Carillion in partnership for schools masterclass

01/11/2004

Business and construction services company Carillion is leading the way to deliver the next phase of the Government’s agenda for schools.

Carillion Business Services has joined forces with regeneration specialists Fsquared Ltd and Nord Anglia Education plc, to form Inspired Spaces Ltd – the first major syndicate to enter the market to bid for the Government’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

Under the BSF plans, £5.1 billion will be invested in 2005-6 to redevelop England’s secondary schools. Further investment is expected to follow, making Building Schools for the Future the most expansive and exciting public investment programme in recent years.

The Inspired Spaces team believes it is in a leading position in bidding to deliver the government’s plans for secondary school redevelopment. All three partners are highly experienced in delivering cost effective programmes on time, on budget and to exacting standards.

Carillion’s director for urban regeneration Robert Holt says: “The key to the Inspired Spaces approach is the coming together of three companies with complementary, but very different, skills into a single venture. We will deliver a triple whammy of benefits – value for money for the taxpayer, improved educational standards and a real boost to the local community.

“Customer focus is the priority for Carillion. By understanding the overall objectives of our customers we are able to align ourselves and develop processes for the identification, procurement and delivery of regeneration and education programmes. A fundamental aspect of the Carillion approach is to identify and engage with the key stakeholders in the development of the options, especially within local communities.”

Raza Khan, Nord Anglia’s Business Development Director explains: Inspired Spaces is a new kind of partnership for this new era of reform. Bringing together three market leaders in education, construction and regeneration, we will place the community at the heart of our solutions, and build our schools on a solid educational foundation”

Inspired Spaces will focus on creating a positive, creative environment for children and young people, and the company plans to invest in developing new systems, multimedia learning tools and new types of interactive space for the new schools to be built under the BSF initiative. A commitment to using local suppliers and workforces means that building projects will also create opportunities for local people and businesses.

Val Chinn, director and co-founder of Fsquared Ltd said today: “We’re very excited about working with Carillion and Nord Anglia. Our combined expertise in social regeneration, design and education means we can add real value to the BSF programme.”

Notes to Editors

Carillion Business Services leads the way in sustainable construction with operating efficiency and environmental performance designed into each solution. CBS is made up of the existing Carillion businesses of consultancy (TPS Consult and TPS Schal), construction (Carillion Building and Schal) and facilities management (Carillion Services). CBS offers total integrated solutions for the built environment, combining innovative design and sustainable construction with best practice facilities management. One of CBS’s core areas of focus is large scale integrated public sector urban regeneration schemes.

Fsquared is a social regeneration company, a new breed of enterprise which supports regeneration players to maximise the social benefits of their work. Working in partnership with major contractors, developers, PFI partners and public agencies, it designs and deliver social regeneration outcomes that are fully relevant to the locality. Fsquared is currently involved in several multi-million pound public-private partnerships across the UK.

Nord Anglia Education plc is a leading provider of front line public services in education, training and childcare. Working across the 0-19 age range, Nord Anglia is proud to be making a difference to the lives of children and young people across the UK. As well as helping to raise standards in schools and local authorities, and delivering the Connexions service for young people, Nord Anglia manages a range of policy initiatives on behalf of local and central government. The company also runs a highly successful chain of international schools and is currently the largest nurseries provider in the UK.

For further information, key people within Inspired Spaces Ltd. are available for interview.

Robert Holt, Director of Urban Regeneration. Please contact Paula Manning – Corporate Communications Manager on 01902 316444.

Nord Anglia Education plc
Raza Khan, Business Development Director. Please contact Helen Peacock – Corporate Communications / Press Officer, Nord Anglia Education on 0161 491 8490.

Val Chinn, Director. Please contact Vanessa Kirkpatrick m: 07970 512773;
Email: girlfriend.films@ bigfoot.com.