Industry groups and contractors are in talks to reach a joint position on improving the government’s Building Schools for the Future programme.

The bodies include the RIBA, Constructing Excellence, the British Council for School Environments and contractors such as HBG. They aim to agree a “joint industry voice” before the publication of a review into BSF by accountant Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PcW).

PcW is expected to publish the report before April.

One solution under discussion is understood to be “smart PFI”, along the lines of the healthcare model in Northern Ireland, where stakeholders are involved earlier in the design.