How you can enhance your Independent school estate - Q&A with Bidwells’ education experts

What are the key built environment challenges that independent schools are currently facing?

Tom Sampson, Project Management: Schools face the task of needing to continually update and upgrade their existing facilities to attract new pupils (and parents) and to avoid falling behind competitors. When deciding where to invest they face several key challenges, including whether to construct a new building which could potentially require demolition, or to refurbish existing buildings within the estate.

Refurbishment is great from a net-zero perspective but can take longer and be more expensive. New builds often have a greater impact on the environment due to the cost of embodied carbon. However, we recognise that each school’s case is unique and the decision needs to consider the likely local planning authority requirements and the subsequent impacts on design.

What does PPM stand for and how can it benefit your school?

Adam Tew, Building Surveying: PPM refers to Planned Preventative Maintenance. This is maintenance carried out in a regular and systematic way to keep the structure and fabric of the building and mechanical and electrical services in good condition. The opposite of planned maintenance is reactive maintenance. This approach entails repairing/replacing elements of a building only when they are broken or have stopped working.

Preparing Planned Preventative Maintenance Plans will reduce your operational building costs and allow your school to operate as normal. A reactive approach to maintenance is often costlier and can result in systems critical for business failing at inopportune moments – like exam periods.