Babcock International Group PLC (Babcock) has been selected by
Devon County Council as the preferred bidder for its new seven year
contract to deliver education and inclusion support and improvement
services to Devon schools. Once approved by the Devon
Cabinet, there will be a mandatory 10 day standstill period before
continuing to final contract award, with services due to commence
in April 2012.
Babcock and Devon County Council will be forming a new
partnership to deliver this contract with Babcock owning 80% of the
entity and Devon County Council the remaining 20%.
Devon County Council is responsible for the delivery of
education services to 364 schools across the region which includes
the districts of North Devon, Mid Devon, East Devon, West Devon,
Exeter, Teignbridge, South Hams and Torridge.
The new partnership will deliver the following key services:
- School Improvement; including a dedicated school improvement
advisory team, curriculum support, school data and assessment and
school governor support;
- Curriculum Enrichment; including digital media facilities,
outdoor learning, school library and music services;
- Inclusion Services and Learner Support: including educational
psychology and Special Educational Needs;
- Workforce Training and Development; including leadership,
supporting and promoting continuous professional development and
working with Newly Qualified Teachers;
- Business Management and Resources; including finance,
contracts, quality management, personnel and resources;
Alex Khan, Managing Director of Babcock's Education and Training
business said: "Being chosen by Devon County Council as provisional
preferred bidder builds on our proven track record in delivering
improved educational outcomes for all pupils and reducing overall
costs for local authorities which is becoming an increasingly vital
factor in the delivery of local services.
"We look forward to applying our unique educational management
expertise and experience in Devon. Our approach is already
delivering improved outcomes and reducing costs for our other local
authority partnerships."
Through its experience of commissioning and delivering Service
Delivery Agreements (SDA), Babcock will work with Devon to remodel
their SDA to focus on outcomes and reflect the new roles of the
local authority and the greater range of partnerships with schools.
It will improve efficiency and sharpen priorities to raise
educational standards and reduce costs.
Devon's Head of Education and Learning, Sue Clarke, said: "The
council's over-riding objective is to secure continuing access to
sustainable education improvement, enrichment and inclusion
services that offer value for money to the local authority, Devon
schools and early years settings," she said.
"We have required that, within Devon, services must be available
to all council maintained schools, irrespective of the size of the
school or its location."
The new partnership will develop a regional and national centre
of excellence and will generate new services through contracts with
schools, local authorities, central government and new partners
across the South West region and across the country. It will
aim to deliver a return to Devon County Council in excess of £10
million over the life of the partnership, including savings and
dividend returns.
The partnership will also be contributing to the Devon Education
Fund, providing work placements to Devon pupils, supporting Youth
Council projects, offering local apprenticeships each year and
providing mentors for young people in Devon from its own
workforce.
Babcock already has an established presence in the local
community with over 4,000 staff employed in the region. It
was voted Best Employer in the Region at the Plymouth University
Enterprise Awards 2011. Its Marine and Technology Division owns and
operates the Devonport Royal Dockyard in Plymouth as well as the
ship yard in Appledore and its Education and Training business has
a base in Exeter. The company also delivers training and
apprenticeships to young people from all of these sites and is also
co-sponsoring the new Plymouth University Technical College.'
- ENDS -
Notes for Editors:
- The seven year contract with Devon County Council will commence
from April 2012 and it will be the second education partnership for
Babcock. The first was initiated between Babcock and Surrey
County Council in 2004, and operates as Babcock 4S, voted Education
Supplier of the Year in 2010. Babcock estimates the value of
the contract at £125 million over the seven year period.
- As the largest school support service organisation in the
country, Babcock 4S partners with selected local authorities,
schools, academies, central government and regional and national
programmes including the Advanced Skills Teacher National
Assessment Agency to deliver a wide range of school support and
development services and integrated education services to both
improve outcomes and reduce costs.
- For further information regarding Babcock Education, visit our
website.
www.babcock-education.co.uk
For further information contact:
Mike Dennehy
Education and Training
Babcock International Group
Tel: +44 (0)1372 834 303
Mob: 07872 820 589
Email: mike.dennehy@babcock.co.uk