Kajima completes first of seven new secondary schools in £135 million project
As part of the Priority Schools Building Programme, the project will provide over 8,000 pupils
with new purpose-built school facilities
14 September 2016 – Award-winning developer and investor, Kajima is pleased to announce the completion of the Kings Langley School, the first of seven facilities being built across Hertfordshire, Luton and Reading, as part of a £135 million joint project by Kajima and Interserve.
As part of the Government’s Priority School Building Programme, the project will provide more than 8,000 pupils with seven new modern, purpose-built Secondary Schools, and will create a further 900 additional places for 11-18 years olds. The project is one of the first batches of schools to be funded using the Government’s PF2 private finance model and the 19th privately financed education project in which Kajima has invested.
Together with Kings Langley School, there are six other schools under the project all due for completion in the second half of this year, they are; Bishop’s Hatfield Girls’ School, Hertfordshire, Goffs School, Hertfordshire, Longdean School, Hertfordshire, Reading Girls’ School, Reading, Stopsley High School, Bedfordshire and Westfield Academy, Hertfordshire.
Kajima and investment partner Interserve began construction work on the project in March 2015, assuming primary responsibility for the design and construction, as well as the hard facilities management and lifecycle services for the seven facilities over a 25-year concession period. Go-ahead for the redevelopment of the Kings Langley School was initially approved in 2013, to allow for an increase in student capacity and to improve the quality of the school’s facilities.
Acting as the sample scheme, the design undertaken at the Kings Langley School has served as the template for the further six schools within the project, using a host of standard design principles to ensure that the building is both functional and flexible. Responding to tighter budgetary constraints by optimising passive environmental solutions, such as maximising the orientation of the site to enhance natural daylight and ventilation, have been central considerations which will ultimately lead to reduced operational running costs in the long term.
The Priority School Building Programme was established in 2011 in an effort to address schools that were in the most urgent need of repair, managed by the EFA and sponsored by the Department for Education. Through the first wave of the programme, 261 schools will be fully rebuilt, or have their most urgent condition needs addressed.
Craig Smailes, Development Manager of Kajima Partnerships, said:
“Kajima has long-standing experience in designing and building schools, as well as an enduring commitment to public sector projects in the UK. The redevelopment of Kings Langley School, as well as the further six facilities where our work is ongoing, are an important step in support of the Government’s efforts to address schools where the need for repairs and re-development is most urgent.
The project will provide nearly 9,000 pupils with first-rate, modern welcoming facilities that truly enhance the learning experience. The Kings Langley School is an excellent example of Kajima’s strong experience in not only delivering quality educational facilities but also responding to a strict facilities output specification and tight budget demanded by the EFA.”
