All about BSF

Not to be confused with BSE (Mad Cow Disease), though that surely can't be far off the school agenda...

BSF stands for Building Schools for the Future (not Bible Studies Fellowship) and it's a government plan to rebuild nearly every school up and down the country. It will bring said schools right into the 21st Century, modernising them and making them a much better learning environment.

If only.

While the end result may be something that looks very modern (read: "like a new shopping centre without shops") and have large open spaces, the road there is a long and troubled one. Pouring billions of pounds into a project doesn't mean it'll work smoothly. In fact, the current state of Temple Moor is a very bad one for pupils and staff alike. PE fields have been cut down, so the two indoor spaces - the Sports Hall and gym - would be packed, wouldn't you think? Not so. The gym's been knocked down and the Sports Hall is used mainly for exams. Why not just take PE off the timetable? Oh that's right...every child's getting fat. The statistics say so.

Education Leeds says Temple Moor is a "Phase One" school - which we think means it's one of the first to be completed...if it's all on schedule, which it isn't. And to make matters worse, The Times says the whole BSF project ignores the most frequently preached and holiest message to the youth of today: environmental friendliness. Clever, huh?

BSF: a brilliant idea to enhance the school or an utter shambles? Post your opinion in the comments.