Programme update - June 30, 2023

An announcement to all parents from Cllr Hayley Whitaker 

As a new administration, we have pledged to be as open and honest as possible, so we felt it was important to share this news at the earliest opportunity that we are pausing Schools for the Future.  

The SFF programme has always focused on the move towards a two-tier educational system to improve educational outcomes for all children and young people. Alongside this, the programme included ambitious plans to create additional school capacity in line with the housing growth set out in the Local Plan. 

When the new administration took over at Central Bedfordshire Council, we became aware that while work pushed ahead with the programme the full financial cost to the Council was not known and has not been included in the current Council budget calculations. 

The current best estimate for delivery of the current Schools for the Future programme is a total of c£300 million. Of this total cost, only £48.5m has been included in the Council’s four-year medium-term financial plan, or budget, and there are currently no plans in place for how the total cost of the programme is to be funded. 

As a new administration, it would be wrong for us to continue with the current plans for the Schools for the Future programme that are not budgeted for without taking the time to thoroughly consider and plan for such a significant spend over the coming years.   

We want to reassure you that we remain totally committed to the transition from a three to two-tier education system but need to develop a budget to deliver this programme of work. For most areas of Central Bedfordshire, this doesn’t bring any change to the status of your school. Unfortunately, the area that is most significantly affected by this decision is Shefford and Stotfold. This is a large area with 19 schools, and we need to review the approach.  

Below I have clarified the status of different clusters or schools at this stage: 

Woburn Sands and surrounding area  

There will be no change to the plans in the Woburn Sands area. Fulbrook, and Swallowfield plans continue. 

Further consultation is still required on the future of Husborne Crawley, Ridgmont, Aspley Guise and Woburn lower. This remains the case. 

Biggleswade 

The current proposals for schools in the Biggleswade area will continue as planned. 

Cranfield 

The consulted proposals will proceed to Executive on 1 August for a recommendation to be made. 

Shefford & Stotfold 

6 schools in phase 1 changed to two-tier in 2021. For the remaining schools in phase 2, viability studies have concluded, and a review is required before we proceed with a change to two-tier. The previous transition date of September 2025 is unlikely to be achievable for phase 2 schools.

All other clusters 

There are no current plans in place to change the remaining areas of Central Bedfordshire that have a three-tier system.   

 We will be taking the next few months to understand the full financial cost of the programme and develop a strategy to ensure future plans are affordable in the Council’s budget (medium-term financial plan). 

I would also like to take this time to reaffirm our commitment to the Council’s wider investment in our school estate. The Council is investing over £140million in maintaining school buildings, adding more school places, building new schools and moving some schools to two-tier over the next four years (this includes the £48.5million mentioned above). Investment will continue but we need to understand the full financial cost of the proposed two-tier programme that is not currently in the Council’s budget and ensure future plans are affordable.  

The brand new Houstone School in Houghton Regis is close to opening, the planned improvements to Sandy Secondary School will continue to be delivered and our New School Places programme will also continue to ensure that we have sufficient pupil places in Central Bedfordshire.   

We are also committed to improving our provision for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and our work to increase specialist school places at pace remains a priority for us and is unaffected by today’s decision.   

We recognise that some schools and parents have already experienced setbacks with the Schools for the Future Programme and this announcement will cause further uncertainty. This is not a decision we have taken lightly, but it is the responsible thing to do.   

We will continue to support your school on its journey towards becoming two-tier, or as plans emerge, and you can always find the latest status of your school within the relevant page on our Plans for Change page. 

We will update you again in the autumn, it is our intention to be in a position to set out how the programme will move forward by then. If you have any queries, please contact your school in the first instance.  

Kind regards,

Cllr Hayley Whitaker 

Executive Member for Families, Education and Children