All members of the Arkilab team have specialist experience of working in the Education Sector, from Diocesan and Multi Academy Trusts and PFI bids, PFI variations, and more recently the design of several schools under the DfE’s Free School and Priority School Programmes working in partnership with one of the country’s leading offsite manufacturers, for design and detailing of several school projects ranging in value from £1million to £20million, from Primary through Secondary to Further Education Colleges.

We have also previously worked as Design Technical Advisors on Education projects with Gleeds Management Services for the Lot 1: Technical Advisory services to the North (North, East Midlands and Humber, West Midlands, Lancashire and West Yorkshire) on Wave 12 and 13 Free School projects, guiding design and construction advice in partnership with Gleeds on circa £60m of projects to date.

Free schools are non-profit making, independent, state-funded schools, and can be primary, secondary, all-through or 16-19. There are also special Free Schools and alternate provision Free Schools. The Free School programme is central to the government’s aim of ensuring that every pupil has access to a world class education. The government is committed to opening 500 new Free Schools by 2020.

Most recently, the team were previously involved with the design of a new £6m SEND facility within a Grade 1 Listed setting, a £4m 2FE Primary School in Wellingborough, and a 900 place Secondary Free School in Surrey, circa 6,800sqm with a value of £18m. Set in the greenbelt, this project involves presenting a very special circumstances case to the Planning Authority to minimise its impact on the greenbelt, along with local highways issues, and impact on local amenity of neighbouring residential properties.

The team have also gained vast experience within the Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) specialism and Alternative Provision through design and construction to Technical Advisory roles, from Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) settings to Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD) we are able to understand and interpret a Client’s needs in these complex environments. Chris, our Business Development Director will be active at the UK’s Inclusive Learning Environments show in November this year.