BSF question about timing of managed service take over.

[tosca925]

The BSF Managed service cloud has raised its head in our LEA today. Its all a bit unclear at the moment as to what will happen and when. One or two of the techs in other schools are very worried because of what they have heard in other LEA's.

I have a couple of questions i hope some one will be able to help with.

1. Is there a time scale as to when the managed service takes over. i.e; the time scale for BSF is spread over the next 5-6 years in our LEA. WE are going to be one of the last schools to get anything built by BSF. Some schools are already underway with builds. When these school builds are finished will they then be out sourced to a manged service? or will they wait till all the work has been done per LEA?

2. If they do move to outsource management as each build is done because we are last all he techs would have moved to the company who will have the contract. I would imagine all the good ones will be kept on. So by the time we come to move across i would guess nearly all the job post will be filled.

3 I get the feeling our LEA will use the current company they use for some of the primary schools. If jobs come up for that company in the near future I'm wondering whether to jump ship then rather than take the risk of being at a school that is left till last on the BSF list but could mean no jobs will be about.

I know they have to keep you on for 2 years but i guess a lot of the techs from other school will be in a better potion than us because they will have already @got their foot in the door@


Thoughts please?

[danIT]

Our school is one of the 1sst phase schools, were worried about our jobs too, this includes science techs, IT techs, caretakers, etc etc... (soft services) there is also a question over wether or not It techs come under soft services, which i beleive has bee ntalked about on here previously.

Were due to for a rebuild to start in May 2008 and have completed by September 2008, if that happens it'll be a miracle. It keeps getting pushed futhur and furthur back, a few six months here an few months there.

We havent heard anything as far as time scales for transistion are concerned. And considering were a 1st phase school and we havent heard anything you'll be lucky if you hear anything for the next 2 years (offically thats is). Our school has raised the debate over the issue of out sourcing and i know in other LEA's across the country I think newcastle is one, where the IT Techs remained on tact, it was specifially taken out of the proposal.

If it is out sourced your contract will have to be transfered, perhaps you'll be made redundant if they have filled all the jobs. Who knows, but under the terms it would seem that your contract will be transfereed to which ever company wins the bid. Wether or not you'll be kept on for a year or so and made redundant then is yet again another isssue,

Jumping ship is an option ive been looking at, but do i really want to work for Capita?

Just a rant

[russdev]

Also be pro-active found out who bidders are and contact them start dialog with them...

Also talk to head and see if job role can be changed so still employed the school if school wants to keep you then they can find a way.. You may have to take on extra duties in terms of way of keeping said person is to make sure have some kind of non it role aka invovled in some part of 'teaching learning'

Russ

[Quackers]

Whats this BSF Cloud??? It sounds scary! and is it only certain LEA's or the whole country?

[broc]

The BSF Managed service cloud has raised its head in our LEA today. Its all a bit unclear at the moment as to what will happen and when. One or two of the techs in other schools are very worried because of what they have heard in other LEA's.

I have a couple of questions i hope some one will be able to help with.

1. Is there a time scale as to when the managed service takes over. i.e; the time scale for BSF is spread over the next 5-6 years in our LEA. WE are going to be one of the last schools to get anything built by BSF. Some schools are already underway with builds. When these school builds are finished will they then be out sourced to a manged service? or will they wait till all the work has been done per LEA?

2. If they do move to outsource management as each build is done because we are last all he techs would have moved to the company who will have the contract. I would imagine all the good ones will be kept on. So by the time we come to move across i would guess nearly all the job post will be filled.

3 I get the feeling our LEA will use the current company they use for some of the primary schools. If jobs come up for that company in the near future I'm wondering whether to jump ship then rather than take the risk of being at a school that is left till last on the BSF list but could mean no jobs will be about.

I know they have to keep you on for 2 years but i guess a lot of the techs from other school will be in a better potion than us because they will have already @got their foot in the door@


Thoughts please?

We were told that all of the schools in our LA that are part of the same BSF 'wave' would become managed at the same time, regardless of when their build completed. As our LA has schools in 3 different waves, it was entirely possible that each wave could end up with a different managed service provider.

We were also told that the managed service could even start before the building work began. This could be achieved by transferring affected staff to the outsourcing company and centralising support and purchasing operations. What was not clear was how schools could afford to pay the managed service charges that would result.

As russdev says, you need to engage anyone/everyone in discussion, including your school SMT, Head of ICT, Unions, colleagues. They need to be aware of the 'differences' that a managed service might bring to your school. In some schools this might be seen as a positive, in others negative.

[CyberNerd]

Whats this BSF Cloud??? It sounds scary! and is it only certain LEA's or the whole country?

It affects us all, approximate dates here:
http://www.edugeek.net/index.php?nam...ewtopic&t=4460

[Quackers]

Just spoke to the assistant head he knows about the scheme, but knew nothing of the outsourcing ICT. His faced dropped at the thought and said its worth finding my wage to have in house ICT support and would do what ever possable to make sure it stays in house.

[CyberNerd]

Just spoke to the assistant head he knows about the scheme, but knew nothing of the outsourcing ICT

This seems to be a theme, LEA's are keeping real quiet about their plans for ICT. Understandable ( From their POV ) if workers knew of possible outsourcing and potential redundancy?!? there could be a drop in level of service as people leave and can't get replaced.
I'm holding out that we'll get to see some of the SLA's/contracts of the wave 1 schools, hopefully the rest of our LEA's will be able to keep as much as possible in-house by referencing the inevitable mistakes of the forerunners.

[broc]

Just spoke to the assistant head he knows about the scheme, but knew nothing of the outsourcing ICT. His faced dropped at the thought and said its worth finding my wage to have in house ICT support and would do what ever possable to make sure it stays in house.

Good luck. We were told that nobody but the managed services employees would have have any access rights to the systems.

[beeswax]

This the the text of an email I'm thinking of sending to our council. I'm wondering whether I should do this as an individual or through my union? I need to sort out the argument (in my head) before proceeding further. thanks.

"I currently work as an ICT Technician at XXX XXX High School and greeted the news of BSF for our school with mixed feelings. There's a lot of talk around the country's schools regarding what is happening to ICT Technicians employed by those schools. Some LEA's seem to be letting the managed services companies take over the running of the schools' ICT provision, and with it, the staff currently employed by the schools. Others are allowing the Local Authority to bid for these services and keeping these staff "in house".
Could you please let me know what Council's plans are for the provision of ICT services to schools in the Borough? Will there be a preferred bidder? Will schools be allowed to keep their own ICT Technicians, and what are the implications for funding should should the latter occur?"

[krb548]

"I currently work as an ICT Technician at XXX XXX High School and greeted the news of BSF for our school with mixed feelings. There's a lot of talk around the country's schools regarding what is happening to ICT Technicians employed by those schools. Some LEA's seem to be letting the managed services companies take over the running of the schools' ICT provision, and with it, the staff currently employed by the schools. Others are allowing the Local Authority to bid for these services and keeping these staff "in house".
Could you please let me know what Council's plans are for the provision of ICT services to schools in the Borough? Will there be a preferred bidder? Will schools be allowed to keep their own ICT Technicians, and what are the implications for funding should should the latter occur?"

I would be interested in knowing what the reply would be as I also work for Lancs CC and I have heard a lot about the BSF finding it way to every school in Lancashire. It may also be worth sending a copy of your e-mail to Graham Fielding who I think manages the whole education dept for Lancashire.

[beeswax]

Lancs is where I live

[broc]

Trawl the web.

I found some very interesting reading by typing xxxxxx County Council cabinet bsf into Google. This returned a number of cabinet minutes documents from my LA in PDF form.

[CyberNerd]

same here, all LEA's publish their cabinet meeting reports that will outline their intentions. More difficult stuff to get is the contractors bids which aren't published until after the contract is awarded - These may give the rest of us hope. maybe.

[beeswax]

it's looking very thin at the moment, but I'll try later tonight when there's more time. thanks