the life chances of the children and young
people in Brent. We have also had excellent engagement across Brent Council’s departments, with key members
from Sports and Leisure, Regeneration and Housing actively engaged in the work group.
Brent Council’s well established Culture, Sport and Learning Forum and the Brent Community Sports and Physical
Activity Network (Brent CSPAN) have received presentations regarding our BSF Strategy and the membership of
two specific BSF work stream groups, around Libraries and Culture and Sport and PE have been established
involving private and third sector representatives, where appropriate
Each of our Top Priority Project schools has undertaken substantial consultation with their pupils, staff, governors
and parents’ regarding the BSF plans for their schools. Each school has established its own BSF teams for pupils
and staff and we would like to accelerate this process as soon as possible through the Sorrell Foundation. Such is
the level of engagement and interest from all of our secondary schools that a number of our Follow-On Project
schools have also started to engage with their pupils, staff, governors and parents as well and are keen to adopt
much of the Sorrell Foundation’s proven approaches and methodology as early as possible.
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4.4.3 Change Management
Brent Council sees BSF as a corporate priority, not only as an opportunity to narrow the gap in educational
standards so that all schools in the Borough exceed floor and national targets by 2017, but to transform delivery
of learning in Brent, dramatically improve the life chances of its pupils and act as a catalyst for regeneration, and
ensure the levels of deprivation in the Borough do not diminish the life chances of our pupils and their families.
The Audit Commission Corporate Assessment reports that “Leadership within the Council is a particular strength”
with Council leaders and members displaying a clear understanding of the local issues and taking responsibility for
community leadership seriously. Brent Council has a very strong and established ethos of partnership working
across the Council commissioning joint arrangements for the delivery of integrated services in local
neighbourhoods. A working example of this is Brent’s Children’s Partnership Board which has a clear single vision
and aligns the CYPP to the ECM outcomes and Regeneration Plans through multi agency services.
Change management will enable us to achieve the innovative and ambitious plans we have for transformation and
will lead to improved teaching and learning and levels of achievement for all students. We recognise that to deliver
transformation in learning outcomes we need to transform the way our schools work and how learning is
delivered. Brent Council has a strong record of leading and delivering significant transformational programmes. At
the heart of the success has been the adoption of a comprehensive partnership approach to change management.
The key themes of our developing change management strategy are:
• Leading of learning
• Workforce reform and modernisation
• Building stronger families
• Community Leadership
• Increasing community access
• Students as agents of change
• ICT
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• Sustainability
We will develop change plans for each of these areas that will identify how Brent Council intends
to achieve transformation. These plans will look beyond the short term and will support the
Local Education Partnership (LEP) in identifying the continuing change required post
construction to effect educational transformation. These plans will support the development of
capacity building at both school and local authority level to ensure long-term sustainable change
and will also identify how we will guarantee the sustainable leadership necessary to lead and
shape the transformed school system in Brent that BSF will enable. System leadership in the
future will evolve around the leadership of learning communities rather than single institutions
and leadership will become more participative and inclusive than at present. This will include the
development of the strategic role of school governance to reflect this changing model of
schooling.
Our strategy will support us by:
• Acknowledging that change is a journey and not a destination – our plans will change as we
evaluate our progress;
• Building capacity in our schools and at a local authority level to support transformation;
• Providing a clear change framework to support the work of all stakeholders;
• Making clear what we need to do to transform;
• Empowering those who are leading change to be innovative and radical;
• Developing the necessary skills, knowledge and attitudes that will support us in new ways of
working;
• Enabling the innovative use of new technologies;
• Ensuring that schools and the local authority are expert clients in the transformation
process;
Helping us to manage the emotional journey that transformation will require;
Making links between the various performance regimes to ensure that we can make judgements
about the progress we are making against the milestones we have identified.
The change management process will be supported and enhanced through a Continuing
Professional Development (CPD) programme led by the EIP and through the workforce reform
and modernisation agenda. This process will engage non-school based staff from other service
areas – libraries, leisure – in order to ensure an effective multi-agency approach to our
transformation agenda. ICT will underpin this approach and enable innovation. ICT will give
leaders the opportunity to refine and develop their institutional leadership by providing timely
and relevant information. It will support workforce reform. Our managed ICT service will in turn
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support this, providing teachers and support staff with the time and space to be effective
practitioners. Our two existing City Learning Centres (CLCs) will have a key role as change
leaders and champions of new technologies.
Alperton School has already established its own “Strategy for Change Group” with
representation from students, staff, parents and governors. This group will lead the consultation
with and involvement of all stake holders to ensure all are committed to the vision for the new
school. The students will be a crucial part of this group and the Sorrell Foundation will work
separately with them to ensure that the student voice is heard throughout. This group has been
meeting once per term to date and will continue to do so during the next academic year,
increasing to once per half term as the programme advances. Members of the group and other
stakeholders will be enlisted to visit other new schools with a particular pedagogical or social
focus in mind.
To support the change management plans an additional member of staff will be trained through
the National College for School Leadership (NCSL) programme and will be part of this committee
and support the work.
To ensure smooth transition and effective communication the school’s SIP will meet with both
the deputy and Head teacher at all visits during 2009-2010 and then with the Associate Head
teacher from September 2010. The Principal Adviser will join some of these meetings. Additional
visits by the school’s SIP will be made as necessary and costed into BSF support.
During May 2010 the appointment of an additional/Associate Deputy will be made in order for a
start in September 2010. The current Deputy will work as Associate Head teacher during the
summer term, prior to becoming acting Head teacher from September 2010 until the completion
of the new school. During autumn term 2009 the Governing Body will form a sub-committee to
oversee and monitor the building project.
The staff establishment will be reviewed with regard to a move from a split site to a single site
as currently some roles are duplicated which will not be necessary on a single site. Staff
training will take account of the transformation of learning which will be possible in the new
school so that staff are ready to use a variety of pedagogies using the new facilities in order to
personalise learning.
Change management at Queens Park School will include the re-structuring of the Senior
Leadership Team (SLT) responsibilities with a small team focussing upon the BSF programme.
Additional members of staff will be trained through the NCSL programme. The school will also
see benefits in looking at utilising community based input and local extended school stake
holder input when managing the changes. It is fully recognised that the BSF philosophy includes
transformation of our agenda, but we are already recognised as a “change” school for many
aspects of our practice.
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During the autumn term 2009 a sub committee will be formed to oversee and monitor the
expansion plans and building project. During spring term 2010 the Governing Body will agree
with the senior Deputy and Head teacher the ratio of time required to for deputy to act-up from
September 2010 and review roles of other SLT members as necessary to support this.
To ensure there is no deflection from quality of education, the school SIP will work with both the
Head teacher and Deputy for the duration of project, building in more visits as necessary and
costed into BSF support. The Principal Adviser may join the school SIP at some meetings.
Change management at Cardinal Hinsley will include the possible re-structuring of the SLT
responsibilities with a small team focussing upon the BSF programme. Input from the Diocese
will also be a key element of managing the change management process and additional
members of staff and governors will be trained through the NCSL programme. The school will
also see benefits in developing its collaborative arrangements with Cardinal Vaughan to provide
support and guidance in this critical area of change management.
Copland’s Interim Executive Board comprises experienced governors who are skilled in change
management. Members of the Board have experience of designing and implementing a new PFI
two thousand pupil PFI school and major private sector projects. The Acting Head teacher has a
track record of outstanding leadership and has planned and overseen a successful building
expansion project.
When appropriate, we will support each school in the preparation of an individual School
Strategy for Change (SSfC) through workshops, facilitated by external advisers, Brent Council
personnel and key educational system leaders.
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5 Project Deliverables
5.1 Master Programme for Development Phase
The key milestones and deliverables for the development phase are detailed on the Master
Programme, which is included as Appendix F of this PID.
This programme outlines the key milestones in order to achieve the programme within the
agreed timeframe. The deliverables for the procurement phase will be developed in the next few
months, and included in future revisions of this PID. The key milestone dates and deliverables
at this stage are as follows:
Stage &
Milestone
Deliverable Outcome
Outline Business
Case
(Aug 10 – Nov 10)
§ Prepare Outline Business Case
§ Confirm Scope & Abnormals
§ Finalise OBC
§ Exec Approval
§ Submit OBS for PfS Peer
Review
§ Submit OBC to DCSF / MRA
§ Formal Approval to issue OJEU
§ Local Partnerships Gateway
Review 1
§ Formal approval to commence
next stage
§ Procurement strategy
§ Affordability envelope
§ Risk mitigation
§ FF&E strategy
§ Output specification for
individual schools, departments
and common areas
§ Action / task plan
§ Bidding documentation
§ Outline planning permission
Prepare to Procure
(Nov 10 – Feb 11)
§ Prepare Procurement
Documents
§ Prepare Evaluation Plan
§ OJEU Notice to Board / PfS
Project Board Approves
Process and OJEU
§ PfS Approves OJEU &
Procurement Docs
§ Local Partnerships Gateway
Review 2
OJEU to Invitation
to Participate in
Dialogue (ITPD)
(Feb 11 – May 11)
§ Publish to OJEU/PQQ
§ Bidders Day
§ PQQs Returned and Evaluated
§ De-Brief
§ Long List Published
§ Issue ITPD
§ Evaluate ITPD
§ Interview Long List
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§ Select Short List
§ Short List Agreed by Project
Board
ITPD to Invitation
to Submit Final Bids
(ITSFB)
(May 11 – Feb 12)
§ Issue ITCD to Short List
§ Initial Bid Dialogue Period
§ Initial Bids Received
§ Evaluation Period
§ Finalise ITSFB
§ PfS Approved
§ Board Agrees Recommended
Short List
§ De-Brief
§ Issue ITSFB
Preferred Bidder to
Financial Close (FC)
(Feb 12 – May 12)
§ Receive and Evaluate Final Bids
§ Final Evaluation Report to
Board
§ Appoint Preferred Partner &
De-Brief
§ Local Partnerships Gateway
Review 3
§ Planning Approval
§ Submit FBC to DCSF/MRA
§ FBC Approved
§ Contract Close
§ Financial Close
5.2 Remit for Change
The deliverables and outcomes of the Remit of Change will be incorporated within
the project deliverables upon receipt of the Remit for Change from PfS.
5.3 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
The key elements of the MoU have been incorporated where applicable in the Master
Programme and its deliverables.
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6 Constraints
6.1 Constraints identified to date
To date the following constraints for the BSF programme have been identified:
Constraint Description
LSC initiatives for post-16 provision
that could impact on the plans for
BSF, but are not yet fully developed
There is a robust strategy for Post 16
provision. Brent was the only council to
receive an all green rating at the most
recent DCSF 14-19 progress check.
Opposition (and its source and
rationale) to some of the local
proposals, strategies or plans
A communication plan and supporting
stakeholder analysis have been developed
that have identified potential sources of
opposition and contingencies for managing
them.
Political constraints (and their focus
and cause) that need to be
overcome
Political constraints will be managed at a
Project Board level whose membership
includes the Lead Member for Children &
Families.
Existing partnering agreements that
the Council has for the delivery of
services or assets, such as strategic
and business transformation
partnerships, that might limit its
ability to deliver its entire BSF
programme via the LEP
Existing partnering arrangements will be
reviewed at the SfC stage of the
programme.
Existing contracts with service
providers, e.g. ICT, catering,
property and asset management,
facilities management
Brent Council has undertaken a high level
assessment in regard to existing PFI
contracts and has identified that at present
there are no potential interface issues.
However, a facilities management (FM)
service review and assessment has been
commissioned in order to explore where
further economies of scale and value for
money can be achieved across current PFI
projects and the BSF programme and to
manage any risks that might arise.
Intervention arrangements, where
some of the local authority’s
A facilities management (FM) and ICT
service review and assessment has been
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functions have been outsourced commissioned in order to explore where
further economies of scale and value for
money can be achieved across current PFI
projects and the BSF programme and to
manage any risks and intervention issues
that might arise.
Cross border issues with
neighbouring local authorities,
especially where they may also be in
a current BSF wave
Brent Council will work with neighbouring
local authorities to maximise the benefits
that BSF and the creation of a LEP will bring.
Other Council initiatives and project
that could impact on the plans for
BSF including PCP and Regeneration
We are exploring the location of community
sports and leisure facilities on school sites,
and have recently achieved this in South
Kilburn by working closely with
Westminster’s BSF programme. Other
appropriate facilities for co-location may
include Children’s Centres/Family Centres,
health facilities and cultural facilities.
Our BSF programme will be directly linked
with our other regeneration programmes.
Our Local Development Framework and our
Regeneration Strategy set out a clear set of
regeneration and growth priorities in
Wembley, South Kilburn, North Circular
Road, Alperton, Church End and Colindale.
Internally Brent Council has a Major Project
Group, with a specific remit for driving
forward regeneration within these areas in a
corporate and collaborative fashion. The
development of the BSF programme has
been integral to the shaping of these wider
regeneration priorities, and likewise will be
at the heart of their delivery.
Brent Council’s PCP is currently being
planned as is Phase Three of our Children’s
Centres; it is envisaged that there will be an
opportunity to develop these programmes
further through the LEP and across the BSF
capital investment plan. Other services to
be considered will include Further
Education/College, sport, culture, childcare,
health and social care, adult training, library,
police, local service team/area offices, youth
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and the third sector. There are economic and
social advantages available to Brent Council
by being able to align BSF funding with other
community funding streams.
6.2 Constraints highlighted in Strategy of Change (SfC)
This section will be updated upon completion and approval of the SfC in which the
limitations/constraints that may affect the BSF programme delivery are identified
and described in detail.
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7 Interfaces
To date the following interfaces within Brent Council’s BSF programme have been
identified:
Interface Description
Strategic partnerships Executive, Project Board, Project Team
Major regeneration and
development initiatives, strategies
and plans within the locality
Executive, Project Board, Project Team,
Estates & School Planning work stream group
Planning
Project Board, Project Team, Estates & School
organisation work stream
Other agencies and the voluntary
sector
Communication strategy
Public transport
Project Team & Estates & School Organisation
work stream group
PE and sports developments
Project Board, Project Team, Sport and
Culture work stream
Libraries and Culture
Project Board, Project Team, Libraries and
culture work stream group
Any NHS LIFT and other health
reconfiguration projects, and their
potential synergies with BSF
Local Strategic Partnership, Children’s
Partnership Board
PFI projects Project Board & Project Team
Cross-border issues with
neighbouring local authorities,
especially where they may also be
in a current BSF wave
Project Sponsor and Project Board
Opportunities with neighbouring
local authorities for joined-up
working, partnerships and/or joint
LEP developments
Project Sponsor and Project Board
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8 Assumptions
The Project Team will maintain a log of all of the assumptions made, at both local and national
level, which apply to this programme. These will include both qualitative and quantitative
assumptions. The delivery of the BSF programme is currently based on the following
assumptions:
§ Appointment of Project Director complete December 2009;
§ All work stream groups operational by the end of November 2009;
§ Brent Council being approved for BSF Wave 7b;
§ Feasibility Studies including option appraisal complete by end of March 2010;
§ Appointment of external advisers concluded by January 2010;
§ Assessment of existing partnering agreements undertaken by end of November 2009;
§ Agreement to diversity strategy by OSC by July 2009;
§ Delivery of a cohesive Transforming Learning strategy;
§ Commitment in principle to an ICT managed service;
§ Space standards will be to BB98 and all other relevant Building Bulletins;
§ The standard documents will be available in time for procurement;
§ The Project Board, Project Team and work stream groups will make full use of standardised
documentation, where appropriate for the delivery of value for money outcomes for the
Brent Council;
§ Appropriate resources will be made available to the programme to ensure its delivery to
time and to budget, including appointing appropriate advisers;
§ Formal approvals will be given on time;
§ The programme is likely to be delivered using a combination of funding – PFI and
conventional;
§ The project will be fully accountable to all stakeholders throughout its life;
§ Following the conclusion of the procurement phase, Brent Council will need to ensure
suitable arrangements are in place for managing the contracts thus created for their
duration (25-30 years for PFI contracts).
This list of assumptions will be updated periodically with each iteration of the PID, and will be
included in the SfC and OBC.
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9 Project Management, Governance, Project Controls &
Budget
9.1 Project Management
Brent Council has appointed Turner & Townsend to act as interim Project Director up to the
completion of the Readiness to Deliver submission including preparing the Council for the
Remit meeting and drafting the SfC.
The Prince 2 methodology has been adopted to achieve effective planning, control and reporting
throughout the development and delivery of the project. In addition, Brent Council has already
developed the following project planning tools to further enable it to manage its BSF
programme:
§ Microsoft project for project and programme planning;
§ Development of a Master Programme;
§ Action lists from Master Programme;
§ Robust change control procedure;
§ Risk management process and protocols;
§ Secure communication and information sharing platform (Huddle).
Brent Council has created a project Master Programme based around the current BSF timeline in
order to be fully prepared before entering the next stage of the BSF process. Similarly Brent
Council has firmly established its governance structure along with its team structure and work
stream groups. Brent Council is in the process of appointing the external advisors required to
develop the programme through the future pre-procurement and procurement phases.
Brent Council has identified the risks that may affect delivery of its BSF proposals, has
undertaken a risk assessment of the BSF programme and identified the major areas of risks.
Brent Council has highlighted the controls to minimise and/or mitigate the risks. Risk
management is viewed as an ongoing ‘proactive’ process through each stage of the feasibility,
procurement, development and ultimate delivery of the schools. A risk register for the
programme has been set up using a standard Corporate Risk Management approach outlining
the key risk headings, Education, Programme, Procurement, Financial, Communication,
Partnering, Design, ICT, Planning, etc. All risks suggested in the RtD guidance have been
included together with other identified risks and mitigation strategies that have been developed
by the individual work streams as well as the schools and Project Team. These have been
collated by the Project Manager and are managed through the risk register that has been
developed; highlighted risks are passed to the Project Board for approval and recommendation.
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9.2 Project Governance
9.2.1 Overall
Brent Council’s BSF Project Governance structure is composed of a series of individuals and/or
teams each of whom has a clearly defined specification of their role and responsibilities. The
three main governance levels are:
§ The Project Board
§ The Project Team
§ Work Stream Groups
Brent Council’s project governance structure is shown in the chart below.
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The Leader of the Council and the Lead Member for Children and Families have played key
leadership roles in the development of the proposed BSF programme, and will continue to do so.
Our BSF Project Team has received regular updates on the progress of BSF developments
including a number of Local Partnership’s workshops. The Children and Families Scrutiny
Committee receives regular updates and has received a full report on both the EOI and the RtD
stages of our BSF programme.
A number of head teachers/teaching staff, administration staff and governors have joined the
working groups with excellent representation from Head teachers on our Educational
Transformation working group, school business managers on our Estates, Planning and
Sustainability work stream group and school ICT Managers on our ICT Workgroup. They are also
represented on our Project Team and hold key representation on the Project Board.
9.2.2 The Project Board
The Project Board has delegated decision making responsibility from the Executive. The Project
Board will be accountable to the Executive and subject to regular review from Brent Council’s
Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC).
The Project Sponsor is the Chief Executive (Gareth Daniel) who has worked closely with the
Director of Children & Families (John Christie) and BSF Lead Member (Bob Wharton) and the
BSF Project Lead (Mustafa Salih) to ensure that the programme has had sufficient development
resources in place. The Project Sponsor will provide overall sponsorship and leadership of the
project.
The Chief Executive is the Chair of the BSF Project Board and will continue to play a key role in
ensuring cross-functional and department support as well as securing a properly resourced team
and finances to fund resource requirements. As Chief Executive, the Project Sponsor is in a
strong position to promote the project to elected members, as well as other stakeholders and
executive bodies. Furthermore he is able to obtain Corporate Management Team (CMT) approval
for key milestones in the process and play a leadership role within the LSP which oversees the
work of the Children’s Partnership Board.
The Project Board is intended to manage by exception to ensure minimum demands on
members’ time while enabling them to fulfil their responsibilities to the project, which is in
accordance to the PRINCE2 methodology.
For the Terms of Reference for the Project Board and its current members please refer to
Appendix A of this report.
9.2.3 The Project Team
The Project Team will ensure that all project activities are well coordinated and effectively
programmed in order to meet the project timetable. The Project Team is accountable to the
Project Board. Within its coordination role, the main responsibility of the Project Team is to
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integrate the input from various work stream groups into a comprehensive and complete whole
whilst also seeking to integrate the BSF programme into wider Council strategies. The Project
Team comprises of the Project Lead, the Project Director and work stream group managers.
It is understood that PfS expects that a full time Project Director is appointed at the earliest
possible opportunity. It is also recognised that Local Authorities are not always able to make
such appointments before they secure their entry to the BSF programme and once entry is
secured, it may take some time until the appropriate person is recruited. We have strong
interim arrangements in place and have now begun the appointment process of a permanent
Project Director. Turner & Townsend were appointed at this early stage to provide a full-time
and dedicated Interim Project Director as well as the broader technical advisory role they have
taken on. This relationship will continue until the post can be filled on a permanent basis. Lynda
Cox of Turner & Townsend is acting as the full-time dedicated Interim Project Director for the
project and is supported by other colleagues from Turner & Townsend providing capacity to
cover other key posts within the BSF Project Team. Brent Council is progressing the
appointment of a permanent Project Director and has engaged Tribal to manage a high profile
recruitment campaign to fill this post with other key posts within the dedicated BSF Team. It is
expected that a permanent Project Director will be in post by January 2010.
For the Terms of Reference for the Project Team, the structure and its current members please
refer to Appendix A of this report.
9.2.4 The Work Stream Groups
Specialist work streams groups are in the process of being created and it is anticipated that this
will be completed by the end of October 2009. They are based on the project’s ongoing needs.
Work stream groups will be tasked to address issues or prepare deliverables that fall within a
particular area of specialisation. They may operate in isolation or cooperatively with other
project teams or work stream groups. The responsibilities of work stream groups may vary
according to the particular project needs.
Work stream group leaders are key members of the Project Team that are appointed to
coordinate the delivery of particular work streams for which they are considered ‘Champions’.
They act as primary contacts for the evolving day to day operational issues that are associated
with their particular area of specialisation and they manage work stream group members. Work
stream group leaders are not essentially occupied in the BSF project on a full time basis
although some may be required to be dedicated on a full-time basis during project peak
workload periods. Peak periods are likely to occur at different project phases for each workstream.
The following work groups have been identified for the Brent BSF programme, with Education,
Estates, Communication and Technical ICT operational.
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Work stream
group
Scope of Work
Transforming
Learning
§ Pupil Place Planning and school organisation, including any
relocation/co-location of schools
§ Education/Children’s Services strategies
§ Change Management and KPIs
§ Links with Academies, Diocesan and other Trust/Foundation bodies,
and Further Education establishments
§ Ensuring diversity in the school estate
§ Managing external advisers, where appropriate
Estates & School
Organisation
(including Design and
Regeneration/
Corporate
developments,
Sustainability and
Planning)
§ Planning and surveying (including land surveys, asbestos, ground
conditions)
§ Asset Management Planning
§ Space planning and school design
§ Links with Academies and Further Education provision, including
the LSC
§ Options appraisal methodology
§ Managing external advisers, where appropriate
Design
§ Sustainability
§ Design integration and designing-in transformation
§ Managing the Design Quality Indicator process
§ Liaising with CABE
§ Managing external advisers
§ Extended Schools including out-of hours child care
§ Sport and PE, Arts, and Libraries, etc.
§ Integrated Children’s Services, including exploring potential
opportunities for links with Health projects/other
agencies/voluntary organisations, etc.
Regeneration/ Corporate developments
§ Links to corporate developments, housing and regeneration
schemes, etc.
§ Ensuring BSF complements delivery of wider Council objectives
ICT § ICT strategy, including the management of information
§ Infrastructure proposals – software and hardware
§ Development of ICT managed service and learning platform vision
§ Managing external advisers
Commercial and FM
(including Legal)
§ Property issues including establishing land title
§ FM strategy
§ Local Education Partnership contractual issues
§ General procurement issues, including providing cabinet reports
§ Insurance
§ TUPE issues
§ Recruitment and retention
§ Pensions
§ Appointment of external advisers
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Primary Capital
Programme (PCP)
§ Manage the interface between the PCP and BSF programmes
§ All-through school issues
Communication &
Consultation
§ Communication strategy
§ Manage the statutory consultation process
§ Manage the communication, consultation, engagement process
Sport and PE § Sport, culture and leisure strategy
§ Manage the interface between sport, culture and leisure initiatives
and developments and BSF
Libraries and
Culture
§ Contributes to the achievement of objectives and priorities within
the Brent Sport and Active Recreation Facilities strategy 2008-2021
§ Manage the interface between libraries and culture initiatives and
developments and the BSF programme
Extended &
Integrated Services
§ Extended Schools
SEN and Inclusion
§ Manage the SEN and inclusion agenda including integration
Financial § Cost modelling and revenue projections
§ Affordability analysis
§ Joined-up funding/links with other funding streams
§ Confirming value for money
§ Managing external advisers
Memberships of the operating work stream groups are provided at Appendix A.
9.2.5 Project Directory
A project directory has been compiled and is attached at Appendix A.
9.2.6 External Support
Brent Council is in the process of appointing external advisers through the PfS framework.
The Council’s priority lies with the appointment of Technical Advisors in order to commence the
feasibility studies for the Top Priority schools. The table below illustrates the range of external
advisors that are likely to be employed to provide advisory services to Brent Council in relation
to Education, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Legal Services, Technical
Advisers, Client Design Advisors (CDA) and Financial Advisers.
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9.3 Project Management Budget
Active management of costs will be performed throughout the project life cycle by the project’s
Cost Manager, working in conjunction with the Project Director and the external advisers.
Cost management will form an integral element of the Change Control procedure adopted on
this project. The Cost Manager will provide the earliest possible warning of likely cost
variations, to facilitate informed decision making.
Changes will be managed by the Project Director, in accordance with the Delegated Financial
Authority Procedure.
Brent Council has reviewed potential programme management costs and has calculated that the
cost profile for the programme is expected to be as follows:
Year Internal Project Team Costs
£000
External Advisers
£000
Total
£000
2009/10 330 150 480
2010/11 450 300 750
2011/12 550 400 950
2012/20 550 (pa) 400 (pa) 950 (pa)
External Advisors
Team
Legal
Advisor
ICT
Advisor
Financial
Advisor
Education
Advisors
Technical
Advisors
CDA CDA CDA
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9.3.1 Corporate arrangements for budget management and monitoring
Brent Council has significant resources deployed in the delivery of major projects, both within
individual services and across the council. Brent Council has developed the experience and
intelligence regarding major projects to understand that sufficient resourcing and capacity
building are critical for successful delivery. Brent Council had therefore already committed
significant resources for BSF programme management when setting the 2008/09 revenue
budget, which is well in advance of being confirmed onto the BSF programme. This level of
commitment has allowed Brent Council to develop advisory support, project management
structures and communication strategies well in advance of what is normally expected at the
RtD stage. The Chief Executive has confirmed availability of project support funding at a rate at
least equivalent to 3% of the estimated project capital development expenditure. This has been
built into Brent Council’s medium term financial strategy and will also support the significant
change management requirements and third sector and schools’ engagement in BSF.
The budget will be managed and monitored by the Project Director who will report on a monthly
basis to Project Team and Project Board. Exception reporting will be undertaken where
necessary and changes to budget will also be reported through the change control process.
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9.4 Project Controls
To enable effective planning and implementation procedures to be realised, the Project Manager
needs to establish the necessary control systems to manage effective delivery.
The PRINCE 2 project management methodology will be used on the project. The PRINCE 2
methodology has been adopted by the Brent Council to achieve effective planning, control and
reporting throughout the development and delivery of the BSF programme. PRINCE 2 stands for
Projects in Controlled Environments 2. It is a project management methodology developed and
promoted by the Office of Government Commerce (OGC).
The project controls element of a project is clearly demonstrated in the PRINCE 2 approach to
project management:
Typical project control functions include:
§ Facilitating or overseeing project planning/control sessions (enabling the project
management decisions).
§ Developing the project schedule/programme and work breakdown structures for time, cost
and quality purposes (enabling the data required for project management decisions).
§ Managing the critical path.
§ Educating the team on current and best practice project management processes and
enabling audit trails.
§ Estimating project costs and progress (proactive monitoring).
§ Tracking and analysing project costs and progress (reactive monitoring).
§ Managing the process of issues, risks and change control.
§ Documenting and delivering project status information.
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9.5 Project Board Control
The major controls for the Project Board will be:
§ Project Plan
§ The PID
§ Planned highlight reports from the Project Director to the Project Board
§ End stage agreement and ‘sign off’ assessments via Project Board meetings
§ Exception Reports as necessary
§ Exception assessments and approval of Exception Plan where necessary
§ Risk Management
§ Authorisation of Project Closure
Checkpoint Meetings/Reports
The Project Director will provide monthly reports and additional informal checkpoint reports as
required.
Highlight Reports
Highlight reports will be provided by the Project Director on a quarterly basis to the Project
Board.
Exception Reports
Exception reports will be generated if the Project Director forecasts that tolerances agreed for
any stage, or the project, will exceed those agreed with the Project Board.
End Stage Assessments
End Stage Assessments will be undertaken at the end of each stage, and will be supported by
key deliverables of each Stage.
Mid Stage Assessments
Mid Stage Assessments will be held in the event that an Exception Report needs to be presented
to the Project Board.
Project/Stage Closure
A final project report will be provided at the end of the project.
Change/Issue Management
All issues raised will be recorded by Project Support. The Project Director will ensure issues are
actioned appropriately during the project, and any remaining issues outstanding at Project
Closure are catered for in the Follow-On Action Recommendations Report.
Tolerances
The Project Director is required to raise an Exception Report for the attention of the Project
Board if it is anticipated that the project cannot be completed within three months of the
scheduled date, or if it is forecast that the project budget will be exceeded by 15%.
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9.5.1 Project Reporting/Progress Update
A structured reporting and review process will be used as the key formal communication and
progress update tool on the project.
The project progress reporting philosophy is to report by exception, where divergences exist
from pre-agreed plans, and to look forward to report how the divergences will be overcome.
Regular progress reports (of a standard format) will be sought from all advisors engaged on the
project and these will be used to provide the data required for the key project reports prepared
by the Project Director/Manager.
Reports issued during the project will be of a standard format, in order to promote a high
quality of work and ease of reference. The following reports will be issued monthly during the
course of the project (pre-contract):
§ Project Director’s Report – issued to Project Board
§ Project Manager’s Report – issued to Project Director
§ Advisers’ Report – issued to Project Manager
§ Work Stream Group Leaders’ report – issued to Project Director
The Project Board may require further reports, but in accordance with the BSF guidelines a full
formal report will be produced at the end of each of the following stages:
STAGE REPORT ON:
Pre-engagement stage Readiness to Deliver
Stage 1 Project Initiation Document
Stage 2 Strategy for Change Part 2
Stage 3 Outline Business Case
Stage 4 Final Business Case
Stage 5 Procurement Planning
Stage 6 Completion of PQQ
Stage 7 Completion of ITPD
Stage 8 Completion of ITCD
Stage 9 Appointment of Selected Bidder
Stage 10 Construction
Stage 11 Schools opening
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9.5.2 Exception Report/Project Tolerances
Exception reports will be generated if the Project Director forecasts that tolerances agreed for
any stage, or the project, will exceed those agreed with the Project Board.
Appropriate project tolerances will be agreed for each stage of the project prior to formal
approval of this PID.
9.5.3 Programme Management
Master Programme
The Master Programme in Appendix F has been compiled from a schedule of the main activity
milestones and constraints applicable to the project, and in accordance with the BSF/ PfS
guidelines and processes. The main elements of the Master Programme are to include OBC
preparation and delivery, the development of the PSC based on an exemplar site and the outline
planning permission process. The Project Team is required to adhere to this programme and
commit resources as necessary to achieve the required dates. A mandate from the Project
Board is required to change these dates. Any significant revisions to the Master Programme
need to be formally agreed with the Project Director.
Milestone Dates
All programmes shall reflect the key milestone dates, which affect the sequence and timing of
activities.
Progress Updates
The Master Programme will be updated to record progress as necessary by the Project Manager
to reflect the current status of the project.
Each progress update will have a dedicated number, issue date and time line to assess which
individual tasks are ahead or behind programme.
Action Lists
Action lists shall be generated from the Master Programme, Sub-Programmes and meetings.
Progress against actions shall be regularly monitored by the Project Director and steps taken to
record and/ or recover slippage.
Early Warning
Members of the project team must give early warning to the Project Director of any matter that
may, in their judgement, adversely affect the timing, quality or cost of the project.
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9.5.4 Change Management
All construction projects will be subject to changes and it is fundamental that control and
management is brought into the decision making process. Change control is not intended to
prevent change but to enable parties to be in a position to make informed decisions with a high
degree of predictability of outcome.
Change Control procedures for design changes will be enforced at the commencement of the
Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) design stage D – Scheme design.
Any changes to the agreed Brent Council BSF requirements (such as project objectives,
constraints, etc) require formal Project Board approval regardless of the stage of the project.
Change requests will be generated using with Project Change Control (PCC) Form and will be
assessed for financial and programme implications and issued to the Project Board for
evaluation and signature.
Change Control Procedure
A change control procedure will be created and is to be followed in all circumstances. The main
stages of a formal change control procedure are:
Stage 1 – Definition of the change proposal by the originator.
Stage 2 – An appraisal by the advisor team.
Stage 3 – Recommendations by the relevant party and acceptance and implementation or
rejection.
The change, issue and also escalation process in accordance to the adopted PRINCE2
methodology is mapped below.
In addition, local authorities should ensure that an effective process is in place for reporting at
the end of each key stage in the BSF process, so that the Project Board can assess that the
project has delivered the key milestones for each stage to enable it to progress to the next.
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Change, Issue and Escalation management process:
Actions by Role
Project Team Project Manager Project Board
Project Issue,
Off-spec, RFC,
triggered risk
Updated Issue
Log
Within
Tolerance
Implement RFC
or Action
Updated Issue
Log (&RFC)
Exception Report
Continue
Exception Plan
Updated Issue
Log (&RFC)
Accept
Continue Current
Stage Plan
Manage Revised
Stage
Terminate
Project
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
Impact Analysis /
Detailed RFC
Feedback to
originator
Feedback to
originator
Completed
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9.5.5 Review/Approval
In addition, Brent Council will ensure that an effective process is in place for reporting at the
end of each key stage in the BSF process, so that the Project Board can assess that the project
has delivered the key milestones for each stage to enable it to progress to the next.
The Executive will remain the decision making body for principal decisions i.e. decisions which
will include:
§ Delegating appropriate Executive decision making powers to the Leader.
§ Approving the overall revenue funding to support the delivery of the projects.
§ Approving the PID.
§ Approving the Strategy for Change for submission to PfS.
§ Approving the Outline Business Case for submission to PfS.
§ Approving the publication of the OJEU notice.
§ Approving the Final Business Case for submission to PfS.
§ Approving contractual arrangements with the recommended partners
§ Including authorising all contractual documentation before it is submission to PfS for formal
approval.
§ Selecting the preferred bidder.
9.5.6 Appointment and Control of External Advisers
Brent Council will seek to appoint additional support through external advisers in areas where
external advice is required. The external advice will supplement existing knowledge within the
council and will also provide an expanded resource to enable the effective development and
implementation of this project. External advisers may be appointed to provide additional
support in the following areas:
§ ICT
§ Sport and PE
§ Education
§ Financial
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§ Legal
§ Technical
9.5.7 Changes to the PID
The PID is a baseline document and amendments can only be made once approved by Project
Board. This would usually be as a consequence of an exception or through the change control
process.
9.5.8 Gateway Reviews
There are six Local Partnerships Gateway Reviews available during the lifecycle of a project;
four before contract award, and two looking at service implementation, and confirmation of the
operational benefits. Brent Council will engage Local Partnerships at the appropriate time.
§ Gateway 0- Strategic Assessment
§ Gateway 1 – Business Justification
§ Gateway 2 – Procurement Strategy
§ Gateway 3 – Investment Decision
§ Gateway 4 – Readiness to Deliver
§ Gateway 5 – Benefits Evaluation
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10 Project Plan
Brent Council has commenced the development of the project plan for its Building Schools for
the Future (BSF) programme. This initial document will be further developed throughout the
next stage of the programme. The Project Plan identifies the key milestones and deliverables to
be achieved, and will form the basis of the regular report to the Project Board.
The Project Plan will be regularly reviewed to ensure all work stream plans remain aligned with
the ultimate delivery of the programme. The evaluation of progress on the Project Plan will be a
standing item on the agenda of the Project Team and the Project Board.
Project Phase Date
Strategy for Change – part 2 Complete May 2010
Outline Business Case Complete October 2010
Outline Business Case Approval Complete November 2010
OJEU and Prequalification Complete April 2011
Invitation To Competitive Dialogue Complete August 2011
Invitation To Select Final Bidder Complete January 2012
Selected Bidder to Financial Close Commence February 2012
Close of Project May 2012
Construction Phase Commence June 2012
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11 Communications Plan
11.1 General
The primary goal is to ensure that all individuals involved in the project understand the overall
vision and aims, how and when changes will be implemented, to enable participation as
required.
Under the banner, ‘Transforming Learning in Brent’, Brent Council will outline its vision for a
new era in education through the BSF programme.
The powerful message will be reinforced via a thorough, consistent and wide-ranging
communications package that will ensure every resident, school pupil and employee within
Brent and every neighbouring borough and associated body without, is completely informed and
engaged about every aspect of Brent Council’s radical plan to remodel the very fabric and
nature of the education it delivers.
This requires clear presentation and articulation of the vision and key messages, as well as
specific requirements (e.g. training and process changes) as these are developed.
Good communications are at the very heart of the success or failure of the BSF programme in
Brent, without it the council will lose the support and engagement of schools and residents and
will ultimately have failed the children and young people it serves. To this end, Brent Council is
committed to delivering clear, timely, high quality and imaginative information to everyone
affected by the programme at every major milestone in its delivery.
Communication will be reliable, consistent, timely, open, straightforward, jargon-fee and
customised wherever possible to the specific needs of target audiences.
The Communications Plan including the communication objectives for the Brent BSF programme
is attached in Appendix H of this report.
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12 Risk Management
12.1 Risk register and Issue log
We see risk management as an ongoing ‘proactive’ process through each stage of the feasibility,
procurement, development and ultimately delivery of the schools. A risk register for the
programme has been set up using a standard Corporate Risk Management approach outlining
the key risk headings, Education, Programme, Procurement, Financial, Communication,
Partnering, Design, ICT, Planning, etc.
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All risks suggested in the RtD guidance have been included together with other identified risks
and mitigation strategies have been developed by the individual work stream groups as well as
the schools and Project Team. These have been collated by the risk manager and are managed
through the risk register that has been developed; highlighted risks are passed to the Project
Board for approval and recommendation. Monthly risk updates will be provided to the Project
Board through the Project Director’s report.
Risks have been identified at a Risk Strategy Workshop prior to the Remit meeting and will be
reviewed at key stages throughout the programme.
Objectives and Process
The objectives of the risk management process are to:
• Recognise the potential impact of risk on the project objectives;
• Formulate an accepted procedure for the process;
• Identify potential risks and allocate a risk owner – (If high risk the owner will develop an
action plan as mitigation measure) and where applicable the financial impact will be
incorporated into the cost plan and cost reporting;
• Assess the impact of the identified risks;
• Prioritise and plan risk responses;
• Manage and control the risks.
The graphic below provides an overview of the applicable Risk Management Process.
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Outline Risk Management Process in accordance with PRINCE2:
Actions by Role
Project Team Risk Owner Project Manager
Identified
Risk
Initial Assessment Updated Risk Log
(appoint risk
owner)
Evaluate Risk
(Probability,
Impact, Timing)
Identify Mitigation
Strategies
Select
Mitigation
Strategy
Updated Risk Log
Plan & resource
Monitor & Report
Escalate if
outside tolerance
Triggered
Risk
Updated Risk Log
Invoke Issue /
Change process
Checkpoint
Report
Risk Gone Away
Risk happened
/ inevitable
Change of
impact or
likelihood
Updated Risk Log
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Once the risk register has been finalised the Project Team and Project Board will agree the best
way to continue the management of risk throughout the project, including:
• Verification of the risk register, highlighting any amendments required to risk ownership,
mitigation and timescales;
• Review of the risk register – frequency and participants;
• Overall ownership of the risk register (currently Turner & Townsend) and regular risk
updates to be provided by all risk owners to enable reporting and proactive management;
• Risk escalation process and reporting;
• What should happen to the risk register at the end of the project.
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Appendix A
Terms of Reference for Project Board and Project Team
Project Governance
Project Board, Project Team, Work Stream Group Memberships
Project Directory
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Appendix B
Project Director’s Job Description
Project Manager’s Job Description
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Appendix C
Memorandum of Understanding
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Appendix D
Draft Risk Register
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Appendix E
Readiness to Deliver
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Appendix F
Draft Master Programme
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Appendix G
Draft Communication Plan
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Appendix H
Map of Geographical Area Covered
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Appendix I
Full Project Scope
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