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Case Studies Building Our Future: Scotland's School Estate
SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION
1. This document brings together a broad range of case studies that show how local authorities are implementing the school estate strategy. It has been developed as part of the strategy, and complements Building our Future: Scotland's School Estate. 1 The strategy recognises the importance of good school buildings in the delivery of better public services for children and communities.
2. Each case study describes a project, its outcome, the lessons that can be learned and a contact for further information. These are arranged alphabetically for ease of reference. The case studies illustrate diverse and innovative approaches by local authorities. These range from involving artists in school design to developments in environmental practice.
3. The examples range across process and outcome and deal with balancing conflicting issues and addressing tricky problems, as well as examples of good design and buildings which work well.
4. The best solutions are those which suit local circumstances. One challenge for local authorities in considering the future of their school estate has been to build flexibility into their plans: the ability to take account of issues on the horizon and to respond to them appropriately over time. Long-term thinking and planning is essential if the school estate is to meet the needs of stakeholders over time. These case studies show ways that this is happening.
5. In shaping solutions it is important that the range of issues impacting on the school estate are taken into account. Balancing competing interests to implement the right solution locally is important, as there is no simple answer to suit all circumstances.
6. These examples of recent achievements and emerging good practice have come from local authorities and represent successes which they consider may be of interest to others. It is through sharing good ideas that learning happens and there is no better impetus for learning than seeing how others have tackled a similar problem not too far away.
7. This document captures the state of play now, providing a snapshot of the breadth and diversity of approaches, which have been implemented across the school estate. This picture will change over time. Local authorities and others involved in school estate issues will wish to keep abreast of developments. Information on the range of Scottish Executive policies is available on the Scottish Executive website - www.scotland.gov.uk - while the school estate web pages - www.scotland.gov.uk/schoolestate - provides useful information on the implementation of the school estate strategy.
1 Scottish Executive/COSLA, 2003, ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/bofs-00.asp )
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