PFI schools report match CABE's findings

The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE), the government's design watchdog, has admitted that today's Audit Commission report on the government's use of PFI in procuring new school buildings match its own findings almost exactly.

Jon Rouse, chief executive of CABE, said: 'We are well aware that many schools, particularly those procured through PFI, have been failing to make the grade. The Audit Commission findings closely reflect our own experience."

He confirmed that CABE's findings concurred with the Commission's report in the following areas:

• On technical and architectural quality, early PFI schools are well below expected best practice;
• There is a probable link between the quality of school buildings and educational attainment that is not being adequately reflected in school procurement strategies;
• The expected increase in innovation from private sector providers has not been forthcoming;
• Output specifications for PFI projects are often failing to reflect basic school needs such as lighting and acoustic requirements;
• Unambiguous, practical and measurable design standards are needed;
• Local Education Authorities have very limited procurement skills to manage complex PFI projects and should have much greater choice over whether they utilise PFI or a different procurement route, as best suits their needs.

Rouse added: "We are hopeful that there is better news on the horizon. The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) is now committed to getting better quality schools from the PFI process and has recently put in place a raft of new standards and procedures that should help to improve standards.

"We are working closely with the team at DfES and other agencies to make sure that the schools which are about to be procured will be of higher quality and that we can learn from the mistakes that have been made in the recent past."