Partnerships for Schools
The following FAQs give further infomation about the role of PfS in BSF:
Q. What is the role of PfS?
Partnerships for Schools was established in 2004 as the government's delivery agent for the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, to support local authorities in the delivery of BSF.
In 2006, Partnerships for Schools also took on the delivery of the Academies programme. In 2009, the responsibility for all remaining schools capital investment (including the Primary Capital Programme, Devolved Formula Capital and Targeted Capital Programmes) was transferred to PfS.
In July 2010, BSF was halted in order to review all schools capital investment until a more efficient use of capital resources could be identified. PfS continues to advise and support those BSF projects that had reached financial close.
Q. Does PfS do all BSF procurement centrally?
No - the role of PfS within Building Schools for the FUture is to work with local authorities, to support, advise and challenge them throughout the process of developing their plans for BSF. Local authorities are the procuring body in BSF.
PfS has procured adviser frameworks for consultancy services, which all local authorities can draw down from, and also a Design & Build framework for Academies and single-school BSF procurements. For more information, see the page on the Frameworks.
Q. Does PfS make a profit?
PfS is not a profit-maximising body. It is a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) wholly owned by the Secretary of State for Education. It may, however, be expected to make a return on any capital it deploys at risk in delivering the initiative.
Q. How is PfS accountable?
The Secretary of State is accountable to Parliament for the activities and performance of PfS. PfS has an Oversight Board, which has corporate responsibility for ensuring that PfS fulfils the aims and objectives set by the Secretary of State. The Chairman of the Oversight Board is responsible to the Secretary of State.
The Chief Executive of PfS is designated as PfS' Accounting Officer by the Departmental Accounting Officer of the DfE, who is accountable to Parliament. The Accounting Officer of PfS is responsible for safeguarding the public funds invested in PfS and for the day-to-day operations and management of PfS.
Q. I have extensive experience in this area - what career opportunities are there at PfS?
PfS publicises opportunities in the general market and on its website in the 'About us' section under Recruitment.
