WS Atkins hopes to run 300 Leeds schools

WS Atkins has declared its intention to be part of a joint venture to run 300 schools in Leeds following an announcement last week by the Department for Education and Employment.

The DfEE has accepted the recommendations of consultants that Leeds Education Authority should seek an external partner to provide its school support services.

WS Atkins is among 11 firms on a government select list of education support services providers.

"We would see this as an expansion of what we have been doing in the pfi field of education," said Jeff Collingwood, head of WS Atkins' Managed Services. "We have been developing our support services in finance, information technology and associated services for the past four years." The firm has already secured PFI schools contracts in Leyton, east London and Aberystwyth in which managing maintenance and information technology support is a significant part.

A competition to chose a private sector partner has not begun but it is hoped something will be in place by April next year, said Leeds City Council.

Last year, the government established for the first time a list of consultants and contractors to work with local education authorities where Office for Standards in Education inspection reports have identified serious failings.