Windsor Girls School

Brief

In September 2022 plans for Windsor Girls School to build a new sixth form building and sporting facilities were approved by councillors. Having outgrown its current sixth-form space, the brief was to deliver:

• A new 840m² teaching block
• Refurbishment of the existing sixth form facilities
• Two new external artificial sports pitches – which would also be open to the public

Our client, RBWM, assembled a strong team and work started in December 2022 with the new facilities due to open in September 2023 at the start of the new academic year.

Project Delivery

RIBA Stages 1 to 4

We initially joined the team to provide cost management services across the following deliverables:

• Feasibility study.
• Agreement of contract. We ran procurement and contract workshops, which resulted in the choice of NEC rather than the original assumption of JCT contract.
• The tender process.
• The appointment of the main contractor.
• Negotiation of the contract for the refit works.
• Costing and tender of the artificial pitches as a separate works package to a specialist pitches contractor.

RIBA Stages 5 to 6

On appointment of contractors, we continued cost management services with the addition of project management under the NEC.

With expertise in running NEC contracts, we were able to keep the client informed on cost and programme at all stages. We recommended and used the ‘Fast Draft’ online portal to assist with management of the contract. It helped that RBWM had engaged an excellent team, that joined us collaboratively in using the portal effectively.

When the project encountered unforeseen drainage issues on site, our processes meant we were able to provide early warning and reduce risk. The construction team responded well, activities were streamlined, and the project kept moving quickly and smoothly forward.

Because the project ran so smoothly, £90k of extra funds were released to refurbish access areas to the new sixth form block and to take further advantage of works during the school holiday period. The construction handover was extremely smooth and the main construction work was completed on time in September 2023.

The Outcomes

The client senior team were delighted with the construction project. Notably:

1. Agreement of the final accounts were made on the day of completion, giving our client 100% certainty of final commitment so that they are able to make decisions on other key expenditure for the site.

2. There has been a significant uplift in numbers of pupils choosing to remain in sixth form after their GCSEs which correlates directly with the improved facilities

Colin Smith, Senior Project Manager , RBWM Property Company Ltd  – ‘The team at Clarkson Alliance were on the ball, responded quickly, attentive and identified potential risks in advance. Together with architects Edgingtons, they were excellent and couldn’t be faulted.’