The government鈥檚 framework for building academies is to be rebid next year, it is expected.

Partnerships for Schools (PfS), the body responsible for delivery of the school building programme, intends to put the framework out to tender again when it reaches capacity. It has not yet been decided whether the move will open up the scheme to contractors beyond the six presently on it.

Partnerships for Schools set up the framework last year when the government asked it to incorporate the academies programme in the 好色先生TV Schools for the Future (BSF) initiative to upgrade schools. The framework contractors include Willmott Dixon and Skanska.

Meanwhile, Ty Goddard, director of the British Council for School Environments, added to the pressure on BSF today at a schools conference. He said the programme needed greater leadership at ministerial level and argued that the procurement route 鈥渃omplicates simple things鈥�.

Tim Byles, chief executive of PfS, said: 鈥淲e have made improvements to the pre-procurement phase of the process, resulting in a greater focus on educational transformation and reducing timelines for delivery by up to six months.鈥�