BSF Consultations
Spennymoor schools re-organisation
The county council is proposing to re-organise two schools in Spennymoor and carried out a consultation on amalgamating Spennymoor Comprehensive School and Tudhoe Grange School into one school.
The consultation ended on 25 July 2008.
Academies in County Durham
The county council is looking into the possibility of establishing three academies across the county. Although the consultation ended in January 2008, the council's consultation on the pattern and provision of schooling in Stanley, Consett and the Durham City area gives more information and will help provide details to the council about the feelings of local people.The County's Vision for Secondary Education
Durham County Council consulted with a wide range of stakeholders and partners in the development of ‘Learning Unlimited’ - the County’s Vision for secondary education - which establishes the principles that underpin secondary education in County Durham.This sets out how the County Council intends to carry out educational transformation across the County. The BSF Vision is of critical importance and drives the whole BSF Programme. The consultation on the Vision ended in October 2005. Since then we have used the comments received to develop the vision and detailed plans for improving secondary education across County Durham.
Community Use Consultation Events
Throughout September 2006, the County Council’s BSF Team held a series of open evenings to let community groups have their say on how communities can make best use of new [BSF school facilities.Five events were held in the east of the County in and around schools in the first phase of BSF. Although there is no additional funding for community facilities in [BSF, there is the opportunity to ensure that school designs encourage community use of the facilities and also to explore the potential of additional sources of funding.
Use of facilities such as sports, IT, art, music, or use of the school hall and other spaces for a variety of activities can be explored. Contact the BSF Team for details on community use of schools.
Design Quality Workshops
During the summer of 2006, a Design Quality Indicator workshop was held for the schools in the first phase of BSF.The aim of the workshop was to determine the aspirations of the pupils, staff and governors of each of the first phase schools.
The Design Quality Indicator was used as a tool to help form a consensus about aspirations for school buildings by defining which aspects of a school are fundamental and which would add value. Further workshops will be held with individual schools in the East of the County and Sedgefield Community College in December 2007.
School Vision Consultation
To give local people and organisations the chance to view the visions for the eight schools in the first phase of BSF in County Durham, the Council held a consultation afternoon at the Glebe Centre in Murton, Easington.The visions detail the overall plan and approach the schools want to take over their medium and long-term future. At the consultation event, people had the opportunity to make comments on the visions which would influence the future of the schools.
Access the draft documents of the visions for schools in East Durham.
Durham Johnston School Consultation
In September 2006, parents, pupils, residents and stakeholders got their first chance to view the proposed plans for the new school, and to make comments to the County Council’s BSF Team.The event was attended by around 170 people who got the chance to view information and ask questions about plans for the new building and grounds.
Dozens of questions and comments were received, which you can see along with other information about the exhibition, an information roadshow and plans for the school on the Durham Johnston Comprehensive School page.
Seaham Research Event - March 2007
The Research Centre for Learning and Teaching (CfLaT) at Newcastle University spent two days with Seaham School of Technology on 13 and 14 March 2007 to carry out a research project. The research involved a series of consultation activities with teachers, support staff and students. The aim of the consultation was:- To identify the elements of the current building which are valued and those which are problematic.
- To explore the hopes of staff and students for the new building.
