Helston is the first of three schools in a batch awarded to BAM. Newquay Tretherras School, also in Cornwall, has also submitted planning proposals. A third school, Plympton Academy in Plymouth is also envisaged and is under discussion.
Works on the latter two schools are each valued at approximately £8m, making the potential batch value approximately £32m, BAM said.
At Helston, BAM will build a new teaching block, along with a dining hall, sports hall, and ancillary accommodation. Old facilities will be demolished afterwards to make way for new sports pitches.
BAM has developed the initial designs for the new college with architect Stride Treglown, which is assisting in the scheme’s continued development.
BAM construction director Graham Kingdon said: “We not only have to be very competitive to secure good value for money for the ESFA, which means us using very modern and efficient techniques for creating these facilities, but also we have to give the schools fresh buildings matching their needs and aspirations. This is helped by our close partnership with Stride Treglown and by our having a well-developed supply chain in Cornwall thanks to us delivering several recent schemes in the county.”
The Education & Skills Funding Agency’s £4.4bn priority school building programme is rebuilding or refurbishing the tattiest school buildings in the country. There are two phases of the programme, covering a total of 537 schools.
The majority of the 260 schools in the first phase of the programme were opened in their new or refurbished buildings by the end of 2017, two years earlier than originally planned. Under the second phase of the programme, PSBP2, the ESFA plans to have all schools open in their new/refurbished buildings by the end of 2021.
Work on Helston College has commenced on site and it is expected to hand over early 2020.
Other schemes that BAM has built recently in Cornwall include Tate St Ives, Bodmin Council’s new offices and retail park, and Newquay Aerohub.
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