In March 2006, PfS also took on responsibility for delivering the Academies programme, which will see 400 Academies built across the country.

The key role for PfS is to ensure that investment in secondary schools is based on robust educational strategies and that BSF schools and Academies are well designed, are built on time at a reasonable cost to the taxpayer, and are properly maintained over their lfetime.

PfS helps to build strong Public Private Partnerships (PPPs), enabling the public sector to benefit from the best skills and expertise available in the private sector and reaping greater efficiencies and economies of scale.

PfS manages the overall national BSF programme, as well as supporting the local projects. On a day-to-day level, PfS:

• challenges local authorities to define their educational strategy and to plan how they will use the investment opportunities of BSF to achieve local transformation;
• supports and advises the procurement team in each LA with expertise on education, ICT, design, project management, procurement, financial and legal matters;
• assists in the evaluation and selection of the private sector partner;
• through BSF Investments invests in each Local Education Partnership (LEP); and
• works with the BSF team in DCFS and with partner organisations, including 4ps, Becta and CABE to deliver support to local authorities.