Birmingham City Council has selected Catalyst Education to undertake a £2.4 billion drive to rebuild or refurbish all 89 of its secondary schools by 2024.

This is the biggest school transformation programme in the country under the Government's £multi-billion Building Schools for the Future initiative.

Birmingham's vision is to transform education so that every child and young person has the opportunity to gain the skills and experience they need for their future.

Council Leader Councillor Mike Whitby said: "This is a historic moment for Birimingham. We are now in a position to launch the biggest transformation of secondary schools anywhere in the country.

"The scale of this is huge - over the next 15 years we will rebuild or refurbish every secondary in this city into modern, state-of-the-art centres equipped to deliver a 21st century education for our young people."

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He added: "This is Britain's biggest BSF project to date and we want these new schools to play their part in raising the aspirations and educational attainment of the city’s young people for many years to come."

The work will be carried out in six phases. The £152.4 million first phase will aim to start this April and be completed in 2011.

It will see the complete transformation and redevelopment of 12 schools, including a special school and a primary school.

The programme also includes the proposed creation of eight Birmingham academies in the city.

A key priority of the drive will be to ensure secondary schools have the facilities to deliver the new 14 to 19 curriculum which focuses on producing pupils with practical, vocational skills.

The rebuild or refurbishment programme will also create schools with up-to-date ICT equipment, flexible learning environments, a focus on inclusion and sustainable build design.

Birmingham City Council will partner with Catalyst Education to create the Local Education Partnership (LEP) which will drive forward the secondary school transformation programme. Throughout this process Birmingham City Council's Transforming Education and Catalyst Education have been working with Partnership for Schools and the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

(JM/BMcC)