Contracts signed for Waltham Forest BSF programme

Waltham Forest Council has announced the appointment of the Bouygues Partnership for Education and the Community (BPEC) as its partner for the Council's £250m Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme and contracts have been signed.

The aim of the BSF programme is to help boost pupils' attainment and teaching standards by providing first-class, modern and inspirational buildings which will also help to encourage high quality teaching.

The announcement will see the launch of a new Local Education Partnership between Partnerships for Schools, the Council and BPEC to rebuild or refurbish every secondary school in the Borough.

The partnership is led by construction company Bouygues UK along with its sister company, facilities management provider Ecovert FM, and HSBC Infrastructure. Education ICT specialist Ramesys will provide a managed ICT service, initially to all secondary schools in Walthamstow and, by 2010, to all secondary schools in the Borough.

Waltham Forest is the first London Borough to have established a fully-functioning Local Education Partnership (LEP), and among the first to get building works under way at an all-new BSF-funded secondary school, the Frederick Bremer School. Refurbishment of Kelmscott School is also well advanced.

Also included amongst the early projects is the multi-million pound refurbishment of the listed Walthamstow School for Girls.

Councillor Chris Robbins, the Council's Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: 'We are determined that young people in Waltham Forest have the best possible education, and this programme will give us some fantastic schools to help us achieve that. We are looking forward to the first openings in September next year and completing our programme in time for the Olympics in 2012.'

Tim Byles, Chief Executive of Partnerships for Schools, the government agency responsible for delivering the BSF programme also welcomed the announcement:

'This is excellent news for the young people, teachers and the wider local communities in Waltham Forest and we congratulate the Local Education Partnership on reaching this milestone. Waltham Forest becomes the 11th local authority to reach financial close, signalling a continued acceleration in the delivery of the programme as a whole. At its heart, BSF is about transforming education and improving the life chances of millions of young people and I look forward to seeing the difference that it makes in Waltham Forest.'

Pascal Minault, Managing Director of Bouygues UK, said: 'The Bouygues Partnership for Education and Community is delighted to have been chosen as Waltham Forest's partner to develop all the secondary schools in the Borough. We're incredibly proud to be part of this education transformation journey, which will not only raise teaching standards, but provide an excellent environment for improving pupil achievement.'

Bill Donoghue, Chief Executive Ramesys, said: 'I am delighted that Ramesys will be working with the London Borough of Waltham Forest and such a strong team to help transform its schools. We look forward to delivering ICT solutions that reflect their 21st century vision for learning in schools and the community.'