Latest News from VT's BSF Team

VT Group awarded national platform to provide education advice in BSF

VT Group (VT), the UK’s largest education and training company, has been appointed by Partnerships for Schools (PfS) to the new Education and Children’s Services Advice and Support Framework.

VT is one of just eleven nationally approved providers announced today, selected to provide expertise and guidance to local authority education and children’s services teams to help them maximise the impact of their Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. This success recognises the substantial expertise of VT within the BSF sector, bringing together its unique perspective as both BSF client advisor and deliverer.

VT is successfully delivering the BSF programme in the London Borough of Lewisham, providing integrated education, ICT and FM services (through the Learning 21 Joint Venture with Costain Group), and in the London Borough of Greenwich as their Strategic Partnering Organisation. VT also forms part of the winning Luton consortium, as well as being a provider on the Becta Education Consultancy Services Framework and supplying bespoke advice to a select number of local authorities on BSF.

Said Marcus Watson, Managing Director, VT Education: ”As the largest integrated school improvement service provider in the UK, VT places education transformation at the centre of BSF - driven by our commitment to improving the life chances of children and young people.

“This landmark recognition reinforces the successful partnering roles we have played in the overall BSF project so far, and we look forward to utilising our considerable BSF experience and expertise to guide local authorities across the country. We are also delighted to be supporting Arup on the PfS Technical Advisory Services Framework.”

Tim Byles, Chief Executive of PfS said: “It is four years since PfS launched the adviser frameworks, and over this time we have seen the importance of being able to recommend well-informed and relevant professional support which is committed to the objectives of the BSF programme, whilst also guaranteeing competitive rates and value for taxpayers’ money.

“BSF is about much more than simply bricks and mortar, it is an opportunity for schools and local authorities to transform where and how students learn and teachers teach and to integrate new learning technologies with state of the art buildings and facilities. The advisers on the Education and Children’s Services Advice and Support Framework will be able to bring experience and ideas to complement the skills and knowledge within local authority BSF teams to help them plan for, and deliver, truly inspirational schools of the future.”

VT and London Borough of Lewisham celebrating partnership

So successful has been VT Group's delivery of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF), Information Communication Technology (ICT) Managed Service (in partnership with the London Borough of Lewisham at Forest Hill School), that the performing arts school was delighted to host a day celebration of partnership to help raise awareness.

Local authorities across the country, and consortium leads in Building Schools for the Future looking for new BSF ICT suppliers came to the event. With Forest Hill School heralded as an example of ICT Best Practice by Partnerships for Schools this event presented the ideal opportunity for VT to show good BSF ICT deployment to potential partners.

The high bidding costs of BSF means that only credible suppliers with proven delivery experience are viable partners. Potential clients learnt what best practice looks like and enjoyed a broad selection of speakers including the Head Teacher Peter Walsh, Steve Moss ICT Strategic Dirctor at PfS, and VT experts.

Interview with Steve Moss

The added value VT brings, entering the ICT suppliers’ space from the educational side, differentiates it from most traditional ICT suppliers. VT is now looking to expand into many more BSF programmes; the celebration day at Forest Hill was the perfect opportunity to demonstrate capabilities, professionalism and delivery to key customers.

Contact: Tim Willoughby, Head of Strategic Marketing and Events.