Largest Capital Investment Programme in 50 years
Building Schools for the Future (BSF) was the largest single capital investment programme in 50 years to rebuild and renew virtually all of England's 3,500 secondary schools. The aim of the programme was to transform schools into world class learning environments that will enable generations of young people to achieve their potential.

Transform the Way Secondary Schools Function
BSF brought together major investment in buildings and ICT with significant educational reform. The aim was to deliver 21st century environments that inspire learners, educators and local communities to become successful life-long learners.

The Local Education Partnership
To deliver the BSF programme, each local authority will established a Local Education Partnership (LEP). This public private partnership is a joint venture between a private sector consortium, the local authority, and Partnerships for Schools (PfS).

The LEP is responsible for managing all aspects of the delivery of the programme, including the procurement and co-ordination of all the services required. It organises a supply chain comprising all the necessary skills and experience, e.g. design teams, builders, ICT providers and facilities management companies.

Most BSF bids are led by construction firms, within a consortium that includes an ICT partner, a facilities management company and a supply chain of other providers.

What are the Benefits of a LEP?

By streamlining the procurement process and integrating a wide variety of complex services, the LEP aims to achieve better design quality, cost efficiencies, shorter timescales and most importantly, improved educational outcomes.

Essex County Council will retain full control of the education vision for its secondary schools, but this was passed to the LEP for implementation. The Council and PfS monitors the LEP’s performance, be represented on its Board and remain involved in key decisions.

A contract known as the Strategic Partnering Agreement was signed between all parties, which gave exclusive rights to the LEP to deliver BSF projects for a fixed period.

ICT
The key component that links buildings with teaching and learning is Information and Communications Technology (ICT). BSF will provide:

• a step-change in the level of ICT provision in secondary schools in England
• buildings designed to maximise use of ICT
• managed ICT services which guarantee availability and reliability
• incentives to develop the use of ICT in teaching and learning

To facilitate this, BSF provided a very high level of capital funding – equivalent to £1675 for every pupil place provided in the new and remodelled schools. This money was to pay for passive network infrastructure, active network equipment, hardware (computers and peripherals), software and setting up an areawide managed service for ICT.

Schools were expected to join a managed service funded by an annual revenue charge which gives schools good value when procuring, managing, maintaining and refreshing their ICT infrastructure and equipment. Read more from the Partnerships for Schools website