Your academy construction project checklist

Before your school, academy or MAT embarks on any building project – from a new sports hall to roof repairs – consult this checklist to make sure you know your legal responsibilities and are doing everything you can to keep your pupils, parents and staff safe.

Make sure you know your legal statutory duties (Planning Consent and Building Control).
Obtain Landlord Consent and ensure compliance with your Academy Order.
Carry out a Cost vs Time vs Quality analysis to get the best outcome for your academy.
Appoint a Project Manager to ensure the project will be on time and budget and ready for the new school term.
Procurement must comply with the Academies Financial Handbook – you need to be able to prove robust audit trails and sound procurement strategies.
Asbestos is potentially lethal. You must comply with specific legal requirements before work can begin.
Check the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) for your legal duties in appointing a Principal Designer and Principal Contractor.
Before choosing contractors verify they have the qualifications to meet all Health & Safety and legal requirements. These include background checks on previous incidents, CHAS (Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme), Construction Line, Financial Stability, ability to write a H&S Plan, Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service), First Aider and SMSTS (Site Management Safety Training Scheme).
Prices obtained from contractors must specify exclusions, include a detailed cost breakdown, and ensure fair pricing between contractors at tender stage.
Obtain adequate design information (briefs, design and suitability/durability, compliance with Building Bulletins, DfE spatial guidance, asbestos surveys, structural, M&E (mechanical and electrical systems) and pre-construction H&S packs.
Require the contractor to sign a contract to cover disputes, workmanship, defects and payment terms.
Appoint a Contract Administrator regulated by RICS (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors).
Keep cost control tight by managing project variations/omissions and making sure the contractor has priced for all elements of work at the outset.
Put in place monitoring of work on site to be confident the contractor is adhering to current regulations and installing each element correctly.
Have a specialist on hand to review quality of workmanship and look for defects.
Compile an Operations Manual with all the information required for the building's users.

Surveyors to Education (S2e) can support you in meeting all your statutory obligations when it comes to construction work, and act as Project Manager to ensure a streamlined process that delivers the new facilities your staff and pupils are waiting for.

Adam Richards29 June 2021Surveyors to Education