Building Schools for the Future

The Process

How we ensure Building Schools for the Future aims are met

Building Schools for the Future will transform the way in which education is delivered by providing 21st century teaching and learning facilities in schools across England.

The programme uses a new procurement approach, benefits from standard project documentation, and is based on best practice throughout.

Education Vision

Vision for education leads the way

At the heart of Building Schools for the Future is the need for local authorities to develop a vision for education in their area that offers real innovation and enables teaching and learning to be transformed. It is the first principle of a successful Building Schools for the Future strategy.

Building Schools for the Future brings together programme delivery partners

Given the scale of Building Schools for the Future, it is vital that effective working relationships are established at every level to achieve the best possible facilities for schools and communities. Local authorities, national programme partners and specialist private sector companies are all involved, bringing education and project delivery experience together.

Department for Children, Schools and Families is the government department responsible for Building Schools for the Future, which is an important part of its overall schools capital strategy.

Partnerships for Schools is responsible for delivering Building Schools for the Future. Partnerships for Schools is a non-departmental public body, owned by the Department for Education and jointly managed by the Department for Education and Partnerships UK.

Partnerships UK combines private sector expertise with a unique public sector mission, placing it in a position to bridge the gap between the public and private sectors. It plays a pivotal role in developing public private partnerships in the United Kingdom and supports their growth overseas.

Public Private Partnerships Programme (4ps) is the local government procurement expert. It provides project support and independent advice to local authorities in England and Wales, to help them to improve their procurement capability.

The big picture

Building Schools for the Future will be one of the most important sources of capital funding for schools in the future, but it is only part of the picture. The government will spend £6.3 billion on schools in 2007-08 - a 6-fold increase in real terms on the £700 million that was available in 1996-97. The lion's share of this, around two-thirds of the total will be spent on projects outside Building Schools for the Future.

Local Education Partnerships

Local Education Partnerships make the most of Building Schools for the Future money

The partners working together to implement Building Schools for the Future have developed a model for delivering local projects called the Local Education Partnership.

The role of a Local Education Partnership is to ensure that Building Schools for the Future money is used efficiently and effectively to improve local authorities' secondary school estates.

An Local Education Partnership is a public private partnership between a local authority, Partnerships for Schools and a private sector partner selected in open competition under European Union procurement rules.

It will be a joint venture company focused on delivering Building Schools for the Future investment and charged with making every aspect of the planned school improvements a reality.

The exact scope of services provided by each Local Education Partnership will be decided by the local authority, but in general the Local Education Partnership will:

Work with the local authority and other local stakeholders to develop strategic investment plans for secondary education for the area
Act as the single point of procurement and service provider - ranging from design, construction, project management and maintenance to ICT services
Integrate and manage a diverse range of supply chain sub-contractors - ranging from building contractors and facilities management services providers to ICT suppliers
Enable delivery of projects through a mix of procurement routes - both private finance initiative and conventionally-funded
Deliver new and remodelled school buildings
Maintain the new and remodelled schools - including facilities management and ICT under a long-term partnership agreement

Under the Local Education Partnership model, ownership and responsibility for all aspects of local education (including the spending) remains with local authorities.

Exemplar Designs

Exemplar designs create benchmarks for schools

High quality school design is vital to Building Schools for the Future.

A number of initiatives from the Department for Education and Partnerships for Schools support the drive to ensure that Building Schools for the Future investment results in well-designed schools which will benefit school staff and pupils and the wider community.

There is a strong focus on design throughout the Building Schools for the Future process.