Beard wins second school construction contract under Oxfordshire County Council Partnership agreement

- Completes Cutteslowe Primary in Rapid Six Week Turnaround

Beard is now looking at cost-effective ways of helping The Cooper School in Bicester maximise their sustainability credentials to meet its overall ECO Schools status.  Although the new £3.5m project isn’t due to commence until May 2010, Beard is already working closely with the County and Atkins their designers to come up with innovative ideas to keep costs down.

The two new teaching blocks will provide new sixth form accommodation at the specialist science college, where students currently have to travel outside the town to continue their sixth form education. An extension to the science block providing new laboratories and improved parking facilities will complete the project.

This is Beard’s second school contract under a 4 year framework agreement with Oxfordshire County Council for construction services across the county and follows the completion of a highly successful six week project at Cutteslowe Primary School.

Work at the Cutteslowe School has included a new IT facility and refurbishment to classrooms, cloakrooms and reception areas with a new entranceway, improved security features, and a canopy over the reception play area. Despite the very challenging timeframe the project was delivered on time and achieved a 100% customer satisfaction score from representatives of the council and school.

Commented the head teacher Mr Peter Renshaw: “Beard’s team of builders were hard working, friendly and helpful at all times. Although on the scale of some projects this was not huge, it is clear that the same amount of rigour and attention to detail has been applied, had it been a multi-million pound deal. The quality of day-to-day management has been instrumental in making this such a success.”

Beard’s track record in school construction, agility and flexibility in meeting short timetables were important factors in the success of the project explained Beard Construction Manager Adrian O’Shaughnessy, who is responsible for the company’s partnership with Oxfordshire County Council.

“The benefits to Oxfordshire County Council were that the total cost of the project was near certain the moment that the design was completed, and that the risks to the programme had been addressed well before we got to site.”