Blackburn - Balfour Beatty/Northgate win

[ROBOCOP]

Word on the street is that Balfour Beatty & Northgate have won this one.

[StewartKnight]

Is there a new academy coming to Blackburn?

[ROBOCOP]

There's an academy planned for the centre of Darwen and I think one in Bolton as well - the rest are just new/refurbed schools.

Anyone spoken to Northgate about this project and what they plan? What did they seem like?

[StewartKnight]

I knew about Bolton, I'm just waiting for the riots!
There was a programme on Radio 4 about the schools there, and how all the white kids are moving out because they are increasingly in the minority with the kids of asian descent.

Didn't know about Darwen though. Which schools are being "Academised", presumably not my old Alba Mater, St. Wilfrids???

[ROBOCOP]

Riots becasue of Northgate winning?

I think the academy will be totally new - St Wilfreds is just a rebuild special school.

[sahmeepee]

Word on the street

Care to elucidate? I know the decision was made on Monday, but was not to be announced until next week. The Northgate ICT proposals were a lot more popular with schools from what I heard, primarily because RM were going to ditch SIMS.

I'm not sure the ICT portion really has much sway when it comes to decision making mind you.

[beeswax]

A couple of years ago I had a meeting with two Northgate high ups and they were very positive about what they wanted to do in school and how they were going to achieve it, e.g. by leaving the technicians who know the school (this includes staff and pupils) in school to handle the problems. I don't know how the current economic downturn is affecting this outlook.

[sahmeepee]

And the fact that despite sales in excess of £500m last year, Northgate made a loss. (Potentially down to their expansion efforts to be fair)

[Andycat]

Well I'm at St Wilfrid's and don't know who's won it. We find out next week.

We are an IT only school, not a rebuild, by the way. Our building is only 6 years old!

[Andycat]

The word on the street was correct, it is a Balfour Beatty/Northgate win.

I'm in an interesting situation, as I won't be TUPE'd but my colleagues will. I will watch with interest, and as an IT only school (not even facilities management, just IT) we'll see what happens.

We're currently RM CC4 with Serco Facility as MIS and Talmos VLE. All 3 will change by next September possibly!

[John_Howarth]

The official announcement...

Bolton Council Website: Successful BSF Bidder Named

[pwaddington]

Andycat

Did your cc4 install bed in ok in the end?

[ROBOCOP]

The word on the street was correct, it is a Balfour Beatty/Northgate win.

I'm in an interesting situation, as I won't be TUPE'd but my colleagues will. I will watch with interest, and as an IT only school (not even facilities management, just IT) we'll see what happens.

We're currently RM CC4 with Serco Facility as MIS and Talmos VLE. All 3 will change by next September possibly!

How aren't you TUPEing Andy? Did you get a choice or are you being retained by the LA to oversee the contract?

[Andycat]

How aren't you TUPEing Andy? Did you get a choice or are you being retained by the LA to oversee the contract?

We're Voluntary Aided, so I'm employed by the Governors, not the LA. I also look after Theatre Sound/Lighting, bit of music etc so the school are keeping me. I will be involved as my other hat, Strategic Manager of ICT.

[Andycat]

Andycat

Did your cc4 install bed in ok in the end?

ish. Sort of.