Working Together
At TDA Group we provide strategic advice, guidance for effective school place planning and general asset management. We also provide expertise in unlocking new grant funding streams for new or refurbished school property.
With over 100 schools customers TDA Group provides a wide range of property led services to educational environments across the South West.
What we can do for you
- Innovative and affordable education solutions
- Expertise in obtaining financial grant funding
- Delivering a range of large and small capital projects
- Practical solutions within sensitive sites
- Range of service level agreements.
The Project
We have successfully helped academies develop and submit Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) applications. One of the successful applications was managed in conjunction with Paignton Community and Sports Academy (PCSA) who were awarded £3.1m to demolish and replace a large classroom block at their Borough Road site.
We have been involved with the scheme from inception. Services provided include:
- Options appraisal and feasibility report
- Architect and Quantity Surveyor (QS) input
- Drawings and cost analysis
- Planning submission
- Writing and submitting the CIF bid
- Full project management including QS, architect, mechanical, electrical and structural engineers
Completing and submitting monitoring reports to Education and Skills Funding Agency
The H block building at Borough Road was in a very poor condition and many parts could not be used because of the risk to pupils and staff safety and welfare. Condition reports identified numerous issues including damp penetration and water ingress, falling debris from the building, vermin, fire safety risks and subsidence.
The CIF project involves the demolition of the existing block and replacement with a new hall and classrooms.
| Sector | Education |
| Location | Devon |
With the help and support of TDA, PCSA submitted a 2018 CIF bid within a very tight timescale. Their knowledge and understanding of the process was invaluable in ensuring the bid was high quality and in line with the specific criteria applied. I would highly recommend them to any academies or MATs considering applying for future funding opportunities.
The Project
The project consisted of a block of three classrooms, associated WCs and storage areas. The new build included a staff room, school hall and a state of the art kitchen.
The project also included two sections of internal re-modelling. The first section re-modelled the existing hall and entrance area to form two, new reception classrooms. The second section removed the old kitchen and converted the space into a new classroom facility.
Challenges:
- Contractor required to work around the school day and term times to reduce disruption
- Access to the site proved difficult with National Rail to one side of the boundary
- Due to planning restrictions a Victorian culvert had to be replaced after the new foundations had been laid
- Pollarding of trees was also a requirement, prior to the build taking place.
Outcomes
The £3.5m extension to Cockington Academy was overseen by the Education Team and was funded by the Government’s Basic Need Fund budget.
Additionally part of the project provided solar panels to the building, and have delivered savings against the usual power consumption.
We project managed the scheme from inception to completion. It was completed on time, within budget and to a high specification. Feedback from the school senior leadership team and pupils has been very positive.
| Total Cost | £3.5m |
| Completed | 2015 |
| Duration | 1Y |
| Sector | Education, Primary |
| Location | South Devon |
We are delighted with and inspired by our new building. It means that the children of Cockington Academy now have the up to date, light filled spaces that they deserve. For the first time ever, we now have a room big enough to fit the entire school in together – the first time we did this was an amazing experience. In addition, it provides this successful school with the additional space it needs, as it continues to grow and flourish in the coming years.
The Project
The vision for renewal and rebuilding of Torquay Academy embraced a wide range of innovative aspirations at a time when the national focus was on rebuilding poor condition secondary schools.
The project was delivered through an initiative known as “Building Schools for the Future – One School Pathfinder.” This was a nationally recognised grant funding scheme in the schools sector.
Under the scheme the transformation of the school was dramatic, with vastly improved state-of-the-art facilities and excellent teaching spaces.
Challenges
- To build the new school whilst continuing teaching in the old build and then demolition of the old building in stages, as sectors of the new building were handed over for use
- To control costs over three years, at a time of increases in material costs and a change in Government focus
- As the project costs were higher than the available budget, a proposed grey water recovery system was cut from the project. Interserve offered to provide it at their cost so the roof water is collected and used to flush the toilets.
Outcomes
The £29m rebuild of Torquay Academy was overseen by the Education Team and partly funded from the Government’s Building Schools for the Future initiative. The project was successfully completed due to additional funding from Torbay Council.
Stride Treglown of Plymouth project managed the scheme from inception to completion. The project was completed on time, to budget and to a high standard. Feedback from the school senior leadership team and pupils has been very positive.
Following on from this successful project, additional schemes such as new science labs and classrooms are being managed by TDA.
| Total Cost | £29m |
| Completed | 2012 |
| Duration | 3Y |
| Sector | Education, Secondary |
| Location | South Devon |
This is a fantastic learning environment and we feel a sense of pride in how the school has moved forward. The students are motivated, enthusiastic and receptive to new ideas. Torquay Academy is at the forefront of leading innovative teaching with learning opportunities fit for the 21st Century.
The video below shows a timelapse of an exciting new development TDA’s Education Team managed. TDA’s teams provided project management, quantity surveying, mechanical and electrical engineering, and structural engineering consultation throughout the build.
Clare Talbot, Education Team Manager at TDA, said: “We continue to work with Paignton Academy to provide extra school places and meet the developing needs of the school. Each project has been a great success and will benefit children and young people from across the Bay.”
