The announcement is a major step towards the launch of a new partnership between the Council, Barnsley Partnership for Learning and Partnerships for Schools (PfS) to deliver the council’s flagship educational transformation programme.
The Council has notified all parties who the preferred bidder is and is now proceeding to the next stage of the formal procurement process.
The Barnsley programme is unique across the country involving as it does the replacement of all of the Borough's secondary schools estate with 9 new build Advanced Learning Centres, combined with the considerably improved special school estate and the provision of an integrated managed ICT service.
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Cllr Linda Burgess, Cabinet Spokesperson for Children, Young People and Families said: "I am delighted to see this very important milestone taking place as we move towards providing not only all our secondary and special school youngsters but also the community with exciting, innovative and inspiring learning centres and resources.
"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that the Council is fully committed to and I am looking forward to the superb benefits that this programme will bring for pupils for years to come, as well as their teachers, school staff, parents and local communities, and as a result, Barnsley as a whole."
Tim Byles, Chief Executive of Partnerships for Schools said: "We congratulate Barnsley on reaching this important milestone in their BFS project. It is good news for the progress of the BSF programme nationally and even better news for the learners and communities in the borough. The investment in new and improved buildings, facilities and technology will have an enormous impact on the education and life chances of every young person in the local area, and I look forward to watching the progress of Barnsley's BSF scheme."
(CD/JM)
