Partnerships for Schools



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Partnerships for Schools
33 Greycoat Street
London SW1P 2QF

Press Releases

Press Releases

Press release: Bidder found for top schools contract in Bradford

13 January 2006

Bradford Council has today announced the appointment of Integrated Bradford as the preferred bidder for its £400million Building Schools for the Future Programme.

The initiative will see the launch of a new ten-year partnership with the Council to refurbish or rebuild all secondary schools across the district.

The aim is to help boost pupils' attainment and teaching standards through providing first-class, modern and inspirational buildings which will also help to encourage high quality teaching.

Phase One of the programme will see Buttershaw, Salt and Tong schools rebuilt and ready to open in 2008.

Bradford is one of four Pathfinder local authorities pioneering the Government’s flagship BSF programme and is the second authority nationwide to announce its preferred bidder.

Councillor Dale Smith, the Council's Executive Member for Education, said: "We are very pleased to have Integrated on board as our partner for the Building Schools for the Future programme. The Council is involved in detailed negotiations to gain the best possible deal for students and schools, and of course for the district overall, and is confident of signing an agreement.”

Integrated Bradford was chosen from a shortlist of three consortia, following wide expressions of interest. This was after a six-month selection process conducted by a team of school representatives and Council officers.

Integrated Bradford is an Amey-formed consortium led by Amey, Costain and HSBC Infrastructure Fund Management, and supported by a construction joint venture of Costain and Ferrovial Agroman, as well by as Sun Microsystems and Amey Business Services.

Phil Green, the Council's Director of Education, said: "The BSF programme gives us a one-off opportunity to transform our secondary school provision.

"It is both an exciting opportunity and a major challenge, and we have involved the first three schools extensively in the development of their new buildings.

"We want Integrated to work with all the other schools and we know they are very committed to this approach”

Amey Chief Executive Officer Mel Ewell, on behalf of the consortium, said: “This programme is designed to produce a step change in Bradford’s educational facilities, through iconic buildings, the latest technology and facilities designed for use by the whole community.

"We are delighted to have been awarded this prestigious contract.”

Bradford will now form a Local Education Partnership (LEP) with Integrated Bradford and Partnerships for Schools, the body set up by the DfES to deliver the BSF programme.

Partnerships for Schools Chief Executive Richard Bowker said: "Parents and young people can now look forward to a period of sustained investment in Bradford’s educational estate.”

Phase Two will involve the regeneration of schools at  Beckfoot in Bingley, Greenhead in Keighley and Grange , and the creation of three new secondary special schools alongside each of them.

Also, the Council has already agreed plans to fund a special primary school to be built on each of the mainstream schools at Lapage/ Bradford Moor, Heaton and Guard House.

Education Bradford's Managing Director John Gaskin said: “We are pleased the name of the BSF contractor has been announced as this means we are a significant step nearer providing the high-quality accommodation and provision the children and young people deserve.

"It also means the co-located special schools, which will give our most vulnerable pupils the best facilities to meet their needs, are closer to being a reality.” 

The target date for opening the new special schools is September 2008. There will be ongoing consultation with parents, students, staff and the community as the project develops. 

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

  1. The two other shortlisted bidders were: Environments 4 Learning and Mowlem plc.
  2. The advisers working with the Council on this project are: Addleshaw Goddard (Legal), Precept (Programme Management and Technical) and KPMG (Financial).
  3. Partnerships for Schools (PfS) is a Non Departmental body set up in April 2004 by the Department of Education and Skills to manage the Building Schools for the Future Programme.

For further details contact BSF Project Communications Officer Robin Thomas on 01274 437360.

Issued by: Carolyne Coyle, Communications Officer (Bradford Council)
Tel: 01274 433526
Fax: 01274 432005