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Schools Colleges  >  Resources Management (Schools Colleges)  >  3Rs Project Background

3Rs Project Background

Background

In common with many other local authorities, Aberdeen City has faced financial constraints that have limited its capacity to invest in school estate to the required extent. As a result, there is now an urgent need for significant investment in school estate to address noted deficiencies in provision.

In particular, Aberdeen City Council faced problems with:

• A Repairs and Maintenance backlog of around £40m, which could not be addressed by available levels of spend on maintenance work.
• Falling school rolls
• Demographic change which has left some schools with low occupancy rates
• Many schools no longer fit to deliver the modern curriculum, with particular regard to Disability Discrimination Act access, the impact of new technology and the desire that all schools should become New Community Schools.

Aberdeen City Council has undertaken a detailed appraisal of the condition, configuration, space standards, operating costs and demographic fit of its existing schools. Accordingly, the proposed investment programme involves a number of new build and major refurbishment projects.

The 3Rs Project (Reorganise, Renovate, Rebuild) is Aberdeen City Council's project to see Aberdeen's schools made fit for the 21st century.

The project provides Aberdeen City Council with an opportunity to remodel provision by ensuring that schools are able to provide excellent facilities for the next 30 years. It will be a significant factor in improving educational standards and raising attainment levels.

This is part of the Council's Community Plan, aberdeenfutures, which lays out the vision for promoting social inclusion by widening access to learning and encouraging lifelong learning. It also involves the realignment of council services on a neighbourhood basis.

Vision

Aberdeen has a shared vision with its partners to make Aberdeen a 'City for Learning' - ready to play a full part in the knowledge economy required to meet the needs of a modern, successful Scotland. We want Aberdeen to be recognised locally, nationally and internationally as a place where learning is highly valued and contributes significantly to the wellbeing of the city and its people. We want individuals to fulfil their potential.

Values

• Inclusive approach to all services
• Ensuring maximum participation of learners, staff and the public in learning
• Entitlement to a range of high quality services
• Promoting achievement
• Planning of learning and leisure activities for progression and continuity towards educational, vocational, social and personal goals
• The highest levels of achievement should be attainable for all people of Aberdeen and reflect the diversity of the people.

Aims

The Council's overarching aims are to raise achievement for all - ensuring social inclusion and encouraging lifelong learning for our citizens.

Context

The ambitious plans for the communities of Aberdeen and for delivering coherent services within radically different Council structures are called aberdeenfutures. In realising the vision, values and aims - the Council will deliver Best Value.

One of the key Learning aims set out in the aberdeenfutures community plan states: "To enable and encourage citizens of all ages across our city; whatever their social background or economic position, to reach the maximum of their potential throughout life. We believe every child should have the best possible start in life".

The authority wishes to maximise the potential for school accommodation - developing existing schools and building new ones. The 3Rs Project will also ensure wider community access to Council services, including sports and leisure facilities, for the benefit of everyone. The vital link with other Council services - as well as those services delivered by other agencies - is essential to this project, which is a major step towards our aberdeenfutures vision, supporting the move to joined-up area and neighbourhood based services.

All schools are specified to meet very high standards of sustainability, and are expected to achieve BREAAM (Building Research Establishment Environment Assessment Method), ratings of 'Excellent' for new schools and 'Very Good' for refurbishments.

The development of individual projects will be assisted by consultation with school communities and all other stakeholders through Reference Groups.

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