Feature Free schools

In practice, free schools rely on the

expertise of the framework contractors, who appoint their own consultant teams and often devise phasing strategies to allow schools to open partially for the first year’s intake while work progresses elsewhere. Leadbitter is delivering a free school primary and two academies, and says the free school involves a higher level of autonomy and closer contractor-client involvement. “The way the job comes together, the budget and the design responsibility is ours, and we work much more as a team with the client and end user. So you feel more inclined to be open and sort out the problems — that’s the environment it creates,” says Topliss.

Mainstream move Free schools may have started on the fringe, but they’re rapidly moving into the mainstream. In July, another 102 were approved for funding, and the New Schools Network predicts that approvals will run at a similar level in the coming years. As Marcus Fagent, partner and head of the schools team at EC Harris, points out, population growth is as much the driver as educational policy. “The biggest political issue will be the shortage of school spaces — towards the election, the government will want to be seen to be adding places.” They’re also a significant part of the

DfE’s Capital Spending Programme. EC Harris calculates a rough average of £4m-£5m each, or £400m-£500m a year. That’s on a similar level to the Priority School Building Programme, and compares to the £150m-£200m predicted annual spend on University Technical Colleges. However, EC Harris also points out that Basic Need funding for new build and maintenance — where projects are tendered directly by local authorities — is still worth £2bn a year. But for the next wave of free schools,

the DfE has confirmed that projects will be tendered outside the framework, although it hasn’t yet announced details. It’s likely that there will be batching of contracts, either with other free schools or possibly even with non-educational public sector projects in a given area. But before free school novices rush in,

there’s a health warning from Justin Talbot, head of education at consultant AECOM Davis Langdon, whose team works

Woodpecker Hall Primary Academy EDMONTON, NORTH LONDON Construction value: £4.3m Construction team: Leadbitter, working with architect ADP

What’s on the curriculum? No particular education programme, beyond delivering “best practice” in teaching. It has been built on behalf of Cuckoo Hall Academies Trust, which also manages the Cuckoo Hall Academy in Edmonton, one of the first primaries to gain academy status. The new school will be home to 420 pupils, as well as offering 60 nursery places.

How was it built? The single-storey building features unique circular pods for breakout learning and has been designed to be energy efficient with insulation that surpasses current building regulations and 100m2

of

photovoltaic panels. These measures will contribute to a BREEAM “very good” rating. The school has been built

on a site next to its sister school, Cuckoo Hall, where a former secondary has been demolished. Leadbitter phased the project so that Woodpecker Hall partially opened in September 2011 within the Cuckoo Hall buildings for an initial intake of nursery pupils. Leadbitter has now

completed classrooms for 180 pupils, and will stay on site to complete the project. Complications included

having to rethink plans for a shared boiler house facility, with the contractor eventually “reconfiguring” the services, a decision that involved changing the roof design to allow the project to continue to programme. Leadbitter has implemented a programme of site visits for the pupils of both Cuckoo Hall and Woodpecker Hall to enable them to see the new school first hand.

The building has circular pods for breakout learning and is energy efficient, achieving a BREEAM “very good” rating

Oakbank Secondary Free School WOKINGHAM Construction Value: £5M Contractor: Willmott Dixon, working with CfBT and architect ADP

What’s on the curriculum? A secondary for the Wokingham area to replace a previous school that failed due to a “brain drain” to other nearby schools. It has been set up by local group Women of Wokingham, which is overseeing the creation of the school with charity CfBT with the aim of meeting local needs and being in control of educational standards.

How was it built? Procured through the Scape framework, this is a refurbishment of the existing Edwardian school. Of the 10-week phase one, only six of which are actually on site. After this accelerated programme allows the school to open for 80 children, phases two and three will continue while the school is occupied and are due for

completion by summer 2013. Up to 70 operatives have

been working on site, at times working 24 hours a day and weekends sealing the vandalised building, stripping it out, and completing the interior refurbishment, the logistics of which have been managed by Wilmott Dixon’s “Clockwork” programme, using hourly rather than daily sub-contractor management. The school will not be

forced to meet BREEAM standards, roof zone has been better insulated and high-performance glazing installed. Some existing plant has been ‘re-energised’. High efficiency boilers and radiators have been installed however, as well as better performing M&E.

Left: The Edwardian school building had been vandalised and phase one was turned around in just 10 weeks to allow the school to open for 80 children

CONSTRUCTION MANAGER | SEPTEMBER 2012 | 23