Partnerships for Schools



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Partnerships for Schools
33 Greycoat Street
London SW1P 2QF

Press Releases

Press Releases

Press release: Preferred bidder for Lewisham

12 March 2007

Lewisham Council Press Release

Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham, is delighted to announce a preferred bidder partner for Lewisham Council’s massive school redevelopment programme.

Learning21 has been chosen to build a brand new school and refurbish or rebuild eight of the Borough’s existing secondary schools.

Learning21 is a joint venture between VT Group and Costain Group PLC.

Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham said: “I am delighted Learning21 will be joining our Building Schools for the Future (BSF) project which will invest over £210m in our schools.

“Together we will transform the Borough’s secondary schools raising  education standards even higher and giving our pupils the world class facilities they deserve.  Lewisham schools will be fit for the 21st Century and allow our young people and our teachers to have access to the very latest technology and curriculum.

“Lewisham schools are among the fastest improving schools in the country and the BSF project will help them improve even further.  Getting Learning21 on board is a significant step forward in this project and I know pupils, parents and staff are all looking forward to having the state-of-the-art schools they can help us provide.”

The 25-year scheme will see young people in the Borough benefit from world class facilities in well designed, modern buildings equipped with the latest ICT.

Lewisham Council, Learning21 and Partnerships for Schools are committed to working together to make the Building Schools for the Future project a reality.

Morton Corbitt, Managing Director of Learning21 said: “We are delighted to be partnering Lewisham in creating an exciting new educational future for the young people of the Borough.  Learning21 brings together the capabilities of two major companies with the skills to deliver both the infrastructure and service support that will help to raise attainment and aspirations even further.”

Tim Byles, Chief Executive of Partnerships for Schools, congratulated Lewisham on reaching this important decision, and said: “I look forward to seeing the new school buildings and innovative facilities that will arise from this partnership between Learning21 and Lewisham. They will bring huge benefits for the schoolchildren of Lewisham, both now and for years to come, and will make a great contribution to the overall success of the national BSF programme, which is improving learning environments in thousands of schools across England.”

Notes to Editors:

  1. Learning21 is a joint venture between construction specialists Costain Group PLC and education support services provider VT Group.
  2. Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is the DfES’ £45 billion programme that aims to rebuild or renew every one of England?s 3,500 state secondary schools over the next 15 years. It is the largest single schools capital investment programme for over 50 years, and will facilitate a transformation in the delivery of education.
  3. Partnerships for Schools (PfS) is the delivery agency and national programme manager for Building Schools for the Future. PfS was established in April 2004 as a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), and is operated and funded under a joint venture between DfES and Partnerships UK.
  4. Learning21 were appointed contractor for the BSF programme after a five month evaluation process on the bids received from Learning21, Kajima and Bouygues.
  5. The £210m scheme will build a new school and rebuild or refurbish eight of the Borough’s existing secondary schools and three SEN schools, as well as provide new ICT investment across all secondary schools.
  6. In Lewisham Building Schools for the Future will deliver the following development of the Borough’s mainstream schools:-
    Addey and Stanhope - refurbishment
    Bonus Pastor - full rebuild
    Catford High - full rebuild
    Deptford Green - full rebuild
    Northbrook - full rebuild
    Prendergast - refurbishment
    Sedgehill - full rebuild
    Sydenham - refurbishment
    New School - new build
  7. Building Schools for the Future will also deliver significant investment into the Special Educational Needs provision at the following schools: Brent Knoll, Pendragon and Abbey Manor Pupil Referral Unit.
  8. Work is set to start at Sedgehill and Catford schools in the summer of 2007.
  9. BSF will also deliver investment to support the provision of ICT to New Woodlands, Crofton, Forest Hill, Greenvale and Crossways