By Martin Gallagher, Managing Director, Deeley Construction
Investing in schools creates social value by developing educational facilities that can be a powerful driver for social mobility.
Schools are where young people grow, develop and shape their futures. They are catalysts for community development, economic growth and personal improvement.
The Budget in October saw significant investment announced for schools, particularly with capital funding, including £1.4 billion funding for the School Rebuilding Programme, while the Department for Education are working on a collaborative contractor framework to speed up the programme.
This is an investment in schools which are at the heart of communities; ensuring that children across the country are learning in the best environment possible – including here in the Midlands.
Deeley Group built its first school more than 70 years ago and has continued to develop educational buildings across the Midlands, from college and university buildings to school extensions and renovations.
This has been an investment, at all levels of education, in the future of the country. It allows us the opportunity to leave a lasting positive impact on the communities we work in.
There are significant benefits to procuring a local or regional contractor to deliver this work, particularly in regards to social value, exemplified by the huge 36% of social value we delivered with Coventry City Council’s social value metrics on a recent project in the city.
We created a new £1.8 million sixth form building at Blue Coat Church of England School and Music College in the city. During the project we regularly engaged with staff and students looking to learn more about the construction industry.
This provided valuable insights into construction for young people, helping to open doors to career opportunities, while fostering a sense of ownership and pride in the finished building.
It was the latest in a line of projects which we have delivered on time, to client budget and a high-quality specification. It joined projects completed over the last three years at Ernesford Grange Community Academy, Riverbank Academy and Finham Park 2.
Leading to the delivery of new build teaching blocks, extensions, internal refurbishments and access reconfiguration.
This has exemplified the benefits of using procurement routes, which include single stage tendering, compared to local authorities that work only with contractors on frameworks.
Investing in a local contractor is an investment in the local economy. Local contractors bring an understanding of the area which allows more meaningful and impactful results.
We also seek to involve learners from schools which we are working through site visits and by providing work experience opportunities.
On several occasions, work experience opportunities has resulted in students starting successful careers in the construction sector by joining Deeley Construction as trainees or apprentices.
The funding announced in the Budget is hopefully just the start of a long-term commitment from government to enhance and improve schools and education facilities.
Investment in education creates social value, by not only building facilities, but providing communities with the foundations to build positive futures.
Find out more about how we are Building Futures into Education