Every local authority could have the opportunity to join Building Schools for the Future (BSF) earlier, under proposals to accelerate entry into the programme published for consultation by Schools Minister Jim Knight.

Over 1,000 school building projects in 72 local authorities are already under way in the first six waves of BSF, to give all secondary school pupils world-class teaching and learning facilities.

And the Government now wants the remaining 76 local authorities to join the once-in-a-generation programme as fast as possible.

Under existing plans, wave seven will be launched in early 2009, with funding coming on stream in 2011. But a handful of remaining local authorities would not see any BSF building project start until wave 15.

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The public consultation on managing waves seven to 15 and deciding the order in which those authorities not yet in the programme will join BSF.

Mr Knight said: "Our record investment over the last 11 years has already swept away historic underinvestment in secondary schools facilities. Building Schools for the Future takes this further and aims to transform the shape of education for future generations.

"The early waves of BSF have already wider local authority areas with the highest level of need. We now want to target children and schools with the greatest needs, wherever they live, to benefit as soon as possible.

"Instead of waiting, we want to give them more scope to target pockets of deprivation and underperforming schools now - by giving the remaining local authorities the chance of early entry as soon as they are ready.

"Now that local authorities' original expressions of interest are over four years old it is right to take stock again - to reflect our 14-19 reforms; the expanded academy programme; extended schools facilities; and ambition for housing wider community provision within schools to be the norm."

The next authorities to enter the programme will be announced next spring and the exact roll-out will continue to be dependent on future public spending decisions.

(CD/JM)