Creating
 much-needed pupil places

Bedford has seen a large rise in housing construction which has resulted in a growth in the population – and a rise in pupil numbers. Bedford Borough Council has therefore had to look at new ways of procuring and delivering cost-effective solutions to address this challenge.
    
By working successfully with its construction and procurement partners, Bedford Borough Council has embarked on an innovative schools building strategy which uses standardised whole-school design and standardised fixed-price classroom extensions to increase the capacity of many of its schools.

Making the transition
Councillor Henry Vann, education portfolio holder at Bedford Borough Council, explains: “In the Bedford Academy cluster, the Borough is making the transition from lower (age 5 to 9 years), middle (age 9 to 13 years), and upper (age 13 to 16 years) schools, to a structure of primary and secondary schools.  This has resulted in some middle school closures and lower schools being expanded to accommodate the additional year groups.”
    
The programme of works consists of a mixture of new build, refurbishment, and re-organisation of the existing school stock.
    
Bedford Borough Council signed up to the innovative Sunesis product. This is a joint venture by Scape, a local authority controlled company, and contractor Willmott Dixon, combining public sector know-how and private sector expertise.
    
Bedford Borough Council was also one of the first public sector organisations in the UK to use Scape Connect, the country’s only scheme for standardised fixed-price classroom extensions.
    
Both Sunesis and Connect offer a range of educational buildings including whole schools, classroom extensions and halls that combine traditional construction methods applied to a standardised design, resulting in fixed costs and timescales. These are delivered through Scapes OJEU compliant frameworks which enable quick delivery and guarantee local spend therefore promoting the local economy.
    
Councillor Henry Vann said, “The programme of works delivered by Scape and Willmott Dixon includes a mixture of bespoke primary schools which adopt a standardised approach, along with Connect classroom extensions and Sunesis schools to meet the growing demand for primary school places in the area.”
    
Completed projects
Completed projects in Bedford include the new Bedford Academy which has been designed to accommodate 1,440 students aged 13 to 18 years, changing to ages 11 to 18 years in 2014, and forms a big part of the transition to primary and secondary route learning.
    
Great Denham Primary School was completed last year – a two form entry school that can accommodate 420 pupils and has been designed with the main space being split into four family groups creating small schools within a school to develop cross age teaching.
    
Another two form entry school, Shortstown primary, is due for completion ready for the September 2013 intake. The two form entry Shortstown primary school will replace the current one form entry Shortstown lower school and will accommodate extra pupils from the increase in housing development in the local area.

Primary school extensions
A programme of primary school extensions which use the Scape Connect standardised classroom approach, half of which are already completed, are due for occupation for the September 2013 intake. A total of 15 classrooms and two halls have been constructed using this unique approach, and by adopting this route the borough has been able to realise their basic need programme at an affordable cost and deliver more for less.
    
Elstow Lower school has benefitted from a  four class Connect block and multi-purpose hall, taking their overall pupil numbers to 420. A four class Connect Key Stage 2 block has also been constructed at Shackleton Lower School, taking their overall pupil numbers to 420. In addition, Cauldwell Lower School will  soon have a 4 class KS2 Connect block with an extension to the existing hall increasing their numbers to 420. Ridgeway SEN school has had a much needed three class Connect block adapted with a bespoke internal design for the specific needs of the post 16 students to learn core life skills.
    
Cotton End Lower school will benefit from internal refurbishment, including a new pupil entrance to the main block, and a temporary mobile unit which is being relocated from Shortstown lower school.
    
Following on from this, Bedford Borough will see a Sunesis two form entry plus nursery primary school in Kempston with an additional feasibility underway at another site elsewhere within the borough.
    
“The Borough has been under pressure to deliver these much needed educational spaces for growing pupil numbers with reducing resources,” explains Councillor Henry Vann. “This approach has enabled us to deliver excellent teaching and learning space whilst giving us the confidence of an excellent produce at fixed costs.”

Interest from overseas
The schools building strategy delivered by Bedford Borough Council has been shown as an exemplar in best practice across the EU.
    
A recent visit to four Bedford schools by a delegation of Swedish professionals showcased how its approach can deliver project excellence and high standards whilst remaining cost effective. A group of 10 professionals of the construction industry from Stockholm and Gothenburg visited the UK to look at good working practices and partnerships.
    
Bedford was identified as a good example of how successful long-term partnerships with its construction and procurement partners on four significant capital investment projects can deliver benefits for local authorities. As part of the tour the delegation visited Shortstown Primary School, Bedford Academy, Elstow Lower School, and Great Denham Primary School and Nursery.  
    
As part of the visit the Swedish team met with both senior members and officers at Bedford Borough Council to hear about their experiences first hand. Willmott Dixon also provided a detailed overview of the construction delivery as well as leading a group discussion about partnering processes, procedure and best practice.
    
Alan Coole from Scape commented, “We have worked closely with the team at Bedford Borough Council over the years to help them deliver exceptional, cost effective solutions to meet the growing needs of the local population. Our Swedish guests were specifically taken to Bedford so they could experience first hand how working collaboratively with the user, client and delivery team provided the most cost effective and timely solutions, cutting out as much waste as possible.”

Further information

www.bedford.gov.uk