Strategies for improving learning and teaching

3.5  The production of early strategies did not focus on what would most add value, and were seen by Local Authorities as a hurdle to get funding, rather than as useful plans. The Department and PfS changed the processes in 2006 to emphasise achievement of the wider aims of BSF. Recent strategies have been of a higher quality, easier to read and clearer about Local Authority strategic priorities.

3.6  Most of the Local Authorities in our case studies produced their change management plans before these changes and did not specify ownership of targets or precisely how they would be achieved. We also found that they were late in planning training and employment arrangements for achieving the change management. The Department and PfS now require schools and Local Authorities to produce full change management plans for how they will improve learning and teaching.

3.7  Local Authorities and bidders agree a range of measures during procurement negotiations for the Local Authority to judge the track record of the LEP and use in deciding whether to continue its exclusivity. These include "collective partnership targets" that reflect their wider aims for BSF. Collective partnership targets often include apprenticeships generated from the building programme, educational improvements expected from BSF schools and wider community use of the facilities. These targets will provide the Local Authority with one means of assessing the success of its strategy. But these local targets are not reflected in national project monitoring and there is little consistency in how they are measured across Local Authorities.