Like other schools schemes around the country, plans to spend £150m on the next wave of schools in the Nottinghamshire area are on hold until until the outcome of the comprehensive spending review.
But the council plans to revamp and rebuild a total of eight schools on the former coalfield of Mansfield and market town of Newark.
A prefered bidder was hoped to be revealed in August 2011.
Now it is working on a plan B, which would allow it to move forward with a self-financed option.
A source said: “It is basically a sensible contingency plan. In simple terms they are scaling down the new build component and will be carrying out more repairs.
“Most councils pursuing the next round of BSFs are looking at the nuclear option.”