TWENTY-SEVEN state schools from the region have been promised cash to rebuild with the first expected to reopen in 2014.

The successful schools, a mixture of academies and local authority maintained establishments, were selected because they had particularly pressing needs.

However many schools - including 19 in the North-East and North Yorkshire - were not selected and will now have to wait for another round of Government cash allocations.

The Northern Echo asked officials at the Department for Education to explain what the selected schools can now expect and what will happen next.

Q What happens now as far as the schools are concerned? What is the process? What is the time frame?

A The Education Funding Agency is currently programming the delivery of all the schools to be rebuilt or have their condition needs met.

Schools will be grouped together to form batches that can be delivered under one contract.

Procurement will begin this year and the first schools will be complete and open from 2014. We expect all projects to have been completed or to be under construction within five years. As far as possible, the needs of the schools in the worst condition will be addressed first.

Q Does the DfE deal directly with the schools or with the LEAs? Can you explain the process for schools which will get direct grants from the DfE and the process for schools which will be included in the PFI scheme.

A The EFA has already been in contact with those applicants whose schools are proposed to make up the first batches. Work on these batches will start immediately. For each batch, the initial contact will be with the applicants and this will be followed by a meeting or meetings with all the schools in each batch to fully explain the process to be followed.

The EFA will undertake studies for each school which will consider how the condition need is best addressed. The studies will require surveys to be undertaken (e.g. to determine the ground conditions) and the EFA will organise these.

For each batch of schools an outline business case will be prepared which contains an options appraisal, cost estimates, affordability assessment, deliverability assessment, value for money assessment and confirms the procurement strategy for the batch (capital grant or private finance).

Q Could you explain how the PFI scheme works?

A This PFI model represents an improvement upon the established PFI model. The procurement process is more streamlined than its predecessor and, the schools in the programme will use standardised designs to improve the overall value for money.

Significant reductions in construction costs are expected, following the model as tested with Campsmount School (in Doncaster) as part of the James Review. This pilot scheme achieved around a 30 per cent reduction in costs.

This scheme will be rigorously policed through-out to ensure that we do not incur the excessive costs incurred by previous privately-financed schemes and that we continue to learn lessons and make improvements to the PFI model.

Q Will it be easier and quicker for Academies to forge ahead with these renewal plans compared to LEA-controlled schools?

A It makes no difference whether a school is an academy or LA maintained school.

Q Is there any prospect of any help for the schools which had their applications turned down?

A Unfortunately limited funding means we are unable to help every school that applied to the programme and we need to prioritise those schools in the very worst condition. We understand some schools are disappointed.

Local authorities receive capital funding for maintenance and basic need, and the Academies Capital Maintenance Fund is open to Academies that feel they have an urgent condition need.

We have also just started a programme to carry out condition surveys across the entire education estate so that future capital funding is targeted at those schools in the greatest need.

Q Is there a process of appeal?

A For maintained schools that were unsuccessful, local authorities will continue to receive capital funding to support the maintenance of the school estate and may be able to help explore alternative routes for funding. For unsuccessful Academies the Academies Capital Maintenance Fund is open to schools that can demonstrate they have an urgent condition need.