Education Property Issue 02 April-May 2024

04/2024

APRIL-MAY 2024

Special report on the design of

purpose-built student accommodation

How modern methods of construction

are creating a new generation

of educational buildings

Guidance supports estates

professionals to get the

most from their sites

EDUCATION-PROPERTY.COM

Comment

W E L C O M E

Cash flow

concerns remain

Welcome to the latest edition

of Education Property

magazine, which comes shortly

after the announcement of the

Spring Budget.

Unfortunately, this muchanticipated

annual spending

review did very little to quell

ongoing concerns over education

funding, with Chancellor,

Jeremy Hunt, largely ignoring

the sector aside from plans for

a £105m investment in 15 new

special schools.

While welcomed, this cash is

just the tip of the iceberg as the

demand for special educational

needs and disabilities (SEND)

places rockets across the

country.

In fact, the shortage of SEND

places has led to a groundswell

in demand for suitable properties.

And you can read about this in our report on page

14, which explores the reasons for this high demand

and what education providers are looking for from

properties.

In this edition there is also a special report on

purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) and the

key design drivers.

This article cites the findings of a new report by The

Property Marketing Strategists, which reveals that the

needs of international students are impacting the way in

which architects design these facilities.

And there is a report on the increasing interest

in using the Passivhaus standard for PBSA schemes

in order to drive efficiency

and create futureproofed

accommodation.

We also focus on the

use of modern methods of

construction in the delivery of

educational buildings.

Using this offsite approach

means facilities can be delivered

quicker, more cheaply, and with

less impact on live school sites.

But it’s not just the buildings

themselves that we are focusing

on. Education Property is

also looking to support those

professionals who operate these

estates.

In this edition we have

details of new guidance on

how to implement effective

estates strategies, as well as an

indepth overview of Estate

Decarbonisation Plans.

Energy efficiency remains at the forefront of

estates and facilities management efforts and over the

coming months we will be looking more closely at the

opportunities and challenges facing the sector.

In the next edition, we will be focusing on how to

reduce school closures, the storage needs of educational

facilities, and lighting solutions.

If you can help, please contact

joanne.makosinski@nexusgroup.co.uk

Jo Makosinski

Editor

Education Property

About Jo: Jo is the editor of Education Property, having

joined Nexus Media in November.

She has been specialising in design and construction

best practice for the past 14 years, working on the

Building Better Healthcare Awards and editing both

Building Better Healthcare and Healthcare Design &

Management magazines.

She has a special interest in the design of public

buildings including schools, nurseries, colleges,

hospitals, health centres, and libraries.

EDUCATION-PROPERTY.COM APRIL-MAY 2024 | 3

Contents

Chief executive officer

Alex Dampier

Chief operating officer

Sarah Hyman

Chief marketing officer

Julia Payne

Editor

Joanne Makosinski

joanne.makosinski@nexusgroup.co.uk

Reporter and subeditor

Charles Wheeldon

Business development director

Mike Griffin

Advertising & event sales director

Caroline Bowern

Business development executive

Kirsty Parks

Sales manager

Luke Crist

Publisher

Harry Hyman

Investor Publishing Ltd, 5th Floor, Greener House,

66-68 Haymarket, London, SW1Y 4RF

Tel: 020 7104 2000

Website: www.education-property.com

Education Property is published six times a year

by Investor Publishing Ltd.

ISSN 3033-3458

© Investor Publishing Limited 2024

The views expressed in Healthcare Property

are not necessarily those of the editor or publishers.

6-9 News

We round up the latest big stories,

including the Chancellor’s Spring

Budget speech, plans by the Welsh

Government to increase capital

spending across the country, and

the latest education construction

projects

10-11 Policy

A new report from the Institute

for Fiscal Studies provides an

overview of education spending

over recent years, revealing a

sector that is struggling to make

ends meet

14

12-20 Finance and Property

An overview of the key trends

in real estate financing for the

education sector, including the

increasing demand for SEND

properties, the top priorities for

school bursars, and the latest deals

and acquisitions

28

24-36 Building Design

Special report on the purpose-built

student accommodation market,

including a rise in the number of

Passivhaus-certified projects and

the impact international students

have on design approaches.

Plus, why modern methods of

construction are helping to deliver

a new generation of educational

facilities

38-41 Estates and Facilities

Management

A new guide from LocatED

supports schools to develop their

estates to deliver more-successful

outcomes. Plus, The Trust Network

launches a five-point plan to drive

efficiencies

@edu_prop

linkedin.com/company/education-property-magazine/

22

22-23 Market Analysis

Construction sector data reveals

that the education market

continues to face challenges,

with work starting on site, and

underlying project numbers, down

on last year

42

42-46 Environmental

Nigel Aylwin-Foster of ReEnergise

Projects explores the best way

to decarbonise the independent

school estate and how to develop

an effective plan of action

49-50 People

Staffing and people news,

including the launch of a new

teaching apprenticeship scheme


News

15 new special schools promised

in Spring Budget

Fifteen new special free schools will

be built in England at a cost of £105m,

Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, announced in

his Spring Budget.

However, this was one of the few

education-related commitments in his

speech, drawing criticism from sector

leaders.

In budget documents, the Treasury said

it was ‘committing an initial £105m towards

a wave of 15 new special free schools to

create over 2,000 additional places for

children with special educational needs and

disabilities (SEND) across England’.

“This will help more children receive a

world-class education and builds on the

significant levels of capital funding for

SEND,” Hunt said.

Locations for the schools will be

announced in May, he added.

A FUNDING CRISIS

The Government also confirmed the location

of 20 alternative provision free schools,

which were originally announced as part

of a £2.6bn capital investment at the 2021

spending review.

However, critics have said this will go

nowhere near meeting the shortage of

SEND places in many areas.

Commenting on his speech, which

centred on tax cuts for workers and parents,

Julie McCulloch, director of policy at the

Association of School and College Leaders,

said the Chancellor ‘spent more time namechecking

film stars than he did on education’.

She added: “A building programme for

special schools is welcome, but does

not address the wider crisis in special

educational needs funding.”

THE POOR RELATION

The only other announcements which

impact on the education sector include

news that the household support fund —

which has been used by some councils to

provide school uniform support or holiday

meals — will be extended from April to

September at a cost of £500m; and that the

Government will spend £75m over three

years from 2025 to expand the violence

reduction unit model across England

and Wales, which enables health boards,

schools, and police leaders to co-ordinate

joint strategies to tackle violence among

young people.

But there was no mention of the National

Jeremy Hunt. Image by Simon Walker, No 10 Downing Street

Tutoring Programme, suggesting funding for

subsidised tuition will come to an end this

summer as planned.

If this happens schools will be expected to

use pupil premium funding if they want to

keep these going.

A ‘WOEFUL’ APPROACH

Nick Brook, who chairs the Department

for Education’s tutoring advisory group,

said the failure to fund it at the budget has

‘brought the curtain crashing down on the

programme, the only response of merit from

[the Government’s} woeful post-COVID

education recovery plan’.

“Schools will undoubtedly do their upmost

to maintain levels of support for their mostdisadvantaged

pupils,” he added.

“But, with dwindling resources, it is

abundantly clear that this decision will result

in the volume of tutoring plummeting.”

There was also no mention of additional

funding for national professional

qualifications, which comes to an end at the

end of this academic year.

LACK OF SUPPPORT

Responding to the Chancellor’s Spring

Budget, Natalie Perera, chief executive of

the Education Policy Institute (EPI), said

she was ‘disappointed’ at a lack of financial

support for early years and education,

adding: “Research published by EPI found

that pupils are still feeling the effects of the

COVID-19 pandemic, with those from poorer

families struggling the most to catch up.

“If the Government is serious about

delivering a world-class education for all,

it needs to prioritise spending in the early

years, targeted to families who need it

the most, as well as a sufficiently-funded

high-quality universal offer. It also needs to

prioritise funding for disadvantaged pupils

in schools and colleges. This includes

increasing funding and support for pupils

with Special Educational Needs and

Disabilities (SEND), providing mental health

support in schools, and considering how

best to support schools to offer an extended

school day.

“But we also cannot expect schools in

isolation to fix all of society’s problems.

“The increase to the child benefit threshold

[from £50,000 to £60,000] is a positive step,

but there is an urgent need for a crossgovernment

child poverty strategy which

recognises the root causes of education

inequalities such as poverty, housing,

healthcare, transport, and many other

aspects of daily life.”

For more information on the SEND market,

turn to page 14

6 | APRIL-MAY 2024 EDUCATION-PROPERTY.COM

News

SEN school contractor chosen

Tilbury Douglas has been appointed to

lead the construction of Tulip Academy

in Spalding on behalf of the Department

for Education (DfE) for the Community

Inclusive Trust (C.I.T Academies).

The project will deliver a new-build, twostorey,

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

school for children and young adults aged

11-16 with a range of learning difficulties

and disabilities, replacing existing outdated

accommodation.

The school will benefit from operational

savings and the build must be net zero

carbon in operation, utilising photovoltaic

panels on the roof, natural ventilation

with heat recovery (NVHR) units, cross

ventilation, and air source heat pumps.

The plan also includes a range of external

works, with an aim to meet the Urban

Greening factor and the DfE’s biodiversity

specification, with landscaping a key

consideration.

Simon Butler, managing director of

building for the central region at Tilbury

Douglas, said: “As this important scheme

is located on a live school environment, we

are working closely with the school and DfE

to ensure minimal disruption to the day-today

running of the school. We aim to deliver

a first-class asset for C.I.T Academies.”

Matthew Bloodworth-Flatt, headteacher

of Tulip Academy Spalding, added: “This

is a very-exciting time for the school and

pupils and staff will be looking on with

anticipation watching the new building

take shape.

“The purpose-built school building will

help us hugely with our mission of ‘Making

every Moment Matter’, preparing pupils

for their futures and helping them develop

knowledge and skills which will allow them

to thrive in adult life.”


News

Building communities

for learning

Local authorities across Wales are continuing to plan for future

educational needs, with proposals being submitted to the

Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning

programme.

Launched in January 2022, and formerly known at the 21st

Century Schools Programme, the funding model provides a rolling

programme of infrastructure projects covering a nine-year period

split into three sections of three years each.

The first three years up to 2027 will be made up of projects

expected to reach full business case stage.

The projects in the second three-year period up to 2030 are those

that are being developed and need to go through consultation.

And the last period covers long-term ‘pipeline’ projects.

Local authorities will review their programme every three

years and, over its lifespan, the model is expected to deliver over

£1.5bn worth of improved learning facilities underpinned by the

Government’s net-zero carbon commitment.

Funding for approved schemes comes primarily from the

Government, although councils are expected to contribute.

The current rate is that proposals for community, voluntarycontrolled,

and foundation schools receive 65% of funding from the

Government, with special schools and pupil referral units getting

75%, and voluntary-aided schools of religious character getting 85%.

At a recent meeting of the Blaenau Gwent County Borough

Council’s Cabinet, education portfolio holder, Councillor Sue

Edmunds, gave an update on projects being taken forward under

the programme, including plans for extensions at two secondary

schools that are full to capacity.

Under the first tranche of the programme, the council is hoping

to deliver £24m worth of improvements at Ebbw Fawr Learning

Community, Tredegar Comprehensive School, and Pen y Cwm

Special School.

In the medium term, Cllr Edmunds said they were looking at

refurbishment and new-build projects at five schools; and the future

Work to start on new MAT school

Work has started on the construction

of Branston Locks Primary & Nursery

School in Tatenhill, Staffordshire.

Contractor, Tilbury Douglas, has been

appointed to lead the work on behalf of the

Department for Education (DfE) for John

Taylor Multi-Academy Trust (MAT).

The new-build, two-form entry primary

school with nursery, situated in the

proposed ‘local centre’ of a new residential/

mixed-use development, is designed to

eventually accommodate 420 primary

school pupils aged 4-11 years and provide

an additional 52 nursery places.

The school will open with one form of

entry in September this year, admitting

one reception class with 30 places and a

nursery with 26 places for children over

three years of age.

To meet the DfE’s sustainability objectives,

the development is set to achieve net-zero

carbon in operation at handover.

This will be achieved by utilising highlyenergy-efficient

fabric and services, offset

by onsite renewables.

In addition, the landscaping will feature

new trees and meadow planting around the

site boundary, providing valuable habitat

and increasing biodiversity, as well as

creating spaces for outdoor learning.

The proposed external sports provision

also includes new pitches and running

tracks.

In addition to its core education use, the

new school will look to become a vibrant

community hub, with an activity studio,

large main hall, and associated kitchenette

and storage.

pipeline includes a new primary and secondary school.

In Monmouthshire, projects already under construction include a

new net-zero-carbon ‘all-through’ school in Abergavenny, which will

deliver education for pupils aged from 3-19.

Being built by Morgan Sindall Construction, the project is due for

completion by next summer.

And Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council has completed

a number of projects, with work ongoing to build three new primary

and all-through schools and extensions to existing facilities at five

other sites.


News

Plans for multi-million-pound

special school

Plans to rebuild Pens Meadow

School special school are

taking a step forward with a

contractor now appointed to

deliver the work.

Dudley Council is investing

£15m in the new school, which

is to be built on the site of the

former Pensnett High School.

Contractor, Interclass PLC,

a local company based in

Wombourne, will be delivering

the build with initial site

preparatory work to begin this

spring.

Once built, the school will

provide education for 155

children and young people

aged 3-19 together with a

nursery assessment unit for the

borough.

The purpose-built unit will

deliver better facilities for pupils

with complex needs, severe

learning difficulties, including

autism, and those with profound

and multiple learning difficulties.

It will have state-of-theart

art equipment, therapy

rooms, a hydrotherapy pool,

changing facilities, outdoor

teaching and play areas, and 14

bespoke classrooms specifically

designed to cater to children

with additional needs.

There is also a focus on

sustainability within the design,

with plans for PV panels to turn

sunlight into electricity and air

source heat pumps to help heat

the building.

The new school has been

designed by the council’s

project design and delivery team

in corporate landlord services.

And work is expected to start

on site this month and is due to

be completed in the summer of

2025.

Pictured are Marie Hunter, head of

Pens Meadow, and Councillor Patrick

Harley, leader of Dudley Council

The school is set to be fully

operational in January 2026, with

a phased transition for some

of the pupils to the new site

starting in the autumn of 2025.

Councillor Patrick Harley,

leader of the council, said: “Pens

Meadow is already a wonderful

special school, but to be able to

provide a new purpose-built site

will take the school’s education

provision to the next level.

“It has been designed to

significantly improve the

education for children and

young people with complex

needs and I’m delighted that we

now have a contractor in place

to deliver this ambitious build.”

Marie Hunter, headteacher,

added: “Our whole school

community is very excited that

the building of our new school

will begin this spring.

“We have been working

closely with the planning

teams and are looking forward

to seeing the building works

progress. This will provide our

pupils and families with the

excellent environment they

deserve.”


Finance and Property

Government funding claims

‘unhelpful to public debate’

An insight into the latest report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies, which sheds light on education spending

Government claims that school

funding is at a record or

historical high is ‘not much of an

achievement’, according to a new report

from The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).

Published on 1 March, The latest picture

on School Funding and costs in England

provides an up-to-date analysis of trends in

school funding and costs in England over

time.

And it reveals that, if the Government

wanted to compensate schools for the 5%

loss in the purchasing power of budgets

since 2009-10, it would require a total of

£3.2bn in extra funding.

The report states that the core schools

budget in England is set to be about £60bn

in 2024-25, which includes day-to-day or

current school spending on pupils aged

5-16.

Total spending is up about 11% in real

terms on the level seen five years ago in

2019-20.

But it states: “The Government regularly

makes the claim that school funding is at a

record or historical high.

“While technically true, this is not much

of an achievement.

“Practically every government could

make this claim every year back to at least

1945, if not earlier.

“There are now an extra 900,000 — or

15% — more pupils than there were

in 2010 and these pupils require extra

teachers, extra books, extra seats, and total

spending has thus gone up to meet this

extra need.”

Figure 1 shows the IFS’s estimates of the

Relactive to real-terms

level in 2009-10

1.05

1.00

0.95

0.90

0.85

0.80

2003-04

2004-05

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09

2009-10

total level of school spending per pupil,

relative to its level in 2009-10.

The report states: “Following a

2010-11

2011-12

Financial year

Based on

general inflation

substantial rise over the 2000s, total school

spending per pupil fell by 9% in real terms

in England between 2009-10 and 2019-20.

This fall in school spending per pupil

represents the largest and most-sustained cut

in school spending per pupil in England in at

least 40 years, and probably a lot longer

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

2017-18

2018-19

2019-20

Based on

schools-specific

cost inflation

Figure 1

Note and source: updated version of figure 3.2 in Drayton et al. (2023). General inflation by some HM Treasury,

GDP deflators, December 2023. Schools-specific cost inflation detailed in Drayton.

2020-21

2021-22

2022-23

2023-24

2024-25



“This fall in school spending per pupil

represents the largest and most-sustained cut

in school spending per pupil in England in at

least 40 years, and probably a lot longer.”

It adds: “Since 2019-20, we have seen

rises in school spending, which is likely to

lead to a 9.5% real-terms increase between

2019-20 and 2024-25.

REVERSING THE TREND

“If delivered, this should be sufficient to

reverse past cuts and take school spending

per pupil back to its last historical high in

2009-10.

“Technically, we therefore also expect

school spending per pupil to be at an equal

historical high in 2024-25.

“Again, however, this is not really much

of an achievement.

“Prior to 2010, school spending per pupil

was usually at a record level every year.

“As a society, we have generally chosen to

increase real-terms spending on schools as

we have seen economic growth and become

richer.

“The fact that school spending per pupil

was not at a record high between 2010-

2023 reflects the fact that we have just

seen a historically-large real-terms cut in

spending per pupil.”

Furthermore, the report reveals these

trends do not account for the large drop in

school capital spending, which has fallen

significantly over time.

The three-year average up to 2023-24 is

due to be about 26% lower in real terms

than the three-year average in the late 2000s

up to 2008-09.

And this all comes at a time when schools

are facing increased costs.

RISING COSTS

The report states that average teacher pay

per head grew by 6% in 2023-24, other staff

pay per head increased by over 8%, and

non-staff costs grew by 6%.

However, funding per pupil grew by 8.0%

in 2023-24, which was just about sufficient,

on average, to compensate schools for cost

rises of 7.2%.

For 2024-25, the GDP deflator — the

standard and most-consistent way to

examine real-terms changes in public

spending — is currently forecast to be 1.7%.

And, with funding per pupil due to grow

by 3.8%, this equates to real-terms growth

in school funding per pupil of about 2% and

allows spending per pupil to return to 2009-

10 levels by 2024-25, as shown in Figure 1.

However, the IFS analysis suggests that

school costs are actually likely to grow by

5%, outpacing funding growth and driving

a 1% cut in the purchasing power of school

budgets.

Percentage change

10%

8%

6%

4%

2%

0%

-2%

Figure 2

Total funding per child School cost GDP deflator

2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25

Financial year

Note and source: figure for cash times funding per pupil taken from Drayton et al. (2023). GDP deflator taken

from HM Treasury, GDP deflators, December 2023. Schools-specific cost index detailed in Drayton et al.

(2023), plus an additional assumption that support staff pay per head.

This projected increase in costs is based

on a range of assumptions including teacher

pay increasing and cost pressures from highneeds

or special education needs provision.

In conclusion, the report states: “The

government regularly claims that school

funding and funding per pupil are at record

highs. Such claims are, to put it mildly,

unhelpful to public debate.

“Prior to 2010, school funding per pupil

was at a record high almost every year. The

fact that this has not been the case since

2010 just reflects the fact that we have seen

historically-large cuts to school spending

per pupil.

“Furthermore, the actual costs faced

by schools are growing faster than overall

inflation, such that the actual pressures on

school budgets are likely to be much more

challenging than when we use standard

measures of inflation to calculate real-terms

changes in school funding per pupil.

“On current policy and projections, we

expect a 1% fall in the purchasing power of

school budgets in 2024-25.

LASTING EFFECTS

“If the Government wanted to compensate

schools fully for the expected cost rises, school

funding would need to rise by a further £700m

over and above existing plans for 2024-25.

“If the Government wanted to go even

further and compensate schools for the

5% loss in the purchasing power of school

budgets since 2009–10, it would require a

total of £3.2bn in extra funding.”

Responding to the report, Daniel

Kebede, general secretary of the National

Education Union (NEU), said: “The NEU

agrees with the IFS that the correct way to

chart progress in the education system is by

reference to school costs.

If the Government

wanted to go

even further and

compensate schools

for the 5% loss in the

purchasing power

of school budgets

since 2009–10, it

would require a total

of £3.2bn in extra

funding

“It is school purchasing power that counts

in providing an education system fit for the

21st Century.

“Persistent underfunding has led to deep

and lasting effects on the education sector.

“70% of schools in England have lower

real-terms funding this year than in 2010

and 380 schools have lost more than £2,000

in real terms per pupil funding due to

government cuts.

“Up until this point Government has

not listened to the clear evidence put in

front of them. They are ignoring a growing

existential crisis in education that is

happening on their watch.” n



Top issues for

bursars for 2024

1. PROTECTING ASSETS

The imposition of VAT on school fees

is almost certain under a future Labour

government, which is adding considerable

uncertainty to the independent schools

sector.

Some schools are seeking to protect

their assets by entering into PropCo OpCo

arrangements, under which a lease is put in

place and we would strongly recommend

that expert independent property advice is

sought on the detailed lease terms.

These can have material implications for

the value of the interests, control, securing

mortgage funding, and other such matters.

2. RELEASING CAPITAL

The need to invest in school facilities in

order to enhance parent appeal — with

ever higher expectations — and attract

and retain pupils is a constant issue at most

independent schools.

And inflation and budgetary pressures

for schools have impacted on some schools’

ability to undertake new building projects.

However, there are a number of options

Image: Vidhyarthi Darpan from Pixabay

Independent schools face unique challenges related

to property and its management. This article by

Morgan Allen, a partner at Gerald Eve, covers these

issues and how they can be addressed

for schools to realise capital from their

estate to invest back into facilities.

Debt funding through secured lending

founded on a realistic business plan remains

the ‘go to’ for many schools.

While the cost of debt has increased,

there are still a number of lenders active in

the market and we are beginning to see a

recovery in the number of secured lending

valuations being undertaken of schools.

That said, the main clearers generally

prefer to lend to their existing borrowers

rather than lending to ‘new to bank’ school

borrowers.

We have seen a number of the challenger

banks show increasing appetite to lend into

the schools sector, although their margins

(interest rates) tend to be more expensive

than those of the top high street banks.

Having a ‘Red Book’ valuation prepared

by a valuation firm that is immersed in the

schools market is key here.

Schools facing a re-finance of existing

debt in the next couple of years are likely to

find that lenders will demand to see robust

stress-testing of forecast cashflows to ensure

that, in the unfortunate event there is a

decline in pupil numbers (turnover), the

school’s trading activity could still amply

cover the repayments.

In addition, loan-to-value ratios have

declined at the same time as interest rates

have increased; and this means that it now

costs more to borrow less.

Schools which are already highly

leveraged may struggle to refinance over the

next couple of years.

We are the leading adviser on sale and

leasebacks and ground rent disposals in the

independent schools market, which can be

an innovative way of raising valuable capital

for schools without adversely impacting

upon trading operations.

A sale and leaseback is an established

method of releasing capital from

property, whereby the occupier would

sell the freehold asset to an investor and

simultaneously take a lease back for a

fixed period of typically 15-35 years at a

market rent.

A ground rent disposal is a lower-risk

option for both the occupier and investor

and can provide schools with long-term

security of tenure with the potential to

recover the freehold for a nominal sum

after, say, 50-75 years.

The leaseback period in a ground rent

deal is generally 100-150 years at a muchlower,

sustainable rent.

This can be an attractive funding option

for those with weaker credit profiles/

covenant strength and those requiring

a commitment to the property for the

foreseeable future.

That said, if a school is struggling,

investor appetite might be muted and there

would be virtually no investor appetite for a

loss-making school.

Many schools may also have surplus assets

that can either generate income or be sold

to release capital. This may take the form

of surplus land within the school estate,

underutilised staff houses, and/or surplus

school buildings that you may be able to

sell/lease to another user.

Finally, there have been a growing

number of mergers and acquisitions in the

schools market in recent years.

There are opportunities to explore

mergers, joint venture, or shared services

opportunities to improve economies of

scale, pool expertise, and enhance market

share in a more-competitive market.

A merger would offer the opportunity to

reduce often expensive ‘head office’ costs via

reducing duplicated roles such as a bursar,

marketing, payroll, etc.

We expect forward-thinking bursars will

have already stress tested forecast cashflows

to account for VAT on school fees and the



potential impact this may have on pupil

numbers.

And bursars and governors are likely

to have considered or even approached

other schools to discuss opportunities for

mergers.

3. DIVERSIFYING INCOME

Buying or merging with a feeder school

offers a good way to protect a future

pipeline of pupils.

We are also seeing schools create nurseries

(if they don’t already have one), to protect

the pupil pipeline into Reception.

Furthermore, early years will not attract

VAT, so introducing a nursery would boost

income which would not be subject to VAT

and also diversity income streams.

Very careful consideration would need to

be given to the model of nursery, though; ie

term-time only, or full 51-week wraparound

day care.

We have seen schools introduce a termtime

only nursery and then struggle to fill

places in catchments where parents require

full wrap-around day care instead, and

then fail to successfully transition to such a

model.

A hybrid sessional nursery school

and wraparound day care model is often

inefficient.

We would strongly recommend to a

school considering introducing a nursery

that you obtain a report on the catchment

analysis and population projections to

ensure a proposed nursery would have

sufficient demand to fill places and which

type of model to adopt.

VAT on fees for pupils with an Education

Health and Care Plan (EHCP) will also not

attract VAT.

We therefore predict a huge surge in

parents seeking referrals for EHCPs in

order to mitigate the cost of tuition fees.

Schools might as a result want to consider

bolstering their SEND departments in due

course to meet this predicted increase in

demand.

4. PROJECT MANAGEMENT

School estates are continually evolving in

response to changing educational priorities,

the need to replace outdated infrastructure,

to create more-flexible accommodation, or

to add new facilities.

And, while new projects are exciting and

are enthusiastically welcomed by governors,

parents and staff, for the bursar they can be

a time-consuming diversion from day-today

responsibilities, particularly where they

have little previous experience of running

construction projects or the many decisions

that are required.

In recent years we have seen an increasing

number of independent schools appointing

an external project manager to lead the

process and to provide a single point

of contact with the professional and

construction teams, allowing the bursar to

concentrate on strategic issues.

While projects vary in their complexity,

in our experience the key issues of the

moment can often be distilled into the

following areas:

• Estate strategy: Before embarking on

any major capital project, it is important

to understand how that project fits

within the longer-term plans for the

school to ensure that classrooms meet

the future needs of the curriculum,

that obsolete facilities are replaced at

the end of their life, and that the wider

infrastructure is sufficient to support

future plans. The estate strategy should

clearly set out the schools’ vision for

the future and the overall timeline and

budget within which individual projects

are to be developed

• Governance: Projects require input

from an array of external advisors, but

also from a cross section of internal

teams to include teaching, facilities, and

IT, together with governor support.

Establishing a project steering group

at the outset with representation from

all, and input from the external project

manager, is the right forum for key

decisions and consistent reporting

• The brief: The brief for any project

should clearly set out the key deliverables,

milestones, budget, and programme.

Crucially, it should help avoid ‘scope

creep’ as the project develops

• Programme timing: The majority of

problems that occur on any project are

due to unrealistic expectations about

programme, particularly with the

length of lead-in and design periods.

Schools have short windows within

school holidays to carry out disruptive

works in existing buildings and critical

dates to hit with the start of term. And

many independent schools are located

in historic and listed buildings, which

adds further complications.As such,

a disciplined approach to programme

management is needed at the outset

• Budget: Construction costs, as

elsewhere, are currently at an all-time

high and agreeing fixed price contracts is

becoming more challenging. In addition

to the build costs there are also site

investigations, professional fees, enabling

works, temporary facilities, and VAT,

which can add 40%-50% to the cost

• ESG: Environment, Sustainability and

Governance (ESG) is no longer just

aspirational. Recent increases in energy

costs, for example, are biting and parents

and children want to know what schools

are doing to address environmental

concerns in their long-term planning. So

new projects also need to be sustainable

in the widest sense by being flexible and

accessible to all

One of the few positives of VAT being

imposed on school fees is that schools

embarking on capex projects would now

be able to reclaim the VAT on the costs of

construction, thus reducing construction

costs by 20%.

5. VAT

The imposition of Value Added Tax

(VAT) on school fees has the potential to

significantly impact independent schools

across the country.

While the idea of introducing VAT

on education has long been a topic of

discussion on the political agenda, it

remains unimplemented for now.

However, a Labour government, and

thus VAT on fees, is looking increasingly

likely.

In short, adding VAT to school

fees is likely to have adverse effects

on independent schools, straining

many parents’ finances, increasing the

administrative burdens for schools, and

potentially limiting the availability of

scholarships and financial aid.

Policymakers would need to carefully

consider the consequences of such a move

on the education landscape in the UK

before implementing any changes.

IN CONCLUSION

The next couple of years will be a bumpy

ride for many, with the weaker, smaller

schools suffering the most.

But savings can be made on capital

expenditure projects if VAT can be

reclaimed.

Business Rates can also be appealed and

we have achieved substantial rates refunds

for some of our school clients.

We predict a greater number of mergers

and opportunities for the for-profit

groups to acquire schools and for further

consolidation in the sector.

We are aware that many of the schools

groups are being contacted (by sometimes

desperate) bursars on a weekly basis. But,

with more opportunities, the groups

are now more discerning about their

acquisitions.

Values have dropped from the heady

values of 2022 and there is a greater

divergence of prices being paid between

the strong and weaker schools, so schools

making a very-substantial deficit might

struggle to find a buyer at all. n



Because the EHC

shapes the nature of

required support and

services, EHCs, in

turn, shape the nature

and type of facilities

that the provider/

operator requires

Property market

boost amid SEND

school crisis

An increase in pupils with special educational needs and

disabilities is leading to a surge in interest from property

investors and operators

Increased post-COVID demand for

SEND school places is driving renewed

interest in the education property market,

with investors attracted by long-term leases.

According to gov.uk figures for 2022/23,

389,171 pupils in schools in England

have Education, Health and Care (EHC)

plans, up 9.5% on the previous year and

representing 4.3% of all pupils.

And 1.18 million pupils receive Special

Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

support, an increase of 4.7% on 2022.

The most-common type of need for those

with an EHC plan is autistic spectrum

disorder and the majority of those with

SEND support have speech, language, and

communication needs.

This increase in prevalence is leading to a

surge in demand for SEND school places,

with mainstream schools, in particular,

struggling to meet demand.

And this, in turn, is driving increased

interest from private financiers, property

developers, and potential new independent

operators.

A LONG-TERM VISION

Daniel Goodman, director and head of

developments at The Harkalm Group, told

Education Property: “The long-term leases

and index-linked reviews within the SEND

sector result in the investments sitting well

within the property portfolio and we hope

the market continues to grow as there is

a significant under supply of facilities for

children who require it and cannot be in

mainstream schools.”

Courteney Donaldson, managing

director for childcare and education

at Christie & Co, adds: “Most notably

since mid-2020, there has been a huge

surge in the need for SEND services and,

consequently, demand for properties from

SEND providers as they strive to increase

capacity across the UK.

“There are a number of reasons for this

and, while we have seen a surge in demand

within a very-short space of time following

the first national lockdown in the UK,

over the past decade or so a wider public

awareness of SEND has also been gained,

Courteney Donaldson, Christie & Co

and historically-perceived stigmas

have largely eroded due to far better

awareness and understanding of associated

conditions.

INTO THE BREACH

“There are no signs of this surge in demand

for places abating and, with many state

schools inadequately equipped to meet the

increased demand or to support pupils with

more-complex and challenging needs, we

have seen those with specialist expertise and

experience across the private and charitable

school sectors step into the breach; striving

to create additional capacity to service the

needs of students with EHCs.”

This demand has led to an incrediblybuoyant

market for a variety of different

vacant properties that would lend



themselves well to SEND use, subject to

planning consent, for example former

libraries, offices with outdoor space, former

hotels, or disused community buildings.

Donaldson said: “In seeking to change

the use of a building, the planning process

can be lengthy and the cost of converting

that property into a school could be very

sizeable. For those reasons, in particular,

vacant properties that already have an

educational use continue to be in the

highest demand.

“As a case in point, last year we saw a

rise in the number of former independent

schools coming to the market, the majority

of which were sold in swift and competitive

processes to SEND and specialist childcare

service providers.”

DIVERSE REQUIREMENTS

Goodman said different providers have

different requirements in different

locations, but largely they are seeking

properties with a minimum floorspace of

7,000sq ft on sites of at least half an acre.

Donaldson adds: “Operators and

providers of SEND services have incrediblydiverse

property needs because the children

and young people they serve will often have

a diverse range of conditions and needs that

must be met as per each EHC.

“Because the EHC shapes the nature of

required support and services, EHCs, in

turn, shape the nature and type of facilities

that the provider/operator requires.

“For example, from a physical property

perspective, a SEND school will require

far more ancillary accommodation than a

mainstream independent school as they will

need breakout rooms for 1:1 sessions, quiet

rooms, smaller areas for therapeutic activity

use, and additional office space.

“Equally, the acuity of the service user’s

needs will shape suitability, configuration,

and property specifications, which an

operator may require, as may its location,

from a commissioning perspective.

“Alongside serving the needs of day

students, residential services may also be

required, which means, as property agents,

we must understand the needs of the

children and students that providers are

seeking to serve, alongside the provider’s

locational or property acquisition criteria.”

SUPPLY AND DEMAND

Their comments come after the Chancellor,

Jeremy Hunt, revealed plans for 15 new

special schools in his Spring Budget

speech (see page 6), backed by £105m of

government funding.

Donaldson said: “This is a drop in the

ocean given the fast-rising tide of demand.

“Throughout 2023, demand from

Source: School census, General hospital school census, Independent school census. Includes state-funded nursery, primary,

secondary, and special schools, non-maintained special schools, state-funded alternative provision schools, and independent

schools. Includes pupils with SEN support in state-funded schools and pupils with SEN without an EHC plan in independent

schools. EHC plans also includes statements of SEN. Statements were phased out from 2014-2018

Source: School census, EHC plans also includes statements of SEN. Statements were phased out from 2014-2018. Includes

state-funded nursery, primary, secondary and special schools, non-maintained special schools and state-funded alternative

provision schools. Does not include independent schools.

buyers for organic growth development

opportunities, and the opportunity to

buy businesses with established earnings,

continued to outstrip supply and we have

already seen this trend continuing in 2024.”

Civitas Investment Management, the

UK’s largest provider of community

facilities, is also reporting an increase

in interest in the sector, having invested

£113m worth of equity in the second half

of 2023, a significant proportion of this on

educational assets.

STRONG CREDENTIALS

Andrew Dawber, group director, said:

“Against a backdrop of generally-volatile

markets and low transaction volumes

across most real estate classes, Civitas has

continued to drive forward its investment

programmes on behalf of institutional

clients in an asset class that demonstrates

strong social and environmental credentials

and which benefits from indexation and

visible long-term income.

“Our pipeline of projects remains strong

as we enter 2024 and this reflects the

evidence on the ground of increasing need

for high-quality, community-based facilities

with an emphasis on working closely with

local commissioning services and with

leading care providers, housing managers,

and specialist developers.” n



Funding deal brings forward prime

site for student accommodation

A joint venture partnership

between Asset Capital

and Prescient Capital has

secured funding to enable

the redevelopment of two

vacant landmark buildings in

Leeds city centre into student

accommodation.

Established senior debt

facilitator, BLG Development

Finance, has committed funds

for the redevelopment of

26 Great George Street, the

Grade II-listed former Victoria

Commercial & Family Hotel

and adjacent Shenanigans pub,

which closed at the start of the

pandemic.

Built in 1865, The Victoria Hotel

was a well-regarded alehouse

with 28 bedrooms situated

above, while the Shenanigans

pub occupied the former

Masonic Hall and Central Tower

in the city centre.

Last month Stirling Prescient

secured full planning consent

from Leeds City Council to

redevelop the site into purposebuilt

student accommodation

(PBSA) on the upper levels while

retaining the ground-floor pub

and leisure provision.

The team behind Kirkstall

Brewery and Whitelock’s Ale

House have pledged to restore

the pub to its former glory, while

the partnership will deliver 54

studio student bedrooms with

modern facilities including a

concierge, communal lounges,

a gym, bin store, TV room, and

laundry.

The redevelopment involves

partial demolition of the existing

buildings with a rear extension

rising to four storeys.

The impressive Victorian

exterior façade will be sensitively

restored, protecting heritage

value and enhancing aspects

that contribute positively to the

site’s significant setting.

Daniel Newett of Asset

Capital said: “We are delighted

to partner with BLG to

bring forward this important

Independent school sale agreed

Christie & Co has overseen the sale

of Dale House Independent School &

Nursery in Batley, West Yorkshire, to

Polaris Community, one of the UK’s

leading communities of children’s

services providers.

Established by Andrew and Sarah Fletcher

in 1999, Dale House is an independent prep

school with a capacity for up to 120 students

aged two to 11 years.

It occupies a former Edwardian Sunday

School that was originally built for the

St John’s Church congregation in 1907. It

was extended in 2002 and was ranked

by the Sunday Times as one of the top 50

preparatory schools in England in 2020.

Following a highly-confidential sales

process with Vicky Marsland at Christie

& Co, the school was sold to Polaris

Community for an undisclosed sum.

Marsland, associate director for childcare

and education at Christie & Co, said: “From

regeneration and conservation

project.

“Our plans will help to preserve

this historic pub for future

generations to enjoy while also

making best use of the wider

plot for much-needed new

student accommodation.

“The JV team is local to

the area, with considerable

understanding and expertise

in the long-term viability of

commercial estate development

and an extensive portfolio of

successful student-led schemes.”

headoffice3, a locally-based

specialist in office-to-residential

conversions, has been appointed

to carry out the redevelopment.

Works began on site this

month and are expected to

complete at the end of this year.

Planning consultants, Quod;

NW Architects; and Montagu

Evans are advising on the

project, while Prestige Student

Living, a brand of Homes for

Students, will manage the

accommodation.

the outset, the primary concern was to sell

the school as a going concern but, after

exhausting all avenues, the highest level of

interest came from specialist education and

care providers.

“It was extremely difficult for Andrew

and Sarah to decide to sell with vacant

possession but, ultimately, they had to make

a decision that allowed them to move on to

the next chapter of their lives.”

She added: “While there are a select

number of large independent school

providers in the UK that remain the subject

of strong investment, unfortunately we have

seen those smaller schools struggling to

compete when the time comes to sell and

retire.

“As the SEND schools sector continues

to thrive due to the growing demand for

suitable settings that support the needs

of children who are unable to access

mainstream education, the demand for

vacant possessions on independent schools

has increased.”



CRAWLEY DAY NURSERY

ACQUIRED BY LITTLE

BARN OWLS GROUP

Christie & Co has announced the sale of

Brookfield Day Nursery & Holiday Club

in Crawley, Sussex.

Established in 2000, Brookfield Day

Nursery & Holiday Club is an ‘outstanding’-

rated day nursery setting for up to 80

children aged three months to five years

at the nursery and up to 12 years at the

holiday club.

The unique setting, which encourages

children to explore and learn about the

natural world, is situated on a large plot

with over an acre of gardens in the West

Sussex town of Crawley.

Following a confidential sales process

with Sophie Willcox at Christie & Co, it has

been purchased by award-winning forest

and farm school nursery group, Little Barn

Owls (LBO), which has four other settings

across Sussex.

Hayley Peacock, director at Little Barn

Owls, said: “We are thrilled to have found

the perfect setting to add to the LBO group.

“The high standards and expertise of

the team, combined with a property with

land, is a rare find and one that suits us

wonderfully.

“Our farm school animals and rewilding

project will really flourish here.”

Willcox added: “Brookfield is a unique

opportunity being centrally located in the

Gatwick Diamond Business area, while

enjoying access to large grounds and

woodland.

“Brookfield Day Nursery is one of several

freehold nurseries I have sold in the south

in the last month or so.

“Alongside my recent leasehold

transactions, it shows that there is demand

for both types of businesses.”

Brookfield Day Nursery & Holiday Club

was sold for an undisclosed sum.

BIMM Group expands

reach in the creative arts

UK-based BIMM Group has acquired

the German MetFilm School, which has

campuses in London, Leeds, and Berlin.

Founded in 2001 as the Brighton Institute

of Modern Music, BIMM now provides

courses in modern music, performing arts,

creative technology, and filmmaking to over

8,000 students across eight campuses in

the UK, Ireland, and Germany.

MetFilm School launched in 2003 and

provides undergraduate film courses at

campuses in Leeds, Berlin, and London’s

Ealing Studios.

It made up the MetFilm Group along with

its sister companies MetFilm Production,

Sales, and Distribution.

Production, Sales, and Distribution are

not involved in the sale, but will operate as

partner organisations with the film school.

And Jonny Persey will continue as

chairman of MetFilm Production, Sales, and

Distribution alongside his ongoing role as

director of MetFilm School, and the school

will maintain its MetFilm name.

Both BIMM and MetFilm said in a

statement they remain ‘committed to

battling and bridging the skills gap’, ensuring

that all students receive comprehensive

Bright stars

Teepee Private Day Nursery in

Bracknell, Berkshire, has been

sold to Bright Stars nursery

group for an undisclosed sum.

The 53-place nursery was

established over 20 years ago

by Emma Tennant and has been

rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted

three times in a row.

Tennant and her husband,

David, decided to sell the

building to allow them to

explore other ventures outside

of the sector.

And, following a competitive

confidential sales process with

Sophie Willcox from Christie

& Co, the setting has been

purchased by Bright Stars,

a premium nursery group

operating across the country.

Kirsty Ibbott, M&A director

at Bright Stars, said: “We are

delighted to announce our

recent acquisition of Teepee

training in both traditional and cutting-edge

aspects of filmmaking, building a moreprogressive

and diverse workforce across

the UK and worldwide.

“The film industry is experiencing a

monumental shift, and our acquisition

of MetFilm School is a testament to our

commitment to staying ahead of the curve,”

said David Jones-Owen, chief executive and

vice chancellor of BIMM University.

“Through this strategic collaboration in

creative education, we seek to leverage

the complementary strengths of both

institutes, addressing the skills gap in the

film industry and empowering students with

the essential tools they need to thrive in an

ever-evolving landscape.”

Private Day Nursery.

“This charming nursery perfectly complements our

dedication to our unwavering commitment to nurturing

the growth and wellbeing of children.”



Funding enables nursery

group expansion

Kids Planet, a childcare provider backed

by private equity firm, Fremman Capital,

has acquired Springfield Day Nurseries

and Dragon Camps holiday club in Wales.

Kids Planet, mostly clustered around

the Liverpool and Manchester area, with

a recent expansion into Oxford, was

established in 2008 by Clare Roberts and

her father, John Hoban, in response to

Clare’s own challenges of finding flexible

childcare.

The group now has 82 sites and is

responsible for the education of over 7,500

children, making it the largest independent

private operator of nurseries in the UK, and

third largest operator overall.

Since 2016, Roberts has led a number

of acquisitions and greenfield openings,

expanding the rollout of Kids Planet’s sites

from 17 and increasing the regional footprint

of the business across the North West and

into the Midlands.

The latest acquisition adds five more

nurseries and a holiday club to its numbers.

Roberts said: “I am delighted to welcome

the teams of Springfield Day Nurseries and

Dragon Camps into Kids Planet, marking

our first step into Wales.

“Springfield prides itself on offering the

highest standards of care for children,

aligning well with our own values for quality

childcare provision and environments and

we are excited and really looking forward to

supporting the teams moving forwards.”

She added: “There is significant

opportunity in the market right now for

acquisitions and for recruiting as we

continue to scale.

“With renewed investment, we look

forward to working with Fremman and

replicating our success in further regions

across the UK.”

Kids Planet also recently closed a deal to

buy Fledglings, a group of four nurseries

based in Bredbury, Irlam, Stretford, and

Worsley in Greater Manchester.

Nursery’s prime location

attracts buyer

A nursery with gardens used for a forest school has

been sold, four years after it first opened.

Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has

announced the sale of Broughton Cottage Day Nursery

in Sevenoaks, Kent.

The former residential property was acquired by John

Tomlinson and Michelle Aston in 2019 and converted

into a 60-place day nursery.

Rated ‘good’ by Ofsted, it enjoys a prime location

within an area of outstanding natural beauty, allowing

the setting to offer a very popular forest school.

As well as being accessible from Sevenoaks and the

surrounding villages, it also has

great links to the M25, making

it a convenient choice for

commuting parents.

Following a competitive

confidential sales process with

Sophie Willcox at Christie & Co,

the setting has been purchased

by a boutique nursery group

with settings across the country.

Tomlinson said: “I am very

sorry to have sold Broughton

Cottage, as Michelle and I had

started it from scratch, but I

realised I had taken it as far as

I could.

“Out of all of the interest,

we favoured a small boutique

nursery group as they had a

similar ethos and wanted the

nursery to maintain its core

values, which we wanted for

staff, children, and parents.”

OLDHAM DAY NURSERY

SOLD AFTER 18-YEAR

OWNERSHIP

Ladybirds day nursery in Oldham,

Manchester, has been sold, 18 years

after first being opened by husband

and wife team, Timothy Clarkson and

Barbara Keeling.

The ‘Good’-rated nursery, which has a

capacity for up to 54 children aged 0-5

years, has a reputation as one of the best

nurseries in the area.

And it enjoys a private-yet-prominent

location close to a busy commuter road

with direct and easy access to motorway

links, attracting a mix of local and

commuting parents.

The setting has been owned by the

couple since 2006 and focuses on

developmentally-appropriate learning,

enjoyment, and active play.

But they decided to sell the business as

they plan to retire.

Following a confidential sales process,

and with funding sourced through Becki

Barnett at Christie Finance, it has been

purchased by first-time nursery owner,

Arron Leech, who also owns Jungle J’s

Play and Party Centre in Chadderton,

Oldham.

Keeling said: “The foundation of a

successful nursery is, of course, its

staff, and we have been immensely

fortunate in employing a fantastic team

of dedicated professionals who have

consistently maintained the setting’s

reputation for high-quality childcare and

education.”

Sofia Beck, director of childcare and

education at Christie & Co, added: “We

have experienced a busy start to 2024

with several day nursery transactions

completing in January and a solid

increase in new business instructions

and offers accepted.

“We are also seeing lots of new interest

in the sector, with first-time nursery

buyers like Arron, who have previous

experience in the early years and

education space, being keen to own their

own businesses.”

Ladybirds Educational Nursery was

sold for an undisclosed price.



Student accommodation sale

finances future developments

Urbanite Living has placed

a portfolio of five freehold,

purpose-built student

accommodation (PBSA)

assets on the market with an

asking price of £130m.

All five schemes, comprising

999 beds, are primely located in

the key Russell Group student

cities of Leeds, York, Sheffield,

and Glasgow, representing a

strong geographical spread

across four major educational

hubs.

The portfolio offers a

combination of existing

operational assets and

new-build schemes due for

occupation during 2024.

And, with the combined

estate currently achieving over

£7.5m net rent role, over 50%

of the beds are already under a

minimum of three to five years

nomination agreements with

local universities.

The portfolio includes The

Coal Yard in central York, which

is already operational with 189

ensuite cluster and studio units.

In Leeds, the Leatherworks

provides 460 cluster bedrooms

within close proximity to both

universities, and 26 Great

George Street is currently

under construction to provide

54 studio bedrooms in the city

centre by the end of 2024.

Electric Press in Sheffield is a

well-connected development of

125 cluster and two studio flats.

Currently under construction,

Clyde Court will provide 169

studio bedrooms as part

of a prime city centre site

redevelopment next to the river

Clyde.

All five schemes provide

best-in-class facilities on

site including study lounges,

cinemas, gyms, onsite cafes,

social media studios, gaming

lounges, and tech-enabled

meeting rooms.

Urbanite has committed to

enhancing its developments

with energy-saving monitoring

equipment and has installed

250kwp of rooftop solar over the

past 12 months, generating over

15% of the portfolio’s annual

electricity requirements.

It has developed the portfolio

over the last five years and is

now selling the assets to recycle

capital into its next ventures.

These include plans to deliver

its £400m regeneration scheme

on the former Yorkshire Post

Newspapers site in Leeds city

centre.

Urbanite is also currently

exploring land sale and forward

funding options to deliver up

to 1,700 student beds and 348

build-to-rent (BTR) apartments

on the strategically-important

gateway site.

Founder, Daniel Newett, said:

“We are excited to bring this

portfolio to market after five

years of regenerating disused

properties or land.

“Our investments have been

well considered in providing

much-needed, purpose-built

student accommodation in

prime locations where demand

consistently outweighs supply.”

London-based real estate

advisors, Gerald Eve, has

been appointed to market the

portfolio.

Alexander Kitts, associate

partner, said: “We are pleased to

represent Urbanite in marketing

a very strong portfolio of assets

in key-performing university

cities of international repute.

“The student housing

market is highly resilient, as

demonstrated by its countercyclical

nature, with student

numbers growing at record

rates across the nation.

“Subsequently, PBSA is

underpinned by a strong

occupational market, which

continues to attract a wide

range of investors.”

Award-winning Ascot preschools sold to Grandir UK

The award-winning Puddleduck

Preschools & Day Nurseries in Ascot,

Berkshire, has been sold to Grandir UK,

which already operates 80 educational

facilities across the country.

Established in 2016, Puddleduck

Preschools & Day Nurseries comprises

two settings; Puddleduck Pre-School St

Martins in Church Road, which caters for

children aged from 10 months to two years;

and Puddleduck Pre-School & Day Nursery

Ascot in Priory Road, which caters for

children aged 2-5 years.

The settings are located close together, so

children typically transition between the two

around their second birthday.

The settings have been thoughtfully

planned to consider children’s interests

and needs, with play at the heart of their

learning.

And The Priory boasts a beautiful 40-acre

woodland that the preschool utilises for its

forest school.

The settings were founded by new mums,

Laura Woodcock and Kristin Wright, who

grew the business, leading it to win the

Nursery World Award for Preschool of the

Year in 2020.

Wright now lives in Canada with her family

and they will continue to operate their two

other preschools with Woodcock at the

helm.

The sale has enabled them to regain a

better work-life balance and allows them to

spend more quality time with their children.

Grandir UK purchased the two settings for

an undisclosed sum following a confidential

sales process overseen by Sophie Willcox at

Christie & Co.

Lydia Hopper, chief executive of Grandir

UK, said: “Kristen and Laura have

successfully crafted a stellar reputation

providing childcare solutions to families in

the local area.

“They have confidently left the nursery in

Grandir UK’s capable hands to continue

to provide high-quality childcare where

children will enjoy an enriched and unique

range of education programmes, along

with nurturing and inspiring learning

environments.”


Market Analysis

Building a picture of education

construction activity

Glenigan’s latest Construction Review paints a dim picture as the education sector continues to face challenges

CONSTRUCTION

REVIEW THE GLENIGAN

CONSTRUCTION

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

LEAGUE TABLES

GLENIGAN INDEX

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

SECTOR ANALYSIS

Housing

Industrial

Offices

Retail

Hotel & Leisure

Health

Education

Community & Amenity

Civil Engineering

REVIEW

Reflecting activity to the end of February 2024

> 5% increase in detailed planning

approvals against last year

> 13% decrease in main contract

awards compared with the

preceding three months

> 30% decline in project-starts

against 2023 levels

March 2024

Greenwood Poultry Farm Wellow

Image source: Image copyright Pro Vision

The education construction sector continues to face

challenges, with project starts on site falling by 40%

compared to last year, according to a new Glenigan

industry report.

The Glenigan Construction Review for March 2024 reflects

activity across all key sectors in the three months to February

this year.

And it reveals that education work starting on site totalled

£1.07bn, unchanged on the previous three months, but

significantly down on the same period last year.

Major projects worth £100m or more starting on site totalled

£110m, an increase from the preceding quarter when no projects

commenced, but 45% down on a year ago.

Underlying education work starting on site worth less than

£100m in value also experienced an 18% decline against the

preceding three months and was 39% down on a year ago,

totalling £964m.

Education: Detailed Planning Approvals

Source: Glenigan

Three month average

Over £100M

Under £100M

Education: Main Contract Awards

Source: Glenigan

Three month average

Over £100M

Under £100M

Education: Starts

Source: Glenigan

Three month average

Over £100M

Under £100M

£million

£million

£million

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

Mar 22 May 22 Jul 22 Sep 22 Nov 22 Jan 23 Mar 23 May 23 Jul 23 Sep 23 Nov23 Jan 24

600

500

400

300

200

100

0


700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0



Market Analysis

And main contract awards in the sector were up by

1% against the previous three months to total £1bn, but

15% lower than the previous year.

CONTRACT AWARDS

While underlying contract awards increased by 11%

against the previous three months, this was 15% down

on the previous year.

No major projects reached the contract award stage,

according Education: to League the data, Tables down on (March the previous 2023 to three February 2024)

months, Source: Glenigan but unchanged on last year.

Contractors And, totalling £1.2bn, detailed Projects planning £m approvals

— often seen as a sign of future activity — fell by 9%

against

Royal BAM

the preceding three months

15

and

527

were 9% lower

than Morgan last Sindall year.

61 483

Kier Like main contract awards, there 24 were 466 no major

project approvals, a decrease from both the previous

Willmott Dixon 17 333

quarter and a year ago.

Bowmer & Kirkland 18 252

For type of projects, school project starts totalled

£769m Tilbury Douglas during the three-month 23 period 195 and accounted

for ISG the Construction largest share across the sector 13 — 19572% — despite

a

Galliford

23% decline

Try

on the previous

23

year.

187

University activity also declined, falling 60% on last

Bouygues UK 5 119

year to total £153m and accounting for 14% of the total

value Wates of work; while college project 7 starts 118 slipped back

40% against the previous year, worth £126m.

Types of Education Projects Started

Three Months to February 2024

Source: Glenigan

Colleges

Other Education

Schools

Universities

72%

14%

12%

2%

REGION BY REGION

The report also looks at how activity is broken down by region, with Wales the

most active for project starts in the three months to February, accounting for a

17% share of the sector to total £179m.

However, this is a 32% decrease on last year’s levels.

The West Midlands accounted for 13% of starts in the sector and fell 27%

against the previous year to total £138m.

For detailed planning approvals, London was the most-active region, accounting

for a 22% share, with the value having doubled on a year ago to total £279m.

Scotland also grew 174% in value against last year to total £174m, and the

North East saw a 12% increase, totalling £114m. n

Clients Share Value Projects of Education £m Starts and Planning Approvals in the Last 3 Months

Department for Education Source: Glenigan 217 1,069

Sheffield Hallam University East of England 1 100

East Midlands

University of Edinburgh 6 89

London

North East

Education Authority N. Ireland 14 85

Northern Ireland

Kier North West 5 80

South East

Bridgend College 2 80

South West

Fife Council

Scotland

1 80

West Midlands

City of Edinburgh Council 5 72

Wales

Yorkshire & the Humber

Home Office 1 57

Royal BAM Group 4 52

THE KEY PLAYERS

The report provides information on the top contractors and clients within

the sector.

Education: League Tables (March 2023 to February 2024)

Source: Glenigan

13%

17%

11%

Contractors Projects £m

Royal BAM 15 527

Morgan Sindall 61 483

Kier 24 466

Willmott Dixon 17 333

Bowmer & Kirkland 18 252

Tilbury Douglas 23 195

ISG Construction 13 195

Galliford Try 23 187

Bouygues UK 5 119

Wates 7 118

9%

7%

STARTS

3%

12%

8%

9%

1%

3%

7%

14%

6%

8%

11%

3% 4%

PLANNING

APPROVALS

4% 6%

22%

12%

Clients Projects £m

Department for Education 217 1,069

Sheffield Hallam University 1 100

University of Edinburgh 6 89

Education Authority N. Ireland 14 85

Kier 5 80

Bridgend College 2 80

Fife Council 1 80

City of Edinburgh Council 5 72

Home Office 1 57

Royal BAM Group 4 52

1%

9%

Types of Education Projects Started

EDUCATION-PROPERTY.COM

Three Months to February 2024

APRIL-MAY 2024 | 23

Source: Glenigan

14%

12%

Building Design

BRICKS AND MORTAR BOARDS

In this special report, we explore the student accommodation market, looking at how international scholars and energy

efficiency are driving building finance, investment, and design approaches

Naassom Azevedo from Pixabay

Overseas entrants drive student

accommodation design

International entrants make up a significant proportion of UK university students and as such they

are helping to inform design best practice

With the UK purpose-built

student accommodation

(PBSA) market heavily reliant

on international entrants, The Property

Marketing Strategists (TPMS) has looked

into what they want from a living space —

and it isn’t the traditional studio!

TPMS undertook research into

international students’ views on

accommodation and this is likely to help

inform design strategies moving forward.

The survey found that, like domestic

students, affordability is on the radar, with

75% saying current student accommodation

is too expensive.

And there are many influences on cost.

Like all development areas, the planning

crisis has made it harder to build, aided by

the rising cost of materials and higher cost

of borrowing.

Yet, despite this, there is a way to drive

down costs with creative thinking.

“PBSA is a numbers game”, said Sarah

Canning, co-founder of TPMS.

“The sector has been booming, but

demand outstrips supply.

“As competition intensifies in the sector,

diversity of offer is what is required — and

a tool to do this is to simply offer a range of

different options — yes, studios, but also

4-5 bedroom apartments enabling students

to create stronger community bonds and

enabling opportunities to share amenities

too.

“This also creates a more-sustainable

product that can be repurposed if required

in future.”

Across the UK, 45% of PBSA buildings

have studios, compared to only 14% of

buildings that have 4-6 bed clusters (source:

StudentCrowd).

“We need to banish the studio demand


Building Design

As competition intensifies in the sector,

diversity of offer is what is required — and

a tool to do this is to simply offer a range of

different options

myth,” said Canning.

“International students largely do not

want to live alone — in fact our research

shows just 12% reported to.

“Over 50% want to live with 3-4 other

people, they don’t mind sharing kitchens

and breakout spaces — but there is some

reluctance on sharing bathrooms, which

could be negated if only sharing with three

other people.

“What really surprised me, though, is

the fact that a third are willing to share a

bedroom, with this rising to 45% among

Indian students, which are one of the

fasting-growing student populations in the

UK.

“What this tells me is that we really need

to dismantle what we think we know about

international students, and listen.”

The enthusiasm for sharing bathrooms is

LAYOUT D

49%

ENSUITE

SHOWER ROOM

ENSUITE

SHOWER ROOM

BEDROOM 1 BEDROOM 2

LIVING AREA

BEDROOM 3

SHOWER ROOM

BEDROOM 1

BEDROOM 3

LAYOUT C

24%

BATHROOM

COWORKING

KITCHEN/

LIVING AREA

ENSUITE

SHOWER ROOM

BEDROOM 2

BEDROOM 4

ENSUITE

SHOWER ROOM

ENSUITE

SHOWER ROOM

ENSUITE

SHOWER ROOM

ENSUITE

SHOWER ROOM

notably lower.

International students are reluctant to

do so, regardless of financial concerns,

with only 21% of international students

expressing agreement.

African students are particularly opposed

to sharing bathrooms, with less than 10%

considering it, while Indian students surpass

the average, with 31% willing to share.

Other insights include:

• 61% of parents/guardians are paying for

university accommodation and just 12%

are using a maintenance or government

loan

• International students show a strong

inclination towards stability, with 22%

favouring a 12-month lease. This desire

for a longer contract is emphasised by

the findings that nearly a third (32%) of

international students from Asia prefer

BEDROOM 1 BEDROOM 3

BATH/

SHOWER ROOM

BEDROOM 1 BEDROOM 2 BEDROOM 3

BEDROOM 2

BEDROOM 4

KITCHEN/

LIVING AREA

*Layouts have not been architecturally drawn and do not adhere to local legislation

KITCHEN

ENSUITE

SHOWER ROOM

ENSUITE

SHOWER ROOM

BEDROOM 4

LAYOUT B

8%

BATH/

SHOWER ROOM

BEDROOM 4

KITCHEN/

LIVING AREA

LAYOUT A

12%

accommodation contracts for the full

length of their degree. This contrasts

with the 19% figure among European

students, highlighting regional variations

in accommodation preferences

• 77% of international students want

all utility bills included in their rent

payments, even if this results in paying a

higher overall rent

• 57% would like a washing machine in

their apartment

Here, we look more closely at the findings

of the study and how they will inform

PBSA design in the UK moving forward.

DESIGN AND LAYOUT

Delving into the intricate details of design

and layout, the data sheds light on the

choices and rationales behind why students

select certain apartment types and what

international students are prepared to pay

for.

When asked to consider the four

different layouts shown in the graphic

below, the most-popular option was D,

capturing nearly half of the international

respondents’ preferences, especially among

those outside of Europe.

Private bathrooms, more-efficient use

of space, co-working areas, connected-yetisolated

rooms, sizeable living areas, and

a homely atmosphere made it the most

popular.

The next favourite was option C due to

its provision of private ensuite bathrooms,

separation of bedrooms from communal

areas to mitigate noise, inclusion of private

study areas within individual rooms, and an

even balance of private and shared areas.

The report advises: “The absence of

corridors fosters a sense of home, akin to a

residential flat — welcoming and open.

“For some, the proximity of communal

areas to bedrooms in layout D may raise

concerns about noise. Additionally, those

inclined towards private study spaces

might find the layout C more suitable, as it

offers a good balance between private and

communal areas.”

STUDY SPACES

Focus group discussions underscore the

significance of mental health, with students

expressing concerns about having to work

in their room.

When questioned, a majority said they

liked to study at home, but not necessarily

in the bedroom.

So, the report suggests the answer lies

with the response made by international

students, who said they would be willing

to pay more for a dedicated communal

study area, with 27% ranking it as a

priority.


Building Design

FEATURES WHICH

STUDENTS ARE WILLING

TO PAY A HIGHER RENT FOR:

Student accommodation

should start including

laundry at no cost...

STUDENT

Gym and socialising

spaces are a must...

STUDENT

Washing machine in apartment /

house free of charge

Gym

Location within a

20-minute walk to lectures

Ensuite bathroom

24/7 security

High-speed fibre optic internet

Swimming pool

Printing facilities

Study space

A TV in my room

Café

Outside garden / courtyard

Smart technology in my room

Cinema room

Gaming room

Car park

Yoga studio

Laundry room pay as you go

A TV in my living room

Access to a private dining room

Wellbeing support

Uses renewable energy

Secure, covered bike storage

Multi-faith prayer room

Video production studio

None of these

Other

59%

47%

41%

41%

36%

35%

31%

28%

27%

24%

23%

20%

19%

18%

16%

14%

12%

12%

11%

11%

10%

10%

9%

7%

6%

5%

2%

The interplay between prices and amenities is

something that, for students, is a pivotal aspect

that shapes many of their choices and one that

developers should closely understand

PRICING Vs AMENITIES

Developers must consider variations in

perception when assessing the affordability

and value of student accommodation.

The top five features students are willing

to pay a higher price for are:

• A gym (45%)

• High-speed fibre optic internet (34%)

• Free-of-charge washing machine (57%)

• 24/7 security (33%)

• Accommodation located less than 20

minutes walk from lecture halls (41%)

Among international students, an ensuite

bathroom is important, with 41% willing to

pay a higher rent for this amenity.

And there a stark differences for male

and female students and from the global

community, with students from Africa

prioritising the gym over a washing

machine, while those from India exhibit less

enthusiasm for having a swimming pool.

“The interplay between prices and

amenities is something that, for students,

is a pivotal aspect that shapes many of their

choices and one that developers should

closely understand”, says the report.

CATERING

The data shows that a significant majority of

international students express a preference

for self-catering accommodation.

However, 23% still opt for catered

options, with 13% remaining unsure.

Interestingly, international students

are 10% more inclined towards catered

accommodation compared to their British

counterparts. Additionally, there is a gender

difference, as females are approximately 5%

more likely to favour self-catered options.

Preferences

for catered

accommodation:

28%

African

23%

16%

Asian

European

Rest

of world

22%


Building Design

Image: Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay

And Asian students appear to prefer

catered accommodation, whereas African

students exhibit a strong inclination towards

self-catering options. European and ‘rest of

the world’ students fall in between the two.

The report states: “It is worth providers

considering a hybrid model which offers

flexibility.

“At the moment the market generally

offers one version that doesn’t allow you to

change your mind halfway through the year.”

SHARING SPACES

When it comes to the dynamics of shared

accommodation among international

students, preferences reflect a blend of

cultural norms, financial considerations, and

personal inclinations.

The report states: “Contrary to popular

opinion that international students prefer

studio living, the data gathered in this survey

actually illustrates a meagre 12% would

choose to live alone.

“Often the booking cycle leaves those who

book late with a lack of choice — and studios

are often the product that is slowest to be

booked (in some markets).

“This fits into the idea that sharing units

of five is the magic number, creating a

sense of familiarity akin to family or close

friendships.”

It adds that bathrooms are a key selling

point for accommodation choice.

“Sharing a room to cut costs is gaining

traction, especially among international

students”, it states.

“With this option prevalent in mainland

Europe and America, the key lies in

perfecting the allocation model and layout.

“This data shows the importance of

product diversity. Sharing a bathroom en

masse does not work, so a small number of

rooms with a shared bathroom provides

more-affordable options for those that are on

a limited budget.”

SOCIAL EVENTS AND

COMMUNITY

Students arriving from abroad with a

heightened desire to forge connections, have

more of a need to engage in events organised

by their student accommodation providers,

according to the data.

Flexible spaces offering events such as

film nights, cooking classes, and sports

tournaments rank among the most-popular

choices.

Gender and nationality also play a role,

with females showing more interest in

activities like yoga and cooking classes,

while males lean towards sports teams and

tournaments.

And African students display the highest

levels of interest in hosted events.

The report advises: “The data reflects

a desire for events that focus on self

improvement and personal development,

highlighting the need for flexible spaces that

can accommodate a wide range of activities.”

SUSTAINABLE LIVING

International students prioritise six key

sustainability features when electing their

accommodation to embrace an eco-friendly

lifestyle:

• Access to public transport (76%)

• Good insulation (60%)

• Smart technology (44%)

• Organised recycling facilities (37%)

• Environmentally-friendly flatmates (61%)

• Solar panels (21%)

“Students are demonstrating a growing

interest in sustainable living and this is

impacting their choice of accommodation,”

the report states.

“Understanding their preferences and

priorities in this regard is crucial for student

accommodation providers striving to create

environments that align with the values

and expectations of their diverse resident

population.”

IN CONCLUSION

The report concludes: “While students have

booked student accommodation in their

droves, with most global markets flourishing,

we urge you to look to the future and look at

whether your portfolio can withstand a new

type of customer?

“The evidence in this research points to

a discerning cohort who, while they are

living in their student accommodation across

the world right now, are they thriving? Are

they happy? And are their needs being met?

“It is within our gift as a sector to work

together to understand local nuances, to

segment the audience, and to forecast for

the future.” n


Building Design

Image: Stride Treglown

Adopting a

Passivhaus

approach

Exploring how the Passivhaus standard

is increasingly being adopted to support

the delivery of student accommodation

projects

The Passivhaus standard adopts a whole-building

approach to sustainability, with clear, measured

targets focused on high-quality construction

certified through an exacting quality assurance process.

And it is increasingly becoming adopted for schools

and university buildings across the UK because of its

reliable building performance, energy savings, and the

benefits it can bring to occupant comfort and overall

learning outcomes.

In recent years a number of student accommodation

projects in the UK have been built to Passivhaus

standards, including a 900-bed development for the

University of the West of England (UWE).

Delivered by a project team which includes Stride

Treglown, VINCI UK, and QODA Consulting;

the £80m project is one of the largest low-carbon

Passivhaus-certified developments of its kind in the

world.

A spokesman for Stride Treglown said: “Applying the

Passivhaus standard will radically reduce the buildings’

energy requirements, keep the indoor temperature

comfortable all year round, and significantly reduce the

running costs of the development.



The experience and expertise we have

built up by delivering this project allows

us to push the Passivhaus boundaries in

certain aspects to maximise the quality

of the architecture


Building Design

This project sets an example

for large-scale Passivhaus

developments and stands

poised to redefine the

possibilities of campus

living, offering a glimpse

into a more-sustainable

and comfortable future for

students, while reducing

operating costs for the

university

PUSHING BOUNDARIES

“The experience and expertise we have built up by

delivering this project allows us to push the Passivhaus

boundaries in certain aspects to maximise the quality of

the architecture.

“We now know where we can push the boundaries and

push the Passivhaus ‘golden rules’ to achieve a beautiful

building that also performs its critical functions.”

Alex Bunn of QODA adds: “UWE’s net-zero carbon

targets have driven this ground-breaking project, which

puts sustainability and innovation at the heart of student

accommodation design.

“By embracing demanding Passivhaus standards, and

weaving energy efficiency principles into every facet of its

design, UWE has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to a low-carbon future.

“This project sets an example for large-scale Passivhaus developments and

stands poised to redefine the possibilities of campus living, offering a glimpse into

a more sustainable and comfortable future for students, while reducing operating

costs for the university.”

The accommodation has been designed to provide comfortable internal

conditioning in both summer and winter and the university is predicted to

achieve reduced costs of 40% and reduced emissions of 71% associated with

space heating demand when compared with student accommodation built to the

current Building Regulations.

ENERGY DEMAND

Another successful Passivhaus-Certified student accommodation project is Lucy

Cavendish College at the University of Cambridge.

Designed by R H Partnership Architects (rhp), the approach was taken to

address in-use energy demand and to provide comfortable, well-ventilated

spaces for students to live and study in.

BUILDING PERFORMANCE

What Passivhaus achieves in terms

of a building’s energy demand,

performance gap, comfort emphasis

& quality.

• Low energy demand

• Reduces performance gap

• High levels of comfort

• Effective and healthy ventilation

• Higher-performance building

components

• Better site QA procedures resulting

in better construction quality

• Lower risk of building fabric

damage

• Resilient and future-proofed

buildings

CLIMATE EMERGENCY

Decarbonisation is a critical part of

our journey to net zero. Passivhaus

enables the levels of demand

reduction that we will need to achieve

to net zero.

• Lower carbon emissions

• Lowers peak demand

• Lowers the overall requirement

for renewables

• More economical to save energy

than generate it

• Gives us the best chance of

achieving net zero in buildings

• Enables decarbonisation without

increasing fuel bills

• Robust in the face of short-term

extremes and longer-term climate

changes

• Ability to support demand

response

• Lower cooling requirements in a

future warmer climate

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Decarbonisation is a critical part of

our journey to net zero. Passivhaus

enables the levels of demand

reduction that we will need to achieve

net zero.

• Eliminates cold homes &

associated health impacts

• Guarantees good levels of

ventilation

• Reduces internal pollutants such

as VOCs

• Deals with internal humidity —

eliminates condensation and

mould

• Improves quality of life for people

with chronic illnesses or disabilities

• Protects against external air

pollutants

• Reduces risk of airborne infection

• Reduces the impact of external

noise

• Reduces risk of buildings

becoming too hot in summer

• Improves the health of people in

schools & offices

PEOPLE PERFORMANCE

The improved living and working

environments offered by Passivhaus

can improve productivity, learning

outcomes and reduce absenteeism.

• Reduce absenteeism

• Improved productivity

• Improved learning outcomes

• Attract and retain staff

FINANCIAL

Affordable to run, Passivhaus can

also offer lower maintenance costs,

reduce fuel poverty, and open access

to green finance or better rates or

mortgages.

• Lower energy bills

• Fewer & shorter rental void

periods

• Produces extent & depth of fuel

poverty

• Higher capital value of 5-7%

• Lower maintenance &

management costs

• Access cheaper time-of-day tariffs

• Lower whole-life costs

• Lower borrowing costs. Green

mortgages

• Ability to access cheaper green

finance

• Holds value in the event of future

carbon or efficiency legislation

• Lower risk of defects litigation

• Lower risk of repetitional damage

due to quality issues

SOCIAL

Improved well-being and productivity

reduce the load on health & social

care and provides better life chances.

These are potentially far-reaching

benefits. Often difficult to quantify —

they cannot be ignored.

• Improved health and percent wellbeing

of communities

• Reduce demand on health and

social services

• Improve learning outcomes for

children

• Economic stimulus of construction

• Upskilling the construction

workforce

• A clear statement of intent for

transition to a net zero economy

• Demonstrates compliance with

social value policies and per cent

targets

• Alliance with several UN

Sustainable Development Goals

Graphic: The Passivhaus Trust


Building Design

Here, we look more closely at the project,

which completed in September 2022.

THE BRIEF

The college approachedrhp with a pressing

need to increase undergraduate residential

accommodation within its grounds,

requesting 72 ensuite student rooms with a

café and social teaching space on the ground

floor.

The new building also needed to link

remodelled landscape spaces and circulation

routes and integrate with the existing key

facilities and residential buildings and the

college wanted to deliver as near as possible

a zero-carbon development, leading to

a design which achieves an innovative

standard of sustainability beyond best

practice.

PASSIVHAUS

The project adopted Passivhaus as a way of

targeting low operational energy and high

occupant comfort.

In parallel with this, a sustainability matrix

developed by Max Fordham, was used to

help address wider sustainability, including

water use, daylighting, and soft landings.

Embodied carbon is reduced by using a

cross-laminated timber (CLT) structural

frame, designed by structural engineers,

Smith and Wallwork.

Considered a Modern Method of

Construction (MMC), the CLT is designed

using standard-thickness panels sized for easy

manufacture and transport, plus the timber

panels themselves provide the airtightness

line for an efficient modular construction.

And, in a first for both practices, the

Passivhaus designer role was shared between

rhp and Max Fordham up to planning to

encourage collaborative design and this led

to several other innovations which are now

being adopted elsewhere, include bespoke

details for the piled foundations and the

use of glass-reinforced polymer (GRP)

connections in the façade to minimise

thermal bridging and improve overall

U-values further contributing to Passivhaus

performance.

The highly-insulated, very-airtight

building reduces energy needs for heating or

cooling, with openable windows providing

summer comfort ventilation and it is

designed to provide plenty of daylight in

each room.

The building is powered purely by

electricity (no gas/fossil fuels) and two air

source heat pumps (ASHPs) provide both

heating and hot water; a first for Cambridge

college accommodation.

Other Passivhaus projects have typically

used a mix of either ground source heat

pumps or ASHPs for hot water with direct

electric heating.

THE DESIGN

The building is a part-three-storey, part-fourstorey

structure arranged in two connecting

wings.

The ground floor comprises the café and

study space to the west, close to the college

dining hall, and has a lobby which provides

an important circulation route through the

building to the library.

rhp’s design strategy has been to break

down the scale of the development into

smaller units, closer in scale to the large

Edwardian houses and other collegiate

buildings in the neighbourhood.

By linking these smaller elements together


Building Design

Images: rhp/Nick Guttridge

with visual separating elements between

units, a community of buildings, separate but

interconnected, has been delivered.

Student wellbeing has also been

considered from the outset and informed the

proposed shapes, forms, and layouts of the

rooms.

There is a range of bedroom layouts

offering choice for students and all include

ensuite shower rooms and are relatively

square in shape so they can be accessed by

wheelchair users.

Upper-level bedrooms have dormer

windows and sloping roofs to provide a

variety of spaces and accommodation is

arranged so that all rooms have views to

garden spaces and there a variety of types

clustered around shared kitchen/dining/

study spaces.

The window, furniture, and layout of the

rooms have been designed through extensive

engagement with college students, staff,

and fellows and was carefully co-ordinated

with the Passivhaus and accessibility

requirements.

The design of the furniture was also

considered at an early stage and rooms have

been provided with small double beds, long

workspaces adjacent to windows and with

with integral window seats with built-in

storage.

The shared kitchen spaces include facilities

for studying, cooking, and dining as a group

and the café, designed with Eve Waldron

Design, provides space for students to study

together and socialise, with a south-facing

terrace overlooking the new library lawn and

a new garden court to the north.

MATERIALS

The building combines natural clay plain

tiled roofs and facades with brickwork, zinc,

and oak cladding to create a contemporary

interpretation of the character of late

Victorian villas and more-recent college

buildings on site.

The steep pitch of the roof provides

additional accommodation with dormer

windows while eaves levels relate to

neighbouring buildings. The gable ends

and first floor of the West Wing feature

handmade tile-hanging facades, picking

up detailing on the existing buildings and

reducing embodied carbon in the facade

construction, while breaking up the facades

into a less-formal design. This helps to

create a more-welcoming appearance for

new students and relates to the character

of buildings on site and in the local

conservation area.

Tiled hoods projecting over south facing

windows, and oak screening, provide solar

shading while adding texture and rhythm to

the façade.

Oak cladding and soffits surround the

building’s entrances. These, combined with

the texture of handmade tiling and varied

Flemish bond brickwork, create a welcoming

new heart for the growing college.

A spokesman for rhp said: “Passivhaus

was the logical solution to addressing inuse

energy demand, as well as providing

comfortable, well-ventilated spaces for

students to live and study.

“The design carefully balances low

embodied carbon with robust long-life

materials and offers a contemporary

interpretation of the traditional forms

and materials within the college site and

surrounding West Cambridge Conservation

Area.” n


Building Design

A need for speed

Exploring how offsite construction methods are helping to deliver

futureproofed and environmentally-friendly buildings

MMC1 classroom building

with flexible partitions to offer

conferencing facilities by TG Escapes

Modern methods of construction

(MMC) are helping to deliver

much-needed educational

buildings in super-quick timescales.

As the single-largest construction

client, the Government has shown

its commitment to MMC through

a presumption in favour of offsite

construction for all major departments,

including education.

This approach, which can deliver both

temporary and permanent buildings, means

that elements can be pre-manufactured

away from site in a controlled factory

setting, allowing for greater control of

quality and process compared to onsite

activity.

And there are many benefits to this for

the education sector.

• Minimising disruption to learning:

Traditional construction sites pose major

challenges for the delivery of education

services, including noise nuisance, access

control issues, and health and safety risks.

By using offsite construction methods,

these are minimised, and education

centres can continue to operate largely

as normal, with time spent onsite greatly

reduced

• Speed of delivery: With the school

population increasing, there is an urgent

need for additional space, and MMC

can deliver this in very-short timescales

— sometimes just a matter of weeks.

Some providers claim the approach is up

to 50% faster compared to traditional

projects because the factory-controlled

processes can take place alongside site

and foundations work onsite. This means

that many projects can be delivered over

the summer holidays when there is no

risk to pupils

• Cost efficiency: The education sector

is experiencing budgetary challenges,

particularly around a lack of capital, and

MMC can help to reduce costs compared

Easy access to the outdoors with covered decking

to traditional construction methods.

This is because there is less time spent

onsite, thus reducing overheads without

compromising on quality

• Flexibility: Requirements for space

within schools and other education

buildings changes over time and modular

facilities, in particular, are much more

flexible and adaptable than traditional

buildings, allowing for change of use or

expansion in the future

• Sustainability: The education sector

has been set tough targets to reduce


Building Design

its environmental impact, with a goal

of becoming carbon neutral by 2030,

and MMC can help with this as many

technologies and solutions utilise lowcarbon

and recycled products, alongside

energy-efficient construction processes

• Quality control: Factory-led

manufacturing processes improve

oversight of projects. Buildings can be

made watertight and weather resistant

with quality controls ongoing throughout

the build and quality management

procedures ensure errors are reduced

Currently there are two main types of

MMC which are most frequently favoured

by education clients — volumetric and

panelised.

Volumetric construction is characterised

by the offsite design and manufacture of 3D

units.

These are assembled under factory

conditions and are usually made of timber

or steel.

Once manufactured, they are transported

to site with all internal fixtures and fittings

installed and are then stacked on top of precast

concrete foundations using cranes.

In contrast, panelised solutions are

manufactured flat panels which are built in

factories.

Unlike volumetric construction, they

are delivered in a ‘flat-pack’ form and

assembled onsite.

There are a number of different options

to choose from including open panels,

in which features such as windows and

insulation are fitted on site; and closed

panels, whereby fittings such as doors

and windows are factory fitted prior to

transportation.

Both approaches have their benefits, and

which is chosen will depend on the needs of

the client.

Speaking to Education Property, Mark

Brown of TG Escapes Modular Eco-

Buildings, said: “We have seen a lot of

interest in our panelised solutions within

the education sector, particularly as they

offer flexibility in terms of design.

Landmark English department at Ratcliffe College by TG Escapes

“With our solutions room sizes can be

exactly what the client needs and specialist

facilities such as sensory rooms can be

designed into the system.

“We just transport what is needed to the

site and build it there.

“In education this is really useful as

you have a secure site, and you are not

disrupting the running of the school in

the way a traditional construction project

would.”

Over recent years the company’s solution

has evolved to meet some of the key

demands of the sector.

This includes the use of timber which is

designed to be net zero carbon in operation.

Brown said: “We are delivering on the

net-zero targets through a fabric-first

approach, using timber and putting smart

lighting, cooling, passive ventilation, and

heat recovery into our system.

“Using timber, in particular, makes a

massive difference to the carbon footprint

versus masonry.”

Biophilia is another selling point,

particularly for specialist SEND schools.

“Biophilia is definitely a trend that is

growing in the minds of people in the

education estates world”, said Brown.

“There is great interest from schools

to embrace biophilia and our buildings

support this as they use natural materials

and encourage access to the outdoors and

use of natural light.

“Using timber means we can also create a

really-nice, calming environment, helping

staff and pupils to reconnect with nature.”

And he added that MMC was also

helping to create memorable buildings

which add value to the school estate.

“A lot of school buildings are not

imaginative, but you can create some

amazing facilities”, he said.

“The sustainable approach of MMC is

attractive to schools as it allows them to

have conversations with students about the

environment, supporting them to become

environmental citizens.

“As a contractor we also get involved with

the schools and take the children around

to see the timber frame literally going up

on the site and helping them to engage in

sustainable construction.

“A lot of schools select this solution

because it makes a statement about them

and their ambitions.” n

Modular timber frame 6th form centre by TG Escapes

Modular timber frame nursery by TG Escapes


Building Design

Abbey Farm Educate Together Primary School (Reds10)

Reds10 has a dedicated factory in

Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire

Framework underpins

MMC delivery

The Government’s leaning towards MMC for the delivery of newbuild

education projects has been supported by a dedicated

procurement framework — MMC1 — which was launched in

January 2020 and ended early this year — with the predicted

delivery of 30 schools and underpinned by £3bn in capital funding.

Following the previous Department

for Education (DfE) modular A, B

and C frameworks; MMC1 utilised

the next generation in standardised school

design, building on earlier component

design approaches to offsite construction

and incorporating the changes to the

standard output specification.

It was open to local authorities, dioceses,

and academy trusts and covered two lots:

• Lot 1: Lot 1 was intended for larger

projects with floor areas exceeding

6,000sq m and was mainly for the

delivery of offsite-built secondary schools

and blocks, as well as primary schools of

all sizes. The Lot 1 contractors were:

- Bowmer & Kirkland

- Caledonian Modular

- Elliott Group

- Laing O’Rourke Construction

- Wates Construction

• Lot 2: Lot 2 was used for projects with

floor areas from 750sq m to 6,000sq m and

was intended to be used for offsite-built

primary school schemes and secondary

blocks. The Lot 2 contractors were:

- Eco Modular Buildings

- Net Zero Buildings

- Portakabin

- Reds10 UK

- Spatial Initiative

Through the framework contractors

were expected to help achieve social or

environmental policy objectives related to

recruitment, training, and supply chain

initiatives such as offering apprenticeships

and T levels.

And contractors were measured against

a set of KPIs, with better-performing

companies gaining a greater share of

the work via direct allocation, while the

mini competition was reserved for morecomplex

projects to drive value.

MORE EFFICIENT

Lot 2 contractor, Reds10,

has delivered a primary

school and three SEND/

SEMH schools under the

framework, with four more

Joe Shepherd

projects still on site.

Speaking of the benefits

of the approach, education sector director,

Joe Shepherd, said: “Frameworks are an

effective way of delivering large-scale

programmes of work, such as the Free

Schools Programme and School Re-

Building Programme.

“Contractors have competitively

tendered to gain access to the framework

and are working to pre-agreed pricing rules,

contracts, and specifications. This makes the

process of procuring and tendering highvolume

pipelines much more efficient.

“Open to all procuring parties to use

— local authorities, schools, and MATs —

this can take a lot of the work out of the

procurement process for framework users,

as it has already been done for them.

“The frameworks are also broken down

into lots based on the size or value of the

project. This means procuring parties have

access to a supply chain best suited to their

project, from a small school refurbishment

to a large new-build secondary school.

“This is especially beneficial for lessexperienced

procuring parties or where

resources are limited.”

He added: “The framework creates a

link between clients and an experienced

supply chain that may otherwise not have

existed and clients have access to a pool of

contactors experienced in the delivery of

school buildings.”

Among the projects delivered by Reds10

was Abbey Farm Educate Together Primary

School in North Swindon, designed in

partnership with HLM Architects.


Building Design

The Bridge Easton School, Norfolk (Portakabin)

SPEED OF DELIVERY

Construction work began in May 2021

and the school opened ready for the new

academic year in September 2022.

The majority of the school building was

completed offsite in a factory environment

and the project achieved 87% premanufactured

value (PMV), which is

2% higher than the commitment on the

framework, alongside minimal waste, with

90% diverted to landfill and over 100%

reduction in carbon emissions under Part

L2A building regulation standards for

energy efficiency.

And the building includes enhanced

sustainability features such as air source heat

pumps and photovoltaics, both mechanical

and natural ventilation, aluminium door

and window frames made from recycled

materials, GIFA floorboards with 50%

recycled content, and timber cladding,

which is inherently lower in embodied

carbon.

But it is not just new-build schools that

are being delivered through the framework.

It has also helped to address backlog

maintenance and RAAC repairs and deliver

much-needed additional accommodation on

existing sites.

Another project Reds10 is delivering

involves the demolition of two existing

buildings at a secondary school to provide

space for a new building on the former

footprint.

Shepherd said: “We optimised the delivery

programme as the demolition works take

place at the same time as the new building is

constructed in our factory.

“85% of the new building is being built

offsite, which is helping to minimise

disruption in an operational school.

“Reds10 also built the temporary

accommodation in-house.”

Fellow Lot 2 contractor, Portakabin, has

so far completed two MMC1 projects, with

a third currently on site.

TRANSFORMING ESTATES

Its first development — The Bridge Easton

School in Norfolk — was procured in

response to Norfolk County Council’s need

for an additional new special educational

needs school as part of its £120m five-year

transformation programme.

The building was funded by the

Department for Education and

precision engineered by Portakabin at its

manufacturing facility in York.

With total works completed in less than

12 months, Portakabin constructed 60

custom modules offsite, with installation

onsite taking just two weeks.

This scheme was followed by the creation

of a new, purpose-built primary Alternative

Provision (AP) project in Kidderminster.

Comprising of eight classrooms, associated

hall and resource spaces, Unity Academy

is an AP primary school, educating young

people in the Worcestershire County away

from the mainstream school environment

and is run by the Rivers Church of England

Academy Trust.

DESIGN STANDARDS

Shepherd said: “One of the objectives of the

MMC1 framework was to grow SMEs and

develop the offsite capability in the supply

chain and it delivered on this objective and

the DfE should be credited for pioneering

offsite construction methods.

“For Reds10, the framework was an

enabler for investment in R&D, innovation

in our offsite solution, and increasing our

cohort of apprentices and T-Level students.

“In addition, framework management

teams can capture data across a huge

collection of projects. This might be

anything from project out-turn costs,

building performance information, or where

steel is sourced.

“This data can be rich and used to inform,

as an example, the next generation of design

standards for the education estate.”

And, with the framework now having

come to the end of its lifespan, and the moregeneral

education construction framework

also due to end later this year, contractors are

now eager to see what comes next.

“I believe there is always a benefit to

framework procurement where clients have

large pipelines of work to,” Shepherd said.

“We are now starting to see some public

sector clients look at an alliancing model.

The ambition here is to drive innovation

and efficiency and remove adversarial

behaviours through collaboration between

the parties.

“In the future I think we will start to see

hybrid models of the two.” n

The Bridge Easton School/Unity Academy (Portakabin)


Building Design

BI platform turns

market trends into

opportunities

Powerful intelligence tool helps construction professionals

harness actionable data insights to drive business growth

Glenigan, one of the UK’s leading

providers of construction market

intelligence, has launched ‘Analytix’,

a self-serve business intelligence platform

empowering construction professionals

with data-driven insights to optimise

decision-making and strategic planning.

A new platform within Glenigan’s suite

of intelligence solutions, the innovative tool

bridges the gap between data availability

and actionable insights, helping contractors

and suppliers make informed decisions that

drive business growth.

And, for the first time, Glenigan Analytix

addresses the persistent challenges faced by

construction professionals currently making

strategic decisions based on fragmented or

insufficient data.

KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE

Customer-driven, intuitive, and user

defined, it provides subscribers with prebuilt

analytics and dashboards to gain

valuable knowledge relating to historic

planning applications, main contract

awards, and starts on site.

Crucially, Glenigan Analytix also

empowers construction leaders to gain a

real-time understanding of market trends

throughout all regions and sectors of the

industry.

Key benefits include:

• Access to comprehensive construction

market data: Glenigan Analytix

provides users with access to a

comprehensive database of construction

market data, including planning

applications, contract awards, and project

starts

• Pre-built analytics and dashboards: It

comes with a suite of pre-built analytics

and dashboards that allow users to

quickly and easily visualise and analyse

construction market data

• Self-service platform: Glenigan

Analytix is a self-service platform that

doesn’t require any technical expertise

to use. This makes it an ideal solution

for construction professionals who do

not have the time or resources to learn

complex data analysis tools

• Real-time insights: It provides users

with real-time insights into construction

market trends. This allows users to make

informed decisions about their businesses

and stay ahead of the competition

Commenting on the launch, Russell

Haworth, Glenigan’s chief executive, said:

“Construction has a long-standing data

problem.

“Traditionally, this has meant many sales

and commercial teams have had to rely

on siloed market data to inform business

planning and decisions.

NAVIGATING THE MARKET

“Not only this, but organisations need the

tools to adapt to today’s rapidly-changing

and increasingly-fraught economy.

“Glenigan Analytix is the solution,

providing access to the UK’s mostcomprehensive

and up-to-date sector data,

creating a more efficient and insightful way

to navigate the market.

“It streamlines workflows, breaks down

data barriers, and speeds up the decisionmaking

process.”

He added: “Glenigan Analytix is set to

undergo rapid development throughout

2024, expanding its capabilities to include

forecasting and future trend identification.

“This enhanced functionality will meet

our clients’ needs and more, empowering

them to make better, more-informed

decisions based on real-time data-driven

insights, helping them stay a step ahead

of the competition in an ever-evolving

market.” n

Glenigan Analytix is the solution, providing

access to the UK’s most-comprehensive and

up-to-date sector data, creating a more-efficient

and insightful way to navigate the market


Estates and Facilities Management

Image: Tumisu from Pixabay

Unlocking potential

in the education estate

LocatED has published a new guide to support schools to develop their

estates to deliver more-successful outcomes

A

new handbook has been published

supporting schools and other

educational establishments in

navigating the development process and

unlocking potential in their estate.

LocatED’s Development of School Land

document provides practical advice

to individuals and organisations with

responsibilities for education buildings

or land and is intended to help guide the

progress of development projects and

deliver successful outcomes.

The document sets out four stages to

the development process, explaining how

to navigate site assessments, stakeholder

engagement, feasibility assessments, and

project delivery.

Covering complex issues — from legal

matters and planning considerations

to site surveys and Secretary of State

approvals — the document draws on the

extensive expertise of LocatED’s property

professionals.

Chief executive, Lara Newman, explains:

“In recent years, we’ve seen growing demand

from education leaders for our help in

unlocking potential in their school estates.

In recent years, we’ve seen growing demand

from education leaders for our help in

unlocking potential in their school estates

“This document provides an easy-touse

guide for schools embarking on that

journey.”

Head of estates efficiency and net zero,

Will Attlee, adds: “Advice on education

estates is never one-size-fits-all. Each school,

multi-academy trust, or local authority faces

their own unique set of property challenges

which can often be a significant burden.

“While schools and responsible bodies

should always look for alternative funding

options prior to disposing, development of

this kind can free up resources.

“Our intention with this handbook is

to help them navigate the development

process in a way that follows best practice

and achieves a successful outcome.

“If a school can generate capital receipts

for reinvestment in their estate in the form

of new or improved buildings, this will help

deliver better learning environments for

pupils.”

The guide reveals that the English school

estate, at an estimated 50,000 hectares,

represents one of the country’s single-largest

land holdings.

And ownership is disparate, with the

Secretary of State holding less than 1%

and the remaining land split between local

authorities, multi academy trusts, diocesan

boards of education, and other education

bodies.



Currently, the disposal of publicly-funded

education land requires the Secretary

of State’s prior consent, or in some cases

notification to the Secretary of State. This

includes both playing field land and nonplaying

field land, such as buildings.

The guide will help schools to navigate

the approval process required and maximise

the value of land once Secretary of State

approval is given.

Here, we look at the main points within

the report.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Prior to commencing any project, the guide

states that the skills and experience within

the leadership team should be reviewed

to establish whether there is sufficient

expertise to deliver the proposed scheme.

A project manager should then be

identified to lead the project and be

responsible for the day-to-day delivery of

tasks.

At an early stage, consideration should

also be given to whether appropriate

governance structures are in place and if

a specific project board or steering group

should be established.

Finally, the funding of and accounting

treatment for project expenditure should

be considered and any requisite approvals

secured before entering into any spending

commitments.

“The more complex the project is

likely to be, the greater the importance

of establishing appropriate governance

structures and an experienced project

delivery team”, it states.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR SITE

When looking for potential to release

capital from school estates, sites should be

assessed to establish:

• Whether there is any land or buildings

that are underutilised and/or surplus to

requirements

• The views of the relevant freeholder

• Whether there are any significant

physical or legal constraints to

development, noting that there are often

title restrictions that prevent school land

being used for purposes other than for

education

• Whether development would be

supported by the local planning

authority

• Whether any disposal or change of use,

and any use of proceeds, is likely to be

supported by the relevant landowner and

by the Secretary of State for Education

STAKEHOLDER IDENTIFICATION

AND ENGAGEMENT

The report says that consideration should

be given as to the best time to engage

different stakeholders.

Prior to engagement, the reasons for

undertaking the project and its benefits

should be clearly articulated.

Given the sensitive nature of developing

school land, an assessment should be made

that there is a reasonable likelihood of the

project commencing, prior to engaging

wider stakeholders.

And consultation should be ‘meaningful

and early enough to give stakeholders the

opportunity to input into the evolution of

the project’.

ASSESSING FEASIBILITY

Once the initial assessments are complete,

and assuming they show there is potential

for the proposed scheme, consideration

should be given to the optimal route to

progress the project.

More-complex projects may require

further feasibility work to de-risk the

opportunity, whereas it may be possible

to identify and dispose of part of a school

site without the need for substantial

further work.

IDENTIFYING STAKEHOLDERS

AND ENGAGEMENT

The guidance sets out advice on stakeholder engagement

Teachers

Pupils

The wider

school community

Trustees of

the school

Any charitable site trustees who hold

land or the purpose of the school, even if it is

not the trustees’ land on the site that is being

proposed for disposal or development.

Parents

THE SCHOOL

The school’s

governing body

Local education

authority

The local diocese or appropriate

faith body for disposal of land at

schools with a religious character

STAKEHOLDERS

The local authority

STATUTORY

AUTHORITIES

Local sports clubs

COMMUNITY

DFE

Sport England

The

local planning

authority

Local community

groups

Note that this is separate from any additional consultation required by the Secretary

of State in relation to the disposal or change of use of Scotland.



The route taken will depend on several

factors, including:

• The level of expertise and experience

within the project team

• The time and financial resource

requirements of the project

• Market demand for the proposed

development

• The complexity and risk profile of the

project

A feasibility study provides the next level

of detail for the project. Its purpose is to

establish:

• The type and quantum of development

that could be achieved on the land

(including any proposed school

improvement works across the wider site)

• The viability of the proposed

development

• The most-suitable route to market

DELIVERY

Once a decision to proceed with a

development has been made and the

requisite consents, if required, have been

obtained, a suitable disposal strategy for the

site should be established.

This should be prepared by working

closely with the consultancy team.

The preferred route, according to the

guide, will be established as part of the

feasibility study and should take account of

the need to secure value for money at the

same time as managing risk.

Advice should also be sought on the best

route to market, which will depend on a

number of factors including the market

demand for the site, the type of purchaser

or development partner sought, and the

timing of financial requirements.

Sale by private treaty is currently the

most-common method of sale and allows

for bilateral negotiation between the seller

and a preferred purchaser.

Under this approach, a marketing price

is set and sales particulars are prepared and

circulated by the seller’s agent.

This route gives the seller control of the

negotiation process. However, it potentially

limits market engagement and relies on the

goodwill of the purchaser to proceed with

the purchase.

Sale by public auction is an alternative

quick method of sale that provides

certainty to buyer and seller as contracts are

exchanged the moment the auction ends

with a winning bidder.

It is vital in this case that sufficient detail

is provided within the auction details and

the auction is well advertised to attract

potential bidders.

Auction is mostly used for commonplace

secondary or tertiary properties where

wider marketing is required to gather

interest.

Where sale by informal tender is used,

following a period of marketing, this gives

all interested parties an opportunity to

submit their ‘best bids’, together with any

associated conditions.

Sellers and buyers are not bound by the

results of the tender and there is usually an

opportunity to seek clarification or further

information prior to selecting a preferred

bidder.

Finally, there is the option of sale by

formal tender, which is similar to the

informal approach with the exception

that the seller and buyer are bound by the

outcome of the tender process.

This method provides price and time

certainty, but may deter potential bidders

and care should be taken to ensure sufficient

due diligence is undertaken prior to

commencing the process.

When disposing of land, the method

used will also differ, depending on a number

of factors, but will typically follow one of

these three approaches:

• Unconditional sale: This is where

the land is sold without any precompletion

conditions and completion

usually occurs shortly after exchange of

St John Fisher School

contracts. This structure is seen as a lower

risk for the seller and a quicker option as

the purchaser is unlikely to withdraw and

there is little, if any, work to complete

between exchange and completion.

However, it should be expected that a

lower price for the site would be received,

in return for the reduced risk and

increased speed

• Conditional sale: This is where

contracts are exchanged with precompletion

‘conditions precedent’, which

need to be satisfied prior to completion.

These will often include an acceptable

planning permission being granted.

This structure is higher risk for the seller

and often slower. But, in return for the

increased risk, a higher price for the site

would usually be received using this

structure. Professional advice should be

sought on the likelihood of the proposed

conditions being discharged prior to

entering a conditional contract, together

with appropriate deadlines for the

conditions to be fulfilled

• Development agreement: In some

circumstances, consideration may be

given to entering into a development

agreement with a private sector partner.

This is most appropriate when the

purchaser is required to deliver some

element of school improvement works

alongside the commercial development

— for example, as part of a mixed-use

project. Specialist development advice

should be sought in these cases due

to the complexity of such agreements

and advice should also be sought on

the development partner procurement

route to ensure compliance with public

procurement regulations n


Carbon-cutting support

for HE estates leaders


The Association of University

Directors of Estates (AUDE)

has commissioned a

decarbonisation report to

support facilities managers

at higher education centres

across the country.

Recent work from the

association’s Sustainability

Advisory Group identified that

effectively commissioning a

decarbonisation brief and scope

for institutions is a growing

priority and a challenging

process.

And, after a tender process run

last year, AUDE chose Arup to

provide a best-practice guide on

the issue to support members in

their own activity.

The guide is expected to be

published this spring.

“Arup recognises the crucial

role universities play in tackling

climate change, and this new

guidance from its experts helps

our members understand how

to effectively brief consultants

to develop decarbonisation

plans to meet their net zero

goals, and how to put those

plans into action”, said an AUDE

spokesman.

“With lots of experience

advising universities across

the UK on reaching net zero

emissions, Arup’s dedicated

team, led by experts Andy

Sheppard and Adele Fletcher,

will bring valuable insight into

the unique drivers and priorities

influencing sustainability efforts

in the sector.

“By combining knowledge

from carbon management

plans, net-zero pathways, and

decarbonisation strategies

already developed in higher

education and beyond, this work

will provide targeted advice

to maximise success when

planning and implementing

tailored decarbonisation

roadmaps suited to institutions’

individual characteristics and

progress.”

The guide will be an important

resource to rapidly reduce

carbon emissions in line with

scientific targets.

“By enabling our members to

effectively brief consultants and

accelerate climate action on

campus, the guidance aims to

drive our sector’s shift towards

net zero carbon,” said the

spokesman.

For more on the sector’s carbon

reduction efforts, see page 42.

Your school estate, your responsibility

The Trust Network — an organisation

supporting UK schools to implement

good estates management — has created

a five-point plan to help drive efficiencies

in line with government strategy.

The schools estate comprises 50.1% of the

Government’s total property assets, at 78.7

million sq m, so plays a major part in the

national agenda to ensure that every public

sector property is efficient, functional, and

well utilised, as well as greener and more

sustainable.

And, with the Government looking to

achieve cumulative resource savings of

£500m from the operating costs of its estate

by the end of next year, action needs to be

taken across the sector.

The Trust Network is supporting this

journey with the publication of guidance.

This covers five key points:

1. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

“The standard you walk past is the standard

you accept.”

This was a powerful statement made by

General David Morrison, previously chief of

the Australian Army, in a speech he gave in

2013.

And, according to The Trust Network

guidance, it ‘applies to everything we do in

facilities and estate management in schools,

from picking up the piece of litter in the

playground as we walk past, to ensuring that

the heating is working in all the classrooms

each day’.

2. BE PROACTIVE

Be proactive in finding ways to improve the

operation of your estate.

This might mean changing the type of taps

from crosshead wash basin taps to time-flow

taps to reduce the amount of water used

with each use, or identifying where heating

pipes need lagging to minimise heat loss.

The challenge is to think proactively as

you walk around your estate or as you

study the monthly reports from your CAF-M

system regarding the number and type of

reactive maintenance jobs that have been

logged.

If the same type of repair keeps occurring,

then you need to be doing something

different for that to change.

3. UPSKILL

Managers need to upskill themselves

on how to ensure that sustainability is

embedded into all facilities management

decision making and maintenance plans.

Replacing a freezer in the school kitchen?

Then make sure you buy an energy efficient

one.

And ensure that you and your team are

conversant with your school or trust’s

sustainability policy and plan and identify

how you can contribute to it.

Also take the time to read the

Government’s Government Property

Sustainability Strategy 2022-2030 which can

be accessed via GPS Sustainability.

4. CONSISTENCY

Fourthly, ensure consistency in terms of

your team’s responsiveness to facilities

management issues.

Your team needs to understand that staff

and students are their customers and that

the role they play in ensuring the school

premises are fit for the purpose of teaching

and learning is a crucial one.

Imagine a paramedic turning up in

response to your 999 call who doesn’t show

much interest in your symptoms.

Ensure your team displays the behaviours

that you should be modelling — an

eagerness to learn something new every

day, being reliable, consistent, and customer

focused.

5. BENCHMARK

Finally, want to stretch yourself and your

team to do better? Then benchmark your

performance against the Government’s

Facilities Management Standard 001:

Management and Services (March 2022).

This document sets the expectations for

the management of all government property,

and while not mandatory for schools, it is a

useful tool.


Environmental

Aerial view of ground source heat pumps

A roadmap to net zero for

independent schools

In this article Nigel Aylwin-Foster, business

development director at ReEnergise Projects,

explores the best way to decarbonise the

independent school estate and how to develop

an effective plan of action

Five years ago, I doubt the term ‘Estate

Decarbonisation Plan’ — or ‘EDP’

— had ever have been heard of in the

independent education sector.

But now, with the marked increase in

focus on becoming net zero within the UK,

not least in the education sector, the EDP

has become an important planning tool for

schools.

Every school will need one, and staff must

understand what it is, and why it matters.

It is not a long shot to suggest that within

the next five years every school in the sector

will have developed one, even if the school

does not intend to implement the plan for

several more years.

After all, even if the intent is to leave an

action until the last safe moment, without a

plan how does one know what the last safe

moment is?

THE PURPOSE OF A PLAN

Being net-zero carbon means ceasing to

use or rely on fossil fuels for any part of the

school operation, including in the supply

chain and off the estate — for example,

staff commuting and school trips on

commercial transport; or offsetting where

…with the marked

increase in focus on

becoming net zero

within the UK, not

least in the education

sector, the EDP

has become an

important planning

tool for schools


Environmental

Being net-zero

carbon means ceasing

to use or rely on fossil

fuels for any part of

the school operation,

including in the

supply chain and off

the estate…

the irreducible minimum of fossil fuel usage

has been reached.

Estate decarbonisation, therefore, means

ceasing to use or rely on fossil fuels for the

operation of the school estate: in essence,

for all the estate’s heat, transport, and power

requirements.

Notwithstanding the challenges, all

schools in the UK should eventually be

able to achieve this, although it will take

time, money, effort, and appropriate

prioritisation.

The purpose of an EDP is to describe

how a school intends to achieve this.

And this needs to be worked out in

enough detail to determine a programme

for implementation, along with the

management, resourcing, and budgeting

requirements.

The latter is particularly important, so the

school can invest accordingly to its broader

development plans.

In most cases, the resulting programme of

decarbonisation will last at least a decade,

probably two.

The EDP will inevitably require some

adjustment enroute to the school achieving

net-zero carbon, but that does not negate the

worth of drawing one up in the first place.

WHAT’S IN AN EDP?

Developing an EDP is the work of some

months of study, culminating in the

production of the plan.

Done with the necessary engineering

and commercial rigour — and with a keen

eye on pragmatism and practicality in

an educational setting — the task is akin

to crafting an estate masterplan, except

that the subject matter is mechanical and

electrical (M&E), rather than the building

timeframes and spaces in between.

Biomass burner tanks

A well-crafted EDP will:

• Take account of the school’s current

situation and general development

plans, both in the physical and broader

educational sense

• Provide an update on the political,

legislative, and commercial context of the

work. These all have some bearing on the

decarbonisation options

• Provide a clear description of the

opportunities, costs, timescales, and

impact of the full range of decarbonisation

work required on the estate, with

supporting technical, engineering, and

commercial logic. This includes the scope

for improving energy efficiency on the

estate so that less energy is required in

the first place, as well as the scope for the

conversion of the estate’s energy systems to

alternative low-carbon technologies

• Provide preliminary scopes of work and

design concepts for the more-complex

infrastructure projects, largely driven

by conversion of the heating plant and

the changes to the power infrastructure

required to support the heating plant

conversion. Note that conversion of the

heating plant will almost always be the

most-challenging and expensive project

within the plan. Even though, in some

cases, it could be a decade or more before

the fossil fuel heating plant needs to be

phased out, it is not feasible to estimate

the conversion costs realistically without

drawing up at least a preliminary design

concept. This matters because the costs

are such that they are almost bound to

require some significant changes to the

school’s existing development plans: it is

in a school’s interests to understand the

potential impact sooner rather than later

• Take account of the interactions between

the various technologies involved to

produce an integrated design concept

for the use and development of heat,

transport, and power systems across the

estate

• Produce a cost/benefit analysis for each

major project enshrined in the plan,

including an estimate of the reduction

in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and

potential reduction in operating costs

• Provide metrics to measure year-on-year

progress, with reductions in energy usage

and carbon emissions

• Set out a year-by-year implementation

programme for all the major energy

efficiency and decarbonisation projects,

including annual estimates for the

required capital outlay. The work can then

be incorporated into the broader estate

development plan so that funds can be

raised and allocated in a timely fashion

and projects can be executed in good

order when required, rather than being

rushed. Low-carbon conversion projects

in schools do not respond well to being

rushed, especially the core business of

converting the school’s heating

• Advise on the immediate next steps

required to start turning the EDP into

action


Environmental

Figure 1

THE EDP IN CONTEXT

The terms ‘sustainability’ and ‘net-zero’ often

seem to be used interchangeably, but in

practice they are not synonymous and it is

worth being clear about the interrelationship:

both will come to matter more and more in

schools, and resources need to be targeted

with a clear sense of purpose.

Environmental sustainability

encompasses everything from reducing

emissions to encouraging biodiversity,

reducing the extinction of species, and even

investing sustainably.

The most-commonly-used agenda for this

in the independent education sector is the

UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals

(SDGs), shown in Figure 1 (above).

We have already discussed the purpose of

net-zero carbon, but there is now another

net zero on the block — net zero for energy.

Being net zero for energy means a school

generates as much energy as it uses, even

though it may still need to buy energy from

external sources.

This is not the same as being net-zero

carbon: a school could in due course

become net-zero carbon, but still be heavily

reliant on the procurement of energy from

external sources.

In contrast, a school could be net zero for

energy, but still not be net-zero carbon.

The distinction between the two is

somewhat nuanced, but it is important

to be clear about the school’s priorities

before an EDP is developed because it will

influence the development of the plan: netzero

carbon is ultimately about reducing the

impact of climate change; while net zero for

energy is motivated by the desire to reduce

operating costs.

The Venn diagram (Figure 2 – below)

illustrates the interrelationship between

these three purposes within a school

context:

Figure 2

As already outlined, all schools in the UK

should be able to achieve net-zero carbon

(given time, money, effort), whereas most

schools in the UK will not be able to

achieve net zero for energy, simply because

they lack the real estate to be able to install

the required onsite power generation and

storage systems.

However, they will still be able to get part

of the way and it will remain a worthwhile

goal.

DEVELOPING AN EDP

A well-structured EDP requires careful

study of the school estate: the plan is the

output from that study.

The planning process will require external

expert support, but some aspects of it will

need to be determined by the school staff.

Generally, the supporting consultant’s

job is to analyse and present the options,

including the varying impact of the relevant

factors, whereas the supported school will

need to decide on its preferred option(s),

based partly on the consultant’s input, but

also on its own input where appropriate.

For example, the school will need to

determine its relative priorities between the

net-zero endeavour and other competing

calls on time and funding; and it will need

to gauge the available annual budget for

decarbonisation.

Dialogue between the school and

consultant is, therefore, important during

the development of the plan.

Developing an EDP is an iterative

process. The optimum overall net-zero

engineering solution for the estate needs to

be determined, then — working back from

that — the plan to get there as efficiently

and affordably as possible.

So, how does this work in practice?

The EDP study starts with measuring the

current energy usage and carbon footprint,

as well as understanding the operation

and intended future development of the

estate, and any other factors that would

impinge on the plan — for example, the

likely trajectory of future energy prices

and government policy towards net-zero

implementation.

This establishes the baseline. The study

then needs to consider:

The terms ‘sustainability’ and ‘net-zero’ often seem to be used

interchangeably, but in practice they are not synonymous and it is worth

being clear about the interrelationship: both will come to matter more

and more in schools, and resources need to be targeted with a clear sense

of purpose


Environmental

Figure 3

• A. The energy-efficiency measures

available to reduce energy usage as far

as possible and prepare the estate for

conversion to low-carbon systems

• B. Options for the independent

generation and storage of power on the

estate to reduce the estate’s reliance on

grid power, thus also reducing operating

costs and increasing estate resilience

• C. Engineering options for the

conversion of the heat, transport, and

power assets at the school to low-carbon

systems

• D. The integration and control of all the

intended infrastructure changes such

that they work together to optimum

effect for the school estate in terms of

ease of use, and impact on cost and

carbon emissions

Note that the lettering A-D has been

included for ease of identification on the

EDP implementation diagram shown above

(Figure 3): it does not imply a particular

order of study in developing the EDP.

In practice the EDP study team would

need to be considering aspects of serials

A-D concurrently.

For example, the solution for heat (the

defining issue in serial C, above) will

depend to some extent on the options

available for serials A and B. Conversely,

the solution for serial B will depend to

some extent on the preferred option for the

heating system conversion.

Careful consideration of serials A to D

will enable the optimum overall engineering

solution to be derived. It is then a matter of

working out the most-efficient programme

to get from the current baseline to the

overall engineering solution: this output

constitutes the decarbonisation plan.

Given that implementing the

decarbonisation plan will entail significant

capital outlay at a time when funds are

inevitably short, the trick will be to derive

a plan that enables progress in the short

term without jeopardising the long-term

objective.

Any short-term projects should be

selected based on meeting two criteria: that

they will be enablers for the longer-term

projects and/or reduce operating costs.

The diagram above encapsulates this. It is

illustrative of the general idea — of likely

trends, and not meant to be to scale.

The Prep Phase is focused on

implementing serials A and B, and those

elements of serial D that need to be put in

place early on. It should normally start as

soon as possible, given that there is nothing

to be gained by waiting.

These measures should result in some

reduction in operating costs, ideally leading

to a temporary net benefit.

However, the extent to which energy

efficiency measures will save a school money

is often exaggerated.

There’s no doubting that on most school

estates operating costs can be reduced

through such efficiencies, but they will not

prove the panacea that some hope for and

they will certainly not prove to be the netzero

silver bullet: sooner or later those fossil

fuel systems will have to be removed.

The Major Decarbonisation Phase is

focused on implementing serial C and the

remaining elements of serial D that cannot

be put in place during the Prep Phase.

The start and end dates for this phase

will depend on a combination of achieving

regulatory compliance, the school’s scale of

ambition, and implementation of net-zero

versus other priorities, finding funding and

a cost-effective and affordable pathway, and

engineering necessity.

This phase might, therefore, start once

the Prep Phase is complete; or it might

overlap to some extent. It will depend on

Energy centre hot water tanks

the factors and will vary for each school.

The projects in the Major

Decarbonisation Phase are likely to lead to

a net loss in terms of cashflow during their

implementation because of the high capex.

In due course the net economic effect

may well become positive compared to

the base case of doing nothing: that rather

depends on what happens to relative fuel

prices, in particular grid gas versus grid

power for any solutions based around

conversion of the heating plant to heat

pumps, the latter being the most-common

technology option in schools.

The good news is that the UK

Government has declared its intent to

rebalance grid prices to render heat pumps

more economically attractive: the challenge

will be achieving that in a way considered

fair and affordable by consumers. And, of

course, reducing a school’s reliance on grid

electricity (serial B) will help.

THE BENEFITS

A well-crafted estate decarbonisation

plan enables a school to determine how to

achieve the following benefits:

• Operating costs savings and carbon

reductions through greater estate energy

efficiency

• Reduced dependence on the National

Grid and improved estate resilience

through reduced energy usage and

generation of more of the required power

onsite

• Estate decarbonisation (the removal

of fossil fuel systems) at whatever pace

emerges from the supporting study

• The avoidance of future costly errors by

not stumbling into estate development

mistakes that might not have been

recognised without the benefit of a

comprehensive plan

The plan also provides budgeting clarity for

the short, medium, and longer terms and

enables a school to tell all its stakeholders

what it is going to do about tackling the

hardest aspect of becoming net zero, based

on credible, authentic detail rather than

generalisation and wishful thinking. n


Environmental

ACADEMY TRUST

TO REDUCE

EMISSIONS BY 90%

SSE Energy Solutions

has embarked on an

ambitious project

to reduce carbon

emissions by 90%

across 11 Harris

Federation academies

in South East England.

Funded through the UK Government’s

Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme

(PSDS), the £14.3m project will overhaul

heating systems, building controls, and

electrical infrastructure across buildings in

south London and Kent.

The initiative is forecast to reduce Harris

Federation’s collective emissions by over

38,000 tonnes of CO2 — the equivalent of

planting 1.73 million trees.

Upgrades will include replacing gas

boilers with energy-efficient air source

heat pumps, installing advanced building

energy management systems, and

upgrading ageing electrical infrastructure.

Renewable energy technologies will also

be incorporated where feasible.

Grant Widlake, business director for

smart buildings at SSE Energy Solutions,

said: “We’re committed to partnering

with all our business customers to

deliver bespoke solutions enabling them

to reduce their energy consumption,

emissions, and costs.

“Reducing emissions from nondomestic

buildings is critical to

accelerating the UK’s transition to net

zero and as a dedicated business energy

supplier, this is a key focus for our

business.

“This project with Harris Federation

exemplifies our approach to

decarbonising buildings — overlaying

effective building controls with other

solutions like air source heat pumps,

solar PV, and battery storage to create

substantial emissions reductions.”

In addition to the environmental

benefits, the project is expected to

significantly reduce energy costs for the

academies over its 20-year lifespan.

Tom Webster, director of estates and

commercial at the Harris Federation, said:

“The grant we have received from the

Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme

(PSDS) is a win-win, enabling us to make

significant savings over time and thus

plough more of our money directly into

children’s education, while also playing

our part in delivering a net zero future.”

Solar power drives

savings at Rhyl school

A Rhyl primary school has received

a further boost to help cut carbon

emissions and long-term energy costs.

Denbighshire County Council’s energy

team has carried out further work to

improve energy efficiency at Ysgol Llywelyn.

The team has delivered, and is working

on, several projects to help improve council

building energy efficiency and support the

reduction of carbon emissions and usage

costs over the longer term.

This work is part of the council’s drive to

address the climate and nature emergency

declared in 2019 and continue the reduction

of its own carbon footprint.

Recent completion of projects has seen

the energy team reach a landmark of over

a megawatt of installed renewable energy

capacity (1099kWp).

The majority of this is generated from roofmounted

solar PV panels.

In May 2023 Ysgol Llywelyn saw a

20.25kW PV panel installed which will, on

average, reduce fuel bills by 17,000kWh a

year and produce an annual reduction of

five tonnes of carbon.

Eco-upgrade project

receives funding

Benfield School in

Walkergate, Newcastle,

is embarking on a green

transformation as part of a

£4m eco-upgrade project.

Funded via a grant secured by

the NEAT Academy Trust and

Newcastle City Council via the

Government’s Public Sector

Decarbonisation Scheme, work will include

the installation of solar panels, air source heat

pumps, LED lighting, and wall insulation.

The trust will also contribute additional

funding towards the project, which will be

delivered over the next 18 months.

The eco upgrades will improve the energy

efficiency of the school, helping to lower its

energy bills and reduce its carbon footprint.

Headteacher, Anthony Martin, said: “We

have been delighted to work with Newcastle

City Council to develop this major heat

decarbonisation project for the school and

are thrilled to have received the Government

grant funding to support its implementation.

LED lighting was also installed at the

school to lower electricity usage and

modifications were made to the heating

system to cut gas consumption and save

long-term costs.

The team has now added a further 10Kw

PV panel to the roof which is helping

reduce energy use by a further estimated

6,000 kWh a year and save an extra 1740kg

of carbon yearly.

Councillor Barry Mellor, lead member for

environment and transport, said: “We are

grateful for the support from the school

to allow us to install this extra PV panel,

which will help drive down even further the

building’s energy use and carbon emissions.

“The additional solar power will also

support the reduction of the school’s longterm

energy costs

“The council is grateful to the work of

the energy team for its continuing work

to reduce energy use and cut carbon

emissions across all our buildings.

“This is also vital work for lowering longterm

costs across our estate to continue

running our buildings as well.”

“I am particularly

excited around the

opportunity that it

provides to the pupils

at Benfield School.

“They will be able to

see and learn about

the school’s transition

to low-carbon energy

use as we implement new air source heat

pump and solar panel technology across our

school site.”

Councillor Marion Williams, Cabinet

member for a Connected, Clean City at

Newcastle City Council, added: “We have

made a strong commitment to make public

buildings across the city more sustainable,

so it is great we have secured this funding.

“The school is a really-important asset

in the community, with its sport facilities

such as the swimming pool and sports hall

being used by pupils during the day and by

the public during evenings, weekends, and

school holidays.”


Teaching apprenticeship set to

transform pathway to classroom

People

A new teaching apprenticeship will

launch this autumn, revolutionising

the way schools recruit teachers while

supporting more people to earn while

they study for a degree.

The Teacher Degree Apprenticeship will

offer a high-quality, alternative route for

people to become qualified teachers.

This includes those who may not be able

to take time out to study full time for a

degree, such as teaching assistants or staff

already working in schools.

Trainees on the new apprenticeship will

spend around 40% of their time studying

for their degree with an accredited teacher

training provider, gain qualified teacher

status, and all tuition fees are paid for, so

they will not be saddled with student debt.

Apprenticeships are seen as an effective

way for people of all ages and backgrounds

to build successful careers in a huge range

of professions, from nursing to medical

doctors and space engineering to fusion

technology, with opportunities available at

all stages up to a degree level.

Since 2010, over 5.7 million people have

started their apprenticeship journey and

the Government is increasing investment

in apprenticeships to £2.7bn by 2024/2025,

ensuring businesses have a pipeline of

talent to grow the economy.

Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, said:

“The teacher degree apprenticeship will

open up the profession to more people, from

those who want a career change to those

who are looking for an earn-and-learn route

without student debt.

“It will be a game-changing opportunity

for schools to nurture and retain talent from

the ground up, helping apprentices to gain

the knowledge and skills they need to teach

future generations.”

According to the Government there are

currently record numbers of teachers

working in schools — up by 27,000 since

2010.

And to attract the brightest and the best,

the Government is investing £196m this

academic year to get more teachers across

key subjects.

The Teacher Degree Apprenticeship will

build on this by diversifying the route into

teaching and ensuring schools across the

country can continue to recruit the teachers

they need.

To support schools to offer the new

scheme, the Government will launch a pilot,

working with a small number of schools and

teacher training providers to fund up to 150

apprentices to work in secondary schools to

teach maths.

Training providers will bid to take part in

the pilot and trainees will be recruited from

this autumn and will start their training the

following year.

And the Department for Education and the

Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical

Education (IfATE) are working with an

employer-led trailblazer group to develop

the programme to ensure it is high quality

and meets the needs of schools.

A spokesman for The South Farnham

Educational Trust, which chairs the

trailblazer group, said: “The teacher degree

apprenticeship presents an ideal opportunity

for talented professionals without a degree

to pursue their dream of teaching.

“The opportunity to gain qualified teacher

status (QTS) and a degree through the new

apprenticeship would enable our trust to

invest in talented individuals early in their

career and grow them into outstanding

teachers of the future.

“The apprenticeship also allows individuals

to earn a salary while completing their

teacher training, supporting those who may

not have the financial means to pursue a

Image: Tumisu from Pixabay

traditional university-based teacher training

programme.”

Jennifer Coupland, chief executive of

IfATE, added: “Having this alternative quality

route into teaching should make a big

difference with encouraging people from

wider backgrounds into the profession,

helping with social mobility, and making

sure schools get all the talented teachers

they need.

“I think it’s also really important that

this will provide extra support for brilliant

teaching assistants and other people

working in schools, who want to be

teachers, to make that next step.”

The Teacher Degree Apprenticeship is a

four-year training programme and will be

available for people to train as primary or

secondary teachers.

It will build on the Postgraduate Teaching

Apprenticeship by offering a work-based

route to attaining a degree and QTS.

The grant funding pilot will be a onecohort

pilot and evidence will be used to

inform the future of the programme.

Providers and employing schools will

be able to develop and run teacher degree

apprenticeship courses without additional

funding within the same timeframes as

the pilot.


People

GRE Finance makes strategic hires

GRE Finance, a specialist

lender to the UK real estate

market, has hired two

associate directors from

Octopus Real Estate and

Hilltop Credit Partners to

capitalise on the surge of

opportunities in the real estate

finance market.

Clare Grimes has joined as an

associate director from leading

UK specialist real estate investor,

Octopus Real Estate, where she

specialised in the origination

and execution of primarily

commercial real estate debt

transactions.

Grimes has gained extensive

knowledge and experience

through working with a range

of clients, including funds, to

deliver financing on a variety of

assets across the UK.

And she is chairman of the

Association of Real Estate

Funds’ Future Generation

Committee, a member of AREF’s

management committee, a

chartered surveyor, and holds a

master’s degree in Real Estate,

Clare Grimes

Investment and Finance from

Henley Business School.

Archie Dickinson, who also

joins as an associate director,

has more than 10 years of

experience in real estate finance.

Specialising in origination,

underwriting, and execution,

past roles have seen him

structuring and executing

both senior and mezzanine

development loans, working

alongside high street lenders,

challenger banks, institutional

funds, and HNWIs.

He began his career at

Proseed Capital, a mezzanine

development finance lender

before moving to specialist

development finance provider,

Hilltop Credit Partners.

During his career he has

underwritten and completed

on over £750m of real estate

finance.

Founded in 2020 by Michael

Mirelman and Daniel Benton,

GRE Finance is a specialist

lender to the UK real estate

market and currently holds a

loan book of £110m against

residential and commercial

property.

Remaining active through the

economic turbulence of 2023,

it agreed several loans over the

course of the year, including a

£6m acquisition loan against a

student building in Portsmouth;

a £4m loan to MACC Care, a

Midlands-based care home

developer to acquire two sites

with planning for new care

homes; a £6m loan to the UK’s

leading retirement developer,

Lifestory Group; and a £17m

loan for a development finish

and exit facility secured against

residential development of 89

homes in Surrey.

Daniel Benton, director

at GRE Finance, said: “The

opportunities in the UK’s real

estate debt markets today are

vast, and the appointments of

Clare and Archie to kick off this

year put us in prime position to

seize what could be a once-ina-decade

opportunity.

“We remained active through

2023, focusing on strategic asset

management in the first half

of the year before identifying

market opportunities in the latter

half and agreeing more than

£30m in real estate financing.

“Our opportunistic and

value-add approach, depth

of expertise in property

development and management

as well as financing, and

willingness to take on projects

involving planning risk, means

that we are very well placed to

support a range of transactions

taking place in the market.”

Senior planning

appointment

Lydia Pravin has joined property

specialist, Eddisons, as an associate

planning director.

Previously working for Brown & Co as

a senior associate planner in its St Neots

office, Pravin is a qualified chartered town

planner and has a masters degree in urban

and regional town planning.

Based in Eddisons’ Peterborough office,

she will primarily work across the firm’s

regional office network in the East Midlands

and East of England.

Announcing the appointment, planning

director, Kate Wood, said: “Lydia joins us at

a time when many local authorities in the

region are at key points in their local plan

lifecycles and reform of the planning system

is, once again, in the spotlight at national

policy level.

“With over a decade in the planning

profession, Lydia’s senior experience in both

private practice and the public sector brings

insight and skills to the Eddisons

professional services planning

offer that will prove invaluable to

the firm’s clients.”

Eddisons is an independent

firm of chartered surveyors

specialising in property,

including education and

healthcare buildings.

THOMAS’S COLLEGE ANNOUNCES

FOUNDING MASTER

Thomas’s College

in Richmond,

London, has

appointed Will

le Fleming as its

founding master.

The college

is opening in

September 2025

as a co-educational secondary school, offering day,

weekly and flexi-boarding.

It will initially open for years 7-12, building up to a

capacity of 630 pupils up to Year 13.

le Fleming is head of The Abbey School in Reading,

an independent girls’ school.

Educated at Eton and Clare College, Cambridge, he

has worked as a journalist and author.

His teaching career began at St Paul’s School,

where he became undermaster, before taking on a

deputy headship at St Paul’s Girls’ School.

He moved on to the executive headship of Fulham

School before he took up his current role as head of

The Abbey.


Education Property Issue 02 April-May 2024

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