£1.8m invested in family of schools

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A summer building programme saw £1.8m invested in our family of schools.

BMAT operates primary and secondary schools in Harlow, Epping and Stansted in Essex and Newham in London.

Having focused resources in turning around the standards and achievements in teaching in learning, it was felt the time was right to improve the working environment for young people and their teachers.

Thanks to government funding from the Condition Improvement Fund and School Condition Allowance, the Trust was able to make largescale improvements at many of its schools this summer –

• Burnt Mill Academy, Harlow – new windows across front elevation, newly refurbished humanities block to replace original 1950s classrooms, new bike shed to encourage students to cycle to school, car park improvements, £100,000 improvements to swimming pool including refurbished changing rooms and pool area and new plant room
• Sir Frederick Gibberd College, Harlow – £800,000 temporary accommodation constructed on grounds of Burnt Mill Academy to offer critically needed secondary school places
• BMAT STEM Academy, Harlow – redecoration of common areas, new outdoor furniture, relocation of classrooms and remodelling of specialist teaching room for children with additional needs
• Cooks Spinney Primary Academy, Harlow – construction of Grow Provision to offer critically needed places for children with social, emotional and mental health needs, development of outdoor classroom, revamp of Early Years area including new play space, redecoration
• Epping St John’s Church of England School, Epping – internal and external redecoration, newly refurbished sixth form common room and creation of a new sixth form study room
• Forest Hall School, Stansted – toilet refurbishment project to give 21st century washrooms for both students and staff, creation of new humanities classroom
• Freshwaters Primary Academy, Harlow – installation of a new canopy for outdoor teaching and learning in Early Years, internal redecoration, access control project
• Little Parndon Primary Academy, Harlow – internal redecoration
• Royal Docks Academy, Newham - £200,000 boiler works carried out, lecture theatre redecoration
• Roydon Primary Academy, Harlow – creation of ICT suite, installation of a new canopy for outdoor teaching and learning in Early Years

The Trust has also fully refurbished former caretaker houses at Forest Hall, Cooks Spinney and Little Parndon to provide accommodation for staff moving to the area to take up posts within the organisation.

Lucia Glynn, BMAT head of operations, said: “This has been the busiest summer ever for our operations team. We have undertaken many largescale projects working together with local contractors.

“The facilities we offer are state of the art and will give our young people the very best opportunities to learn. For our colleagues, we have ensured our teaching and learning spaces are a joy to work in.

“We have tried to spread the investment between our youngest and our oldest pupils, so every child within the Trust has been impacted by this work.

“Over a period of time, we have invested in our teaching and associate staff and we felt the time was right to invest in our estate, so the environment matches those standards.”