School Buildings

PowerPoint presentation given at Heads & Chairs Briefings January 2012 - click to download

Following consultation about changes to the administration of Devolved Formula Capital, guidance on starting a new project has been prepared. This guidance takes account of your responses as well as the views of our colleagues in the Diocesan Board of Finance and neighbouring dioceses.

In deciding how we should proceed as a Diocesan Board of Education we have kept in mind a number of working principles:

• The importance of the special relationship that exists between a DBE and its church schools. This relationship is based on support and a concern for the development of Christian Education.
• The statutory duty placed upon DBEs to protect, maintain and develop the overall ‘estate’ of church school buildings & facilities, a duty shared with local trustees.
• The additional autonomy that VA schools enjoy. We have no wish to encourage a dependency culture.
• The fact that schools are indirectly supported through the giving of Church members (Parish Share); where possible we want to reduce the need to call on this stream of funding.
• Particular support for smaller schools, where help and guidance on building matters is especially appreciated.
• The need to maintain Diocesan Educational Statutory Trust reserves. In our diocese the reserves are not large, and they already contribute to the staffing of the Education Centre.
• The duty placed on DBEs to see that due diligence is carried out in respect of DCSF grant aid payments and their conditions of use.
• The need to fund staff time, etc. to ensure due diligence for all VA schools.
• New possibilities for the pooling of funding.

School Buildings Team

• Church Schools
• Admissions and Appeals
• Collective Worship
• Easter Pause Day
• Inspection Reports
• Pentecost Pause Day
• Religious Education
• School Buildings
  • Developing Your School Buildings
  • Finance Sources
  • Governor & LEA Liabilities
  • Insurance
  • Useful Contacts
• School Governors
• School Support and Training
• Resource Centre