analysis


Collaborative approaches to meeting school place demand


London Borough of Hounslow is working with partners to meet the ever-increasing demand for school places. David Nisbet, partner at Pick Everard, analyses the approach and its results so far


secondary and special education needs school places over a five-year period within challenging cost parameters. The requirement for new school places


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in Hounslow is extensive and as such, a dedicated multidisciplinary team was allocated to develop the new and improved facilities. The £300m Capital Expansion Programme once completed will have delivered 3,000 new primary places, a further 5,000 in secondary education and 600 new SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) places. Since the Capital Expansion Programme


was established, more than 6,000 school places have been created by the local authority: • 2,840 primary school • 2,820 secondary school • 440 SEN Working in partnership, Pick Everard


has contributed significantly to this successful outcome, with new buildings and extensions at 24 primary, infant and junior schools, and some selected secondary schools. Alongside this, the firm has also


undertaken a programme of dedicated refurbishment and new build projects to expand nine of the borough’s existing SEND sites culminating in substantial new build, all through specialist schools. Unlike many traditional school


expansion and improvement schemes, Hounslow presented the team with a series of unique challenges as a result of the borough’s location under the flight path for Heathrow Airport. At its busiest, one plane lands or takes off here approximately every minute – meaning


10 educationdab.co.uk


N 2012, Hounslow Council commissioned infastructure consultancy Pick Everard to deliver multiple new primary,


potential disruption to the teaching and learning environments sitting below. Working in collaboration with our acoustic


sub-consultants to undertake detailed surveys at each school to determine exactly what impact the aircraft noise has on each site and what measures must be employed to mitigate this to provide a high-quality learning environment. Findings from these early site


investigations allowed us to develop an affordable yet flexible design concept, incorporating a highly insulated concrete structural envelope combined with a sophisticated ventilation strategy, balancing noise insulation with thermal comfort. This bespoke acoustic design was


adapted and applied to the new buildings as well as pre-existing schools throughout the programme, demonstrating value for money while delivering top quality facilities for staff and pupils. The completed projects have all been


designed to withstand the effects of the evolving environment and any impact it might bring on the schools such as the Heathrow Airport expansion. An important part of ensuring best


value and devising the most appropriate solutions was delivering an innovative approach throughout. As well as assessing the most suitable route for each project – an extension or refurbishment, or a full new build – for each individual school requirement, we also worked to deliver savings through modern methods of construction. We also implemented BIM throughout


the programme to achieve an integrated approach, advancing designs and increasing stakeholder engagement during the design. For example:


• BIM training through free workshops to help the client understand and use the data efficiently


• Producing 3D walkthroughs and visuals to share with key stakeholders Engaging with and providing


opportunities for the communities in which we work is priority for the team at Pick Everard and this programme is no different. As well as addressing the need for additional school places across Hounslow, the programme has also delivered a number of benefits for the local community. Some 30% of the workforce involved in


this series of projects lived within 40 miles of the site and the entire supply chain spend was delivered through SMEs – ensuring a positive economic impact locally. It is hoped that sports facilities


included within school projects across the borough will be available for wider community use outside of school hours in addition to pupils and teachers during term time – creating an important legacy


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