Eddisons secures over £20m for school building improvement projects

Millthorpe School Eddisons

Eddisons secures over £20m for school building improvement projects

We are delighted to announce we’ve secured more than £20m of funding to improve buildings at schools across the UK in the latest round of the Government’s Condition Improvement Fund (CIF).

Our education sector specialist team has raised more than £200m in school funding over recent years and the latest round of secured funding includes £4m for school building projects in Yorkshire, £1.6m for heating upgrade projects in Gosport and Southampton and £650,000 for fire safety works at Corley Academy SEN school in Coventry.

Ian Harrington, head of our specialist education team, said: “This is another year of fantastic results for both our clients and the team. However, the success also highlights once again the fact that education is one of the more poorly funded sectors, with 2,000 projects unsuccessful in their bids in this round of funding alone.

“We will continue to work with those schools and academies that were unsuccessful, to offer guidance on future bids, as well as offering advice on other funding opportunities that are available. With the total CIF pot remaining unchanged on last year, despite base rate inflation being at 11% and construction inflation nearer 30%, it was one the most fiercely competitive rounds of funding we’ve experienced.”

The CIF programme is an annual round of bidding under which academy schools and colleges can apply for funding for the upkeep and improvement of their buildings and to fund expansion projects for schools that have been rated good or outstanding by Ofsted. In total, the Department for Education received funding requests for over 3,000 projects this year, with 1,033 projects across 859 academies being allocated a share of the £456m.

Ian added: “The CIF bidding procedure is highly complex and Eddisons’ education team   have built up huge knowledge and experience over the years to help deliver successful bids and projects that make a real difference to schools and to the people who study and work in them.

“Every year the process of submitting a successful CIF bid becomes ever more competitive and we are really pleased to say that we have maintained our position as a key adviser to the education sector, with an excellent success rate for our bids.”

The successful projects will all get underway shortly and will be project managed by Eddisons.

If your project was not successful we offer a free audit of your bid so you can apply the insights in any future applications, please click here to find out more.

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Eddisons completes £1.9m upgrade project at York school

Millthorpe School Eddisons

Eddisons completes £1.9m upgrade project at York school

Eddisons has project managed the £1.9m refurbishment of new dining areas, toilet blocks and classrooms at Millthorpe school, a 1,000-student York high school run by South Bank Academy Trust.

Completed this month, the project has upgraded and modernised outdated areas of the school as well as freeing up the circulation of students and staff through the building by reconfiguring areas where bottlenecks were creating logistical problems and causing lengthy lunchtime queues.

A new external covered dining area, the refurbishment and extension of the existing dining room, upgraded toilet blocks and refurbished teaching areas were all included in the scheme which took Eddisons four months to complete once work began on site this summer.

Declan Williams, a building surveyor with Eddisons’ 60-strong specialist education team, which works with school and college academy trusts to secure government funding for improvement projects and sees them through to completion, said: “We have been working with South Bank Academy Trust for four years after being approached to carry out the initial condition survey.

“Circulation was identified as being a major issue that was disrupting the school day and that was one of our main challenges, to reconfigure the way people travel around the entire school.”

He added: “We have had excellent feedback from the school who have told us that both staff and pupils are enjoying the more orderly atmosphere and increased capacity to serve more people at lunchtimes. Some of the new, modern space we have created is multifunctional so that it can be used either as a dining room or as a teaching area, which has been particularly useful for maximising the space available.”

Eddisons carried out the initial survey into the condition of the school buildings, as well as providing architectural and design services for the £1.9m project and project managing the construction of the new areas.

Eddisons delivers new London hub for urban tech logistics firm Stuart

Eddisons Stuart Delivery

Eddisons Delivers New London Hub For Urban Tech Logistics Firm Stuart

Eddisons has completed a renovation project to create a new 18,500 sq ft ‘last-mile’ delivery hub in North West London for pan-European tech logistics business Stuart Delivery. Part of DPD Group, the high-tech firm provides scheduled and on-demand food, grocery and retail deliveries to urban areas using a managed fleet and local independent couriers.

Eddisons director Nick Galloway and building surveyor James Barker of the firm’s building and project consultancy team acted on behalf of Stuart to undertake a pre-lease schedule of condition for the firm’s new premises at Standard Road in London’s Park Royal area.

Eddisons also developed a bespoke space plan together with a repair and fit out specification, commissioning new fencing, automatic barriers and gates, and superfast EV charging stations for Stuart’s electric delivery fleet.

New fire alarm installation, LED lighting, corporate signage and electrical enabling works for conveyor systems were also incorporated. Organising building regulations approvals via an approved inspector, the firm also undertook full contract administration and principal designer duties.

Eddisons’ James Barker said: “Stuart’s management team shared our enthusiasm for bringing the property back into use, maximising the sustainability features of the premises and bringing them into a compliant state for the new business operation.”

Stuart retail logistics director Marcus Hurd said: “Working with the whole team at Eddisons was great. They took time to understand our business vision and the resulting priorities for this operating site and how it might be developed.

“We received fantastic advice, allowing the plans for the site to be streamlined and costs controlled, whilst at the same time ensuring the renovations had maximum positive impact on both the environment and the people using the site.”

Talking Trusts Speaker Spotlight: Lisa Howfield, School Business Leadership Services

Speaker spotlight - Lisa

Talking Trusts Speaker Spotlight: Lisa Howfield, School Business Leadership Services

Next up in our Speaker Spotlight series is Lisa Howfield, CEO of School Business Leadership Services.

What does a strong trust mean to you?
A strong trust works together as one unit to achieve the best outcomes and increased opportunities for all the pupils and staff. Schools retain their identity but gain from the benefits of working collaboratively in all aspects of managing a school by sharing expertise and resources.

Why should people attend this event?
To break away from the demands of a school day for the chance to think strategically and discuss a range of options for your school with like-minded colleagues in a relaxed environment.

What should they expect to learn from you and/or your business?
Support in all aspects of the business management of a school, focusing on the optimal use of resources to ensure stability and growth.

About Lisa Howfield

Lisa is the founder and CEO of School Business Leadership Services (SBLS). As a former School Business Manager and CFO, she understands the challenges facing schools and provides support in the strategic and operational management of finances, HR, procurement, estates, line management and the professional development of support staff.

Catch Lisa Howfield at our free education breakfast webinar on 10th November 2022, 9:30am – 11:30am.

Click the link to book your place: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3l-DUkhqSfiYwmcOKb_zDw

Talking Trusts Speaker Spotlight: Chris Whitmore, The Schools People

Speaker spotlight - Chris

Talking Trusts Speaker Spotlight: Chris Whitmore, The Schools People

Second up in our Speaker Spotlight series is Chris Whitmore, CEO of The Schools People.

What does a strong trust mean to you?
In the constantly changing education sector, strength means agility; agile leadership which draws together the collective assets of the organisation in service of its goals and communities and draws out the best from each as they mutually develop. It is a strength of combination, of collectivity and of co-creation of educational, organisational and pastoral possibilities.

Why should people attend this event?
To work together with the speakers and other attendees to co-create a new understanding of the possibilities generated by the White Paper and of the agile co-operation with stakeholders and partners old and new to bring those possibilities to fruition for the benefit of the communities we all serve. To meet new colleagues, forge new partnerships and have a laugh along the way.

What should they expect to learn from you and/or your business?
How to navigate the complexities of the HR and employment law field, to separate regulatory and accountability wood from trees and to bring coherence to the strategic people needs of any Trust as it is formed and as it grows.

About Chris Whitmore 

Chris is CEO at The Schools People as well as HR Director in the Schools Advisory Service Group of companies. He is an employment lawyer and HR practitioner, an ILM level 7 qualified Executive and Leadership Coach and a GDPR expert, with a lifelong love of all things industrial relations.

Catch Chris Whitmore at our free education breakfast seminar on 10th November 2022, 9:30am – 12:30pm at Bowcliffe Hall, Leeds.

Click here to book your ticket: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/talking-trusts-event-tickets-427765396817

Talking Trusts Speaker Spotlight: Jeff Marshall, J & G Marshall

Speaker spotlight - Jeff

Talking Trusts Speaker Spotlight: Jeff Marshall, J & G Marshall

In the lead up to our Talking Trusts Event, our Speaker Spotlight series will introduce you to our panel of experts as well as their area of specialism.

Today, we meet Jeff Marshall of J & G Marshall.

What does a strong trust mean to you?
A strong Trust is one that is centred in doing what’s right for children. It is run by people with the right skill sets and right mindset making the right decisions for the right reasons. It creates something bigger than the sum of the parts and utilises every asset to make children feel safe, valued and able to learn. It recognises and values staff and listens to parents. It does not focus solely on academics and considers all aspects of the Trust – including estates – to gain incremental improvements.

Why should people attend this event?
The recent White Paper has brought academies back into focus and now all schools – and existing Trusts – must take stock of the direction of travel, the options facing us all and the benefits and risks of each. Obtaining quality support and guidance from external agencies will be key to making the right decision for the school or Trust. The people presenting here are enablers in this.

What should they expect to learn from you and/or your business?
The skills and mindset to make the right decisions followed by on the ground support and practical guidance to move forward into the academy world and be supported post conversion. We cover the mechanics of converting to academy status and develop the people who will run it. This joined up approach to strategic and operational will take a lot of the pain away in the journey.

About Jeff Marshall

Jeff is Managing Director of J & G Marshall Ltd and Marshall Professional Development Ltd. He has been a school Governor for 28 years and Chair for 22 at one of the first Primary Schools in the country to become an academy. Jeff has supported over 280 school to academy conversions and has personally undertaken over 100 External Reviews of Governance on Maintained schools and Academy Trusts.

Catch Jeff Marshall at our free education breakfast seminar on 10th November 2022, 9:30am – 12:30pm at Bowcliffe Hall, Leeds.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/talking-trusts-event-tickets-427765396817

Eddisons confirms winning bids to upgrade schools and colleges across the UK as total funding secured tops £100m

Eddisons confirms winning bids to upgrade schools and colleges across the UK as total funding secured tops £100m

Eddisons has secured building improvement funding for schools across the UK, including more than £5m for Yorkshire, £5m for North East and £4.5m for Midlands academies, in the latest round of the Government’s Condition Improvement Fund (CIF). A specialist in the education sector, Eddisons has now raised over £100m in successful CIF bids since 2016 to enable schools and colleges across the country to improve their estate.

Funding secured by Eddisons in the latest round of schools projects includes £2m for the Odyssey Collaborative Trust, which operates seven primary schools in Derby, following a successful 2020 bid for £2.5m. Odyssey’s Beaufort school will get the second phase of a new roof and new windows, Springfield school with also receive a new roof, while Oakwood junior school is in line for a new fire safety system.

In the North East £500,000 will pay for new boilers and windows at New Silksworth Academy in Sunderland. Projects in Yorkshire include £1m for a new roof at Prince Henry’s Grammar School in Otley, which is part of the Collaborative Learning Trust.

An academy trust in south-east London, Chancery Education Trust, was awarded £1.4m to upgrade its school buildings, installing new boilers at Darrick Wood Infant and Nursery School in Orpington, a new fire safety system for Pickhurst Academy in Bromley and a new roof at Davidson Primary Academy in Croydon.

The CIF programme is an annual round of bidding under which academy schools and colleges can apply for funding for the upkeep and improvement of their buildings and to fund expansion projects for schools that have been rated good or outstanding by Ofsted.

Eddisons’ national building and project consultancy team, which is led from the firm’s Leeds office, and also designs and project manages the delivery of schools’ CIF projects, has grown from a small team to a 30-strong department of project managers, building surveyors and architects, with further hires planned for the coming months as demand for its education services continues to grow.

Building and project consultancy head, Ian Harrington, said:

“We are tremendously proud that this latest funding announcement means we have raised well over £100m of funding in total for our education sector clients since we began working in this area in 2016. The CIF projects really are essential to creating a better learning and work environment for both students and staff at schools and colleges across the UK.”

He added: “The CIF bidding procedure can seem impenetrable and Eddisons expert education team have built up huge knowledge and experience over the years to help deliver successful bids and projects that make a real difference to people’s lives.

“Every year the process of submitting a successful CIF bid becomes ever more competitive for schools and we are really pleased to say that we have maintained our position as a key adviser to the education sector, with an excellent success rate for our bids.”

For more information on CIF services click here or contact us today by completing the short form below and one of our team will call you.

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Eddisons Building and Project Consultancy team secures over £100,000 of Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Funding 

 

Eddisons Building and Project Consultancy team secures over £100,000 of Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Funding

Eddisons Building and Project Consultancy team recently applied for and secured over £100,000 of Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Funding on behalf of a number of Public Sector organisations across the country.

These funds will enable public sector organisations to undertake a feasibility study to determine whether they are eligible to apply for grant funding via the Salix funded Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to install energy efficient and low carbon heat upgrades to their existing mechanical and electrical installations across their estate.

Those organisations who met the criteria have applied for capital funding via Eddisons, and we wish them the best of luck with their applications

For more information on Building Consultancy services click here or contact us today by completing the short form below and one of our team will call you.

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CIF funding announcement means building a great future for schools

CIF funding announcement means building a great future for schools

Schools across the country are welcoming the chance to get their building improvement projects on track for 2021/22.

With the publication of the new Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) guidelines, academies, smaller multi-academy trusts, sixth form colleges and some voluntary-aided schools have the chance to apply for up to £4m of funding.

The monies can be used for specific projects that improve or repair school buildings, expand school premises, or a combination of both.

Eddisons’ Ian Harrington, Partner and National Head of Building Consultancy, said that the opportunity to address urgent buildings’ issues in 2021/22 is not to be missed.

“The new round of CIF funding is a fantastic chance for schools to fund projects that require additional capital above and beyond their normal means,” he commented. “With schools already under pressure to address issues around COVID-19, a successful CIF application could really help boost a school as we work our way through the pandemic.”

Applying for the funding can be complex. Evidence of need must be compelling, and requires independent support, together with detailed costings and a robust options appraisal.

However, as Ian noted, help is at hand.

“With Eddisons’ help, educational establishments have a far better chance of success in gaining CIF funding than they otherwise might,” he said. “Last year Eddisons secured in excess of £45m of funding for primary and secondary schools and sixth form colleges across the country. We have an excellent track record and can really make the difference between a successful application and an also-ran.”

Applications for CIF in 2021/22 is expected to be strong. Bids must be submitted by 14th January 2021, although registration must be completed by 10th December 2020 – so if you are interested in giving your academy a great chance of securing funding, contact us below today!

For more information on CIF services click here or contact us today by completing the short form below and one of our team will call you.

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2020 Schools and Academies Show

2020 Schools and Academies Show

The 2020 Schools and Academies Show, historically taking place at the NEC in Birmingham, has reinvented itself this year as a virtual show. Taking place from 17-20 November the show will be fully online with exhibitors displaying virtual stands and booking online meetings with delegates. All workshops, round tables and keynote speeches will also take place virtually.

Eddisons are proud to be taking part in this inaugural virtual show, having been regular exhibitors in ‘real life’ over previous years. Not only will they be welcoming visitors to their virtual stand and booking in meetings to discuss all things school estates and capital projects, they will also be hosting a round table Q&A session ‘Troubleshooting Multi Academy Trust Estates’  on Thursday 19th November, where delegates can attend and quiz Eddisons’ experts on their own estates issues. Book your place now via the show website.

As there are 4 days of exhibition time this year, there will be plenty of opportunity to connect with the Eddisons team and arrange a conversation, ask questions and generally pick up tips on all aspects of school and trust estates. Talk to Eddisons about:

  • Condition Surveys
  • Funding (CIF, Salix, Decarbonisation and alternative funding options)
  • Insurance Valuations
  • Red Book Valuations (for audit)
  • Architectural Services
  • Estates Planning / PPM
  • SCA Planning

Find out more