Annex 1
EDUCATION ACTION
ZONES (EAZS)
1. Sections 10-13 of the School Standards
and Framework Act 1998 provide for the establishment and operation
of Education Action Zones (EAZs), for the specific purpose of
raising standards with a range of new partners. They allow for
the creation of fora, corporate bodies that run zones, but do
not prescribe who should sit on them (except to allow for one
person from each participating school to fill a place if they
so desire). Guidance to EAZs advocates strongly that each forum
should include some private sector partner representation.
2. Governing bodies of schoools within EAZs
may, under present legislation cede their functions to the zone
Action Forum. This represents a significant potential opportunity
for further private sector involvement. No governing bodies have
yet ceded their functions.
3. The main aim of involving business and
other partners in EAZs is to enable zone schools to form new partnerships
which can develop new and more effective ways of delivering education.
At present, there are more than 150 private companies involved
in the first 25 zones; these have pledged around £9 million
in terms of cash and in kind sponsorship during the first year
zone operation. Typically, the involvement of business takes place
in one or more of the following ways:
— cash donations, usually for particular
programmes or projects, including towards salaries of zone staff;
— company representatives being members
or chairs of fora, and therefore taking an active role in managing
the zones;
— provision of advice or in kind support
to the forum and/or zone schools; to date this includes specialist
consultancy support, for example in the management of change;
management training for headteachers, deputies and teachers; sponsoring
of breakfast clubs; provision of financial advice; curriculum
development; mentoring support for zone teachers and/or pupils;
provision of residential courses for pupils and work experience
placements;
— provision of equipment, such as ICT
equipment, to zone schools and/or training of teachers and pupils
to use it; and
— use of office or other facilities
by zone schools.
4. EAZ fora are directly accountable to
the Secretary of State for the ways they carry out their responsibilities
including the use of public funds. The fora have exempt charitable
status and all members are also trustees. This means that they
are bound in their activities by the charitable purposes of the
action zone, and so must:
— act reasonably and prudently in all
matters relating to the charity;
— always bear in mind the interests
of the charity;
— apply the income and property of
the charity only for the purposes set out in the governing document;
— protect all the property of the charity;
— invest the funds of the charity only
in accordance with the powers of investment; and
— regularly review the effectiveness
of the charity.
5. EAZs are evaluated fully at both local
and national level. All zones will collect baseline data and update
it annually and thematic studies will be undertaken by OFSTED.
The national strategy will involve looking at the contributions
made from partners in the zones including business, on which one
of the thematic studies will focus.
Annex 2
SPECIALIST SCHOOLS
1. The specialist schools programme began
with the Technology Colleges (TC) initiative in September 1993.
The first Technology Colleges were designated in 1994. Subsequently
the initiative was expanded to embrace three new specialisms:
Languages, Sports and Arts.
2. The programme is intended to develop
models of comprehensive education which:
— strengthen school performance in
specific areas;
— encourage innovation in teaching
and learning, leading to overall school improvement;
— share benefits with other schools
and the wider community;
— secure private funds and other effective
support from sponsors; and,
— form a focal point for revitalising
education in areas of disadvantage, including Education Action
Zones (EAZs).
Private sector companies:
— contribute sponsorship and expertise
to specialist schools;
— have provided over £40 million
in support of specialist schools since 1994;
— provide management and curriculum
support, including staff exchanges, work experience placement,
curriculum materials;
— can be involved in school governance
where specialist schools appoint sponsor; and, governor representatives
to their governing bodies.
3. Major contributors to the programme include:
Garfield Weston Foundation, British Aerospace, Music Sound Foundation
(EMI), British Airways, HSBC Group, Wolfson Foundation, and Bestway
Supermarkets.
4. Schools seeking to apply for specialist
schools designation must now raise at least £50,000 private
sector sponsorship (previously £100,000). Sponsorship in
the form of cash is preferable but goods, equipment and materials
may be acceptable where the school can demonstrate that they closely
support its curriculum plans.
CITY TECHNOLOGY
COLLEGES (CTCS)
5. CTCs were established by the 1988 Education
Reform Act to be independent non fee-paying schools for pupils
aged 11-18. Their purpose is to offer pupils of all abilities
in urban areas the opportunity to study successfully a curriculum
geared towards the world of work Private sector companies (in
this context charitable trusts, private companies, private education
foundations and guild companies) contribute at least 20 per cent
of the capital funding of the school. CTCs are also encouraged
to innovate in the development, management and delivery of the
curriculum.
6. The operation of a CTC is governed by
its Funding Agreement and Scheme of Government, both of which
are agreed by the Secretary of State. Amongst other things these
establish how the CTC will be funded, including private sector
sponsors' contribution to capital costs, how the CTC will be operated,
including the powers and responsibilities of governors.
7. In The School Standards and Framework
Act CTCs kept their independent status. Provision was also made
in the Act for any CTC which wishes to do so to join the maintained
sector, subject to local statutory proposal procedures. No CTC
has expressed an interest in doing this.
8. There are 14 CTCs and 1 CCTA (City College
for the Technology of the Arts) in urban areas across England.
The DfEE funds CTCs' running costs on the basis of comparison
with similar maintained schools. One-fifth of CTCs' initial capital
was paid by private sector partners, who also have to meet at
least 20 per cent of all other capital project costs. CTCs may
also receive support from sponsors in other ways.
9. The operation of a CTC is governed by
its Funding Agreement and Scheme of Government, both of which
are agreed by the Secretary of State. Amongst other things these
establish how the CTC will be funded, including the sponsors'
contributions to capital costs, and how the CTC will be operated,
including the powers and responsibilities of governors. The memoranda
and articles of association of each of the CTC companies also
set out how the company will operate.
10. Twenty per cent of the CTCs initial
capital costs was paid by the private sector partners and they
are also expected to meet at least 20 per cent of all other capital
costs. This and other private sector contributions to the colleges
(eg provision of equipment and teaching resources) has often led
to CTCs having very high levels of up to date equipment and prestigious
buildings. The provision of private sector governors on the Colleges'
governing bodies has enhanced the business acumen and management
of the colleges. This has also led to closed involvement of business
in the College's curriculum through the provision of work experience
placements for students and teachers and the provision of real
life work projects for GNVQ work eg Rovers involvement at Kingshurst,
students at Dixon CTC designing a carrier bag for Dixons plc.
Private sector sponsors often provide management training for
teachers too.
11. The sponsorship of CTCs has provided
them with additional resources which they are now sharing with
their local schools and community through their community programmes.
CTCs are also sharing innovative practices such as flatter management
structures, longer day, five term year, distance learning and
more vocational courses with others.
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