BSF schools provide communities across Leeds with:

• brilliant, innovative learning spaces where local people of all ages can achieve their best

• unprecedented levels of technology to support anytime, anywhere learning

• bright, open spaces where young people feel happy and safe

• better opportunities to succeed through skills-based and vocational learning, and

• stunning community facilities for all local people:

The first new learning environments have opened, giving thousands of young people, school staff and local communities some of the most inspiring learning environments and community facilities in the country.

Brilliant learning spaces

BSF schools use a wide range of learning spaces in different sizes and shapes to offer young people many different ways to learn…and succeed.

As well as ‘breakout’ or ‘open-learning areas’, schools have learning spaces with removable walls to cater for anything from small groups to demonstrations for large groups of around 60. These also have a range of furniture to support the different styles of teaching and learning.

BSF in Leeds is used to support each school’s plan to transform learning for their young people, so every school has unique features to reflect the needs of its local community.

Allerton High has variable-sized learning pods, breakout areas, an amphitheatre, curriculum gardens and a rooftop science terrace for experiments.

Innovative furniture including herringbone desks in the purpose-built, professional business and enterprise area, and space-saving desks containing spring-loaded laptops.

Pudsey Grangefield has faculty-based learning zones connected by a three-floor central hub containing ICT facilities, resource centre and a library furnished with comfy sofas and beanbags to encourage young people to read.

Each faculty contains open learning areas, show-and-tell spaces with recording and transmission equipment, and LCD screens providing localised, electronic timetabling.

Rodillian has a lecture theatre, which will help prepare young people for higher education, a canopy-covered amphitheatre and a two-storey library space with facilities for internet browsing, research, study, and careers and work-related learning.

The school’s excellent sporting facilities include a gymnasium, dance studio, sports hall, and a state-of-the-art inclusive fitness suite and PE classrooms.

Cockburn College of Arts has a three-room extension containing state-of-the-art technology workshops, where traditional workbenches sit alongside a graphics suite and computer-controlled lasers.

Temple Moor has a new science block containing learning spaces opening up into a shared practical demonstration space, a technology block featuring state-of-the-art, ‘formula-1 style’ laser milling technology, and a sports block containing a sports hall, gym and dance studio.

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Technology to support anytime, anywhere learning
Flexible learning spaces need flexible technology to allow support to the anytime, anywhere learning ethos of Leeds BSF schools.

Typically the new schools receive around 1000 new devices each, based on each school’s needs.

Portability and familiarity is the key to unlocking the potential of the facilities, and our young people. Laptops, ultra-light laptops, macbooks and special mini-books being utilised, while PDAs, Play Station Portables, digital recorders and Nintendo DS Lites are also being used as learning tools.

The schools also benefit from video conferencing facilities, industry-standard technology in graphics suites, music, technology and the arts, and whole-class teaching equipment including interactive whiteboard, projectors and a teacher PC.

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Bright, open spaces
Leeds BSF schools have been designed with young people, to engage young people. They told us they wanted bright, open spaces where they feel safe and visible.

As a result, corridors and small classrooms have been replaced with light, open ‘streets’ and welcoming, spacious social areas.

The schools are light and use innovative and inspirational use of colour throughout.

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Skills-based and vocational learning
BSF in Leeds gives young people industry-standard and state-of-the-art facilities so they can do more than just learn a subject; they can live it and prepare for their next step in life – whether in work, training or higher education.

The stunning new BSF facilities give our young people those professional experiences, gaining hands-on experience of industry-standard equipment in science labs and research areas, technology barns, music, graphics, drama and dance studios.

These will also allow the schools to increase vocational learning opportunities, including a partnership with caterers Scholarest, with food technology learning spaces connected to the professional equipment in the main school kitchens.

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Community facilities
We believe schools should be at the heart of every community in Leeds, giving lifelong learning and leisure opportunities to all local people.

Leeds BSF schools are designed to allow local communities extensive out-of-hours access to the state-of-the-art facilities, which reflect the needs of those local people. Facilities available at the schools opened so far include:

Allerton High’s Multi-faith Centre complete with community hall, teaching spaces and separate storage facilities for faith groups’ artefacts. The community can also access the sports hall, fitness suite and activity studio.

Pudsey Grangefield has a separate entrance for community use, giving access to the sports hall with climbing wall, contemporary drama studio, assembly hall, activity studio and the ICT, vocational training and Connexions facility.

Rodillian includes a Children’s Centre for 0-5 year-olds with completely secure access and a covered play area. The extended school design provides secure community access to facilities like the sports hall, the learning resource centre, lecture theatre and Children’s Centre from 7:30am to 10pm.

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