Act now to defuse the


maintenance time bomb WHEN so much attention is focused on the Priority School Building Programme and creating much-needed new places, it’s easy to forget the less sexy side of school estates. But damp and mould wait for no man, let alone crumbling asbestos, and many Sixties and Seventies schools are not receiving the maintenance TLC they require.


Green inspiration in the heart of the city


Architecture Initiative’s new primary school in east London envisions a “garden oasis” in the heart of the capital city. Green space is incredibly important to Olga Primary School and the architect responds to this by incorporating a variety of terraced gardens and trees to create a rare “green oasis” to inspire children within an exciting and unconventional environment.


Story page 18


The point was made forcefully by a representative from NASUWT, the teachers union, who told a conference audience recently that 71% of their members reported leaks around their schools and over half said their toilets were sub-standard. His remarks prompted a delegate to go even further and describe the backlog of maintenance work as a “ticking time bomb”. He estimated that £7bn is needed to restore the English schools estate to an acceptable condition.


That figure is certainly more important to the vast majority of schools, pupils and parents than the £50m Education Secretary Damian Hinds has made available for grammar school extensions. And in a period when Government is getting better value for money out of its procurement programme than it has for a long time – see our benchmarking story in Analysis – it must surely soon come up with serious new investment funding to defuse that so-called time bomb.


Worrying times indeed. Happily, more positive notes are struck throughout this latest issue of Education Design and Build. Our article on the new type of contract involving integrated project insurance (IPI) holds out much hope for a more collaborative and efficient way of delivering new schools, and as a result possibly freeing up cash for backlog maintenance.


Editor Andrew Pring


Sales director Julian Walter


Production Gina Mitchell


Design Sandra Cid


Managing director Toby Filby


We also carry a case study of a superb primary school in East London, which serves as an inspiring example of how to incorporate greenness into a gritty urban setting.


It’s the kind of school that may well find itself listed in 30 years’ time, when it would take its place alongside some other excellent schools which have just been elevated to Grade II status by the Government. Our picture news story on these schools shows just how inventive architects and local authorities can be when they’re encouraged to extend themselves artistically. PSBP may not be aiming for these heights but a little more freedom for designers could surely be incorporated into current guidelines.


Publishers Stable Publishing Limited, SBC House, Restmor Way, Wallington, Surrey SM6 7AH, England. t. 020 8288 1080 f. 020 8288 1099 e. sales@educationdab.co.uk


Andrew Pring Editor


andrew@stable-media.co.uk


The publishers do not necessarily agree with views expressed by contributors and cannot accept responsibility for claims made by manufacturers and authors, nor do they accept any responsibility for any errors in the subject matter of this publication.


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