Crawley PFI schools, Sussex
Constant evolution on a long-term FM contract
In the early 2000s, BAM completed three new-generation high schools in West Sussex under a PFI contract covering design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance over 30 years.
A key focus for all these projects was also to benefit the local communities by providing opportunities for adult learning, community sport and leisure activities.
Over the past two decades, BAM’s facilities management (FM) teams have delivered all the hard and soft FM services needed to make sure the schools continue to deliver a welcoming, safe and stimulating educational environment while keeping costs under control.
The leisure facilities have also become well established as affordable resources for local people. BAM works with West Sussex County Council to ensure that they’re constantly evolving and improving to meet changing demands.
On this long-term contract with many stakeholders – the schools themselves, the local authority and the funding partner – the challenge is to be not just responsive but also proactive.
Whether it’s responding fast and effectively to emergencies, like a plant-room failure that threatened to put a whole school out of action for days. Or driving through improvements like an innovative lighting project, better uptake of free school meals or upgraded sports pitches.
Project details
- Client
Crawley Private Finance Initiative (PFI) - Main contractor
BAM - Architects
Nicholas Hare Architects LLP - Facilities management provider
BAM - Total contract value
£132 million
4000
+
students at three schools
24
hr
security services
2025
investment in major rebrand of leisure facilities
800
+
leisure facilities members
Challenges and solutions: an eco-friendly lighting upgrade
Recently, BAM managed the switchover from old fluorescent tube lighting to ecofriendly LED upgrades across all three schools, with virtually no disruption to the live school environment and minimal spend on new electric fittings and equipment.
The original lighting manufacturers and designers developed a clever prototype that allowed the existing lighting casings to be retrofitted with new LED bulbs, rather than having to be replaced.
Switching to LED layouts in communal areas has reduced energy costs and carbon by around 57%. And this innovative solution saved hundreds of light casings from being sent to landfill.
Challenges and solutions: minimising the impact of a plantroom failure
A failure in the plantroom late one Friday afternoon meant there was no hot water at one of the schools covered by the contract.
Two of BAM’s engineers worked on site with a specialist contractor throughout the weekend to get the issue resolved. But by Saturday morning, it was already apparent that the permanent fix was unlikely to be fully online for the start of the new school week.
The solution? A temporary plant: delivered, set up and running in the school car park by Sunday afternoon.
By Monday morning, the school was fully operational with no impact on students or staff.
Challenges and solutions: boosting uptake of free school meals
At one school, very few of the pupils entitled to free school meals were actually using them when they went on school trips. Not surprisingly: they didn’t want the stigma of a brown paper bag with a standard-issue sandwich that clearly tells other people you’re a free school meal student.
Working with the school, BAM took a pragmatic approach, recognising that the free school meals protocol originally written 20 years ago was no longer in step with current attitudes. Based on feedback from students (via the School Council), the answer was to give pupils three options they could choose from in the morning of the trip and put straight into their rucksacks. Uptake on the next trips was massive, which the school really appreciated.
Challenges and solutions: upgrading sports pitches
BAM operates the leisure facilities at the managed schools on behalf of the local authority.
A vital and very popular feature are the third generation (3G) sports pitches: advanced artificial turf surfaces designed specifically to simulate the playing characteristics of natural grass. Hiring these pitches out is one of the biggest revenue streams.
In a joint investment with the local authority, BAM arranged a £0.25 million refit of each pitch, funded from the lifecycle budget, to deliver the only FA accredited facilities in the area.
Although the original pitches were excellent, they were not being used to their full year-round potential as they were not accredited by the Football Association (FA) for competitive matches.
Local clubs that hire the pitches in the evenings and at weekends can now use them for competitive fixtures. BAM maintains them to a very high standard, so they’re proving to be good value for money for the hirers and a great return on investment for all the stakeholders involved.
The results:
A facilities management contract written over two decades ago may not necessarily be practical in today’s world. That’s why BAM takes a pragmatic approach: based on open communication with the schools where it works and constant adaption to change.
From one-off improvement projects and planned maintenance, to the day-to-day practicalities of keeping the school environment safe and comfortable, BAM delivers peace of mind and value for money.
“Thank you for everything BAM has done to support the school and our students. Your forward thinking, rationale, knowledge and calm approach is incredible. Our trust often refers to BAM as the centre of excellence for PFI, as the service provided is far superior to the other PFI schools.”
Emma Woodward Business Manager, Thomas Bennett Community College
“The BAM team are amazing. We work collaboratively to ensure pragmatic solutions are found to issues which ensure our students have the best possible environment in which to succeed. The building is kept in an immaculate condition, and the lead Facilities Manager is always looking at ways to ensure future work done improves those facilities, as seen by her recent project for replacing the old halogen strip lighting with retrofitted LED lighting. Our story here at Ifield Community College and the wider story with Crawley Schools Limited is a blueprint for how a PFI relationship can be a successful one.”
Paul Hambling Director of Operations, Ifield Community College
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