Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Key definition

Building Schools for the Future definition

What does Building Schools for the Future mean? In legal practice, Building schools for the Future (BSF) refers to the former English programme (c. 2004–2010) through which local authorities delivered large-scale secondary school rebuilding, refurbishment and ICT services via both pfi/PPP and conventional capital funding. It is not defined in legislation; the term is used descriptively in contracts, due diligence and disputes concerning legacy BSF projects. Key legal features included standard form BSF Project Agreements, FM/ICT managed services, lifecycle obligations, Local Education Partnerships, financing documents, collateral warranties/direct agreements, step‑in and termination/handback regimes, TUPE, and detailed variation/refinancing mechanics. Partnerships for Schools (PfS), established by the former DCSF with Partnerships...

England: Building Schools for the Future and Priority School Building Programme—PFI/PF2 procurement, EFA frameworks, and construction contract negotiation (Archived)

Published by a LexisNexis Construction expert

Practice notes

ARCHIVED: This Practice Note is archived and is not maintained. It reviews the Building Schools for the Future government initiative together with the current Priority School Building Programme, and examines the construction contracts adopted as well as the negotiation issues commonly encountered in practice...

Building Schools for the Future

Building Schools for the Future (BSF) was a Labour-led programme announced in 2003 by the Department for Education and Skills (which later became the Department for Education, or DFE), and it launched in 2004. Its purpose included, among other objectives, delivering a step change in children’s education by upgrading facilities, property and learning environments across local secondary schools. BSF was intended to be financed by a £55bn investment to improve schools over a 15–20-year period. Delivery was co‑ordinated nationally by Partnerships for Schools, set up by the DFE as both a company and a non‑departmental public body (ie a government‑sponsored organisation operating at arm’s length) for this purpose. The programme was funded jointly by the DFE and Partnerships UK, a public/private body created to promote PFI schemes, which was dissolved in 2011...

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Lucinda Baker

HCR Law

Lucinda Baker is an experienced construction and engineering lawyer, with specialist expertise in the Education, Healthcare and Banking sectors. Formerly an associate with DLA Piper, she has been with Harrison Clark Rickerbys for 8 years. She has a number of reported Court of Appeal cases to her name from her contentious caseload but also has significant experience of non-contentious development and project support acting for all parties across the field; from funders to sub-contractors and of course education clients....

Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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