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MANAGING SCHOOLS DURING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS BUILDING OUR FUTURE: SCOTLAND'S SCHOOL ESTATE

2. PLANNING AND PREPARATION

STAFFING

School co-ordinator post

1. While the HT will of course retain overall management responsibility for the school during the project, one of her/his key responsibilities will be to appoint a person to represent the school in the day to day management of the project. This appointment, often called a 'school co-ordinator' post, should be made as early in the project process as possible to allow for continuity through the design and planning phases into the construction phase.

2. The school co-ordinator is almost always a member of the school staff, and evidence suggests that an additional staffing allowance is often provided by the local authority to free the member of staff from their substantive post to undertake the project-related tasks. The capacity of the school co-ordinator's post will vary depending on the size and type of school and the nature and stage of the project.

3. The appointment is typically made at Depute Head Teacher (DHT) level, or within the senior management team. Time commitment may vary from 20% (of full time equivalent) during the pre-construction stages increasing to, in some cases, 100% during the construction stage of a large scale refurbishment project in an occupied secondary school.

4. For smaller projects, the role is sometimes taken on by the HT her/himself. Whatever arrangements are put in place, it is essential that during the construction period a single point of contact is established within the school for project communications.

5. School co-ordinator posts require someone with the core skills necessary to be effective from the outset. The main skills required for the post are summarised later in this document. Such posts could offer development opportunities.

Support and Training

6. The school co-ordinator, and support staff in the school may find their job descriptions and workloads change throughout the life of the project. It is important that janitorial, administrative and technical support staff are fully informed of the project proposals and the demands which might be placed upon them at the various stages. Depending upon the project, a requirement for additional staffing may be considered appropriate in some of these areas, and this may need to be discussed with the local authority.

7. Additional training may be considered necessary for the school co-ordinator and other staff to assist them in dealing with specific project tasks. This could include health and safety courses such as fire safety and manual handling, or administrative skills such as timetabling and project management. Specialist training may also be required to manage the new building in areas such as facilities management. Teaching staff may also benefit from an in-service event on project-related issues. All these requirements will need to be reflected in the training budget.

CONSULTATION ON THE CONSTRUCTION PLAN

8. Prior to the construction stage it is essential that the school is consulted by the design team / contractor on their construction method statement and programme for carrying out the works on site. In particular, the school should be briefed on:

• health and safety procedures
• programming and timing
• zoning and phasing arrangements
• decanting of pupils and staff
• arrangements for moving into and commissioning new buildings

Every effort should be made at this planning stage to ensure the health and safety of school users, and to anticipate and minimise disruptions to the normal running of the school during the construction period. The contractor may be a member of the considerate constructors' scheme ³, in which case they will be committed to a code of good practice affecting the manner in which works are conducted on site.

Health and safety

9. Responsibility for the Health and Safety of all school users throughout the construction process remains with both the local authority (through the school management) and the contractor.

10. The HT / school co-ordinator should contribute to the project's Health and Safety Plan ⁴ through discussion with the Planning Supervisor ⁵ and the local authority project manager.

11. Factors to consider for the plan include:

• the methods proposed to separate the school from the construction works - the complexity of this will vary depending upon the nature of the work and whether it is carried out in phases.
• pupil, staff, parent and community movement around, through and beyond the school buildings and site, including periods outwith normal school hours.
• any temporary and permanent alterations to fire escape routes, vehicle access and drop-off points.
• limitations on the contractor affecting the health and safety of school users during construction works.

Any further changes in operational arrangements affecting the school during the project should be brought to the attention of the Planning Supervisor for inclusion in the Health and Safety Plan.

Project programme, phasing and decanting

12. The way in which construction works are planned and undertaken can make a significant difference to the level of inconvenience experienced by the school.

13. The school should advise the design team / contractor of key periods throughout the academic year so the construction programme can be planned appropriately to accommodate these. Particularly sensitive times such as examinations and the start of session should be highlighted. Equally, times such as school holidays should also be highlighted. However, attention should be drawn to where non-teaching staff and other school users will continue to use the school throughout holiday periods.

14. For projects in occupied buildings, it is often necessary to carry out the construction work in a series of phases, with each phase covering a limited area, or 'zone', of the school building. The school, in consultation with the local planning authority project manager, may well be able to influence the zoning and sequence of phases to minimise disruption.

15. The programme and phasing arrangements may require parts of the school to be decanted during the works. This could involve the use of classrooms elsewhere in the school or temporary accommodation located on the site. The time taken to arrange decants and to establish working procedures in new and unfamiliar areas should not be underestimated. The requirement to decant a group of staff more than once throughout the project should be avoided wherever possible.

16. Construction programmes can slip during the project and the need to adapt arrangements at short notice is very common. To accommodate this, phasing and decanting strategies should not be overly complex.

17. In some cases there may be no alternative but to carry out construction activities very close to operational parts of the school. In these situations it may be necessary to place restrictions on the contractor regarding which activities can be carried out at certain times, or to allow the school to stop the contractor carrying out particularly disruptive works from time to time. In such cases flexibility is required by both the school and the contractor, and the detailed procedures and arrangements governing these agreements should be written into the contract.

OPPORTUNITIES AND BENEFITS

18. The construction project may also offer the school opportunities to examine and in some cases improve existing practices. The following examples were gathered from interviews:

Operational benefits

19. In one example, it was decided at the outset of the project that the new school building would have interactive whiteboards and data projectors in all the classrooms. Teachers would use laptops for delivering lessons as well as administrative purposes. Knowing the project completion date gave the school the impetus to provide a clear programme for implementing the change, including the training and familiarisation time necessary to ensure all staff used all of the new kit from day one in the new accommodation.

20. In another example, the new school project provided an opportunity to rearrange the school management structure along 'faculty' lines. The new accommodation layout allowed related subject departments to be located together and staff bases to be established to support these new arrangements.

21. One benefit of a school building project is the opportunity it offers individual members of staff or departments to re-appraise their existing methods of working and their management of teaching materials and equipment.

22. For example, a number of schools reported the benefits of encouraging staff to 'declutter' as part of the arrangements for moving into the new facilities. In one project, this approach was linked to a major exercise to examine existing storage methods. It was found that resources had been stored inefficiently, using inappropriate storage systems and making poor use of the space available. When the need for resources and how best to store them was worked through in detail by the design team with each department, a significant reduction in the school's overall storage requirements was agreed.

Curricular benefits

23. The presence of construction works on or adjacent to a school site can provide a considerable amount of source material for teaching and learning. A number of websites provide ideas and information on exploring such opportunities. ⁶

24. For example, at one school, pupils got involved in an ecological survey of the site as part of an environmental studies project. In another, they explored how the elements impact on building aspect and design, with examples drawn from wind and rainwater management projects and from the effects of sunlight as a natural light and heat source. Many aspects of sustainable development offer projects which cross-cut a number of curricular areas.

25. Other opportunities included the study of topographical surveying equipment and techniques, and projects involving the graphic representation of the new buildings through plans, sections, elevations and 3-dimensional modelling.

26. The construction project also provided opportunities for expressive arts projects. There were many examples of collaborations between school users and local artists providing works of art and designs which were incorporated into the finished buildings and landscaping works.

Staff and pupil development benefits

27. A major construction project will involve a wide range of personnel such as architects, engineers, surveyors, construction managers, specialist contractors, members of various building trades and others. It may be possible for the school to establish links with some of these parties during the project to enhance opportunities for pupils and to market career opportunities for the industries concerned. ⁷

28. For example, in one project, the main contractor encouraged visits by pupils onto site, and provided work experience placements for pupils both on construction sites and in areas of finance and personnel through their head office. In another project, the site manager (a woman) agreed to speak at the school's careers fair, raising the issue of gender in-balance in the construction industry.

29. It is important in school construction projects to allow pupils to be involved, to see what is going on, and to be able to monitor project progress. This may be possible simply from vantage points provided by upper levels of existing school buildings. Where this is not possible, some other method such as viewing areas in site hoardings or installing a web-cam could be considered ⁸. Site visits could be arranged for smaller groups working on a particular project. This requires advance planning with the design team/contractor.

MANAGING EXPECTATIONS

34. The HT, together with the local authority and the contractor, will have a key role in managing the expectations of school users and neighbours throughout the project. Staff, pupils, parents and members of the wider school community are likely to approach the project with varying levels of expectation regarding both the facilities to be provided and the level of disruption and inconvenience the construction process will bring.

35. It is usual for the school to be involved in arranging a number of meetings to inform parents, neighbours and other members of the school community about the project proposals prior to the contractor starting on site.

36. Presentations on the project proposals at these meetings must be appropriate to the needs of the audience and in a format that is not overly technical to avoid discussion being unfocussed and irrelevant. Three-dimensional images, models and perspectives are generally much better received than conventional two dimensional plans. It is also important to outline the programme and project plan at these meetings as members of the community can often have unrealistic expectations about the programme timetable and construction sequence.

37. It can prove beneficial to introduce the contractor at these meetings and for the contractor to provide a direct contact point for neighbours. This will avoid the school office becoming a conduit for any complaints or queries regarding the construction activities.

38. Information about the project may also be distributed to the local press. Any contact with the press should be in line with local authority press contact procedure and is normally conducted via the local authority's press official.

39. It is usual for schools to issue regular newsletters to parents and community groups to keep them informed of progress throughout the project. Information about the project can also be posted on the school website. Schools should be careful in inviting feedback through newsletters and websites unless they are resourced to manage this exercise.

CREATING OWNERSHIP

40. It is important that pupils and staff develop a sense of ownership of the project. Experience has shown that consultation and communication throughout the process is essential in developing and maintaining a positive attitude from all stakeholders. However, in addition to these general aspects, a number of specific methods of engaging staff and pupils emerged from interviews.

41. For example, in one project, staff had been encouraged to visit other recently completed school projects. These visits provided an opportunity for staff to ask colleagues about how they had coped with the challenges of the construction project, what teaching and learning benefits it may have offered, and their experiences of the new facilities.

42. At another school, a joint project between pupils and staff to create a whole-school garden, provided a focus throughout the construction works and helped to raise morale.

43. In one primary school project, a particularly good relationship was created with the site manager, who regularly addressed the school assemblies and was invited to present the prizes at the school sports day. It was found that building such a close relationship with the contractor assisted pupils and staff in coping with the disruptions.

44. The process of consulation and change associated with a major redevelopment project at a school can often engage members of the community for the first time in the life of the school. The process can often help to develop and strengthen community links, assist with capacity building in the community and have a positive impact on school ethos.

45. For example, there may be benefits in involving community action groups at an early stage in the project consultation. In one project, a community planning group, which consisted mostly of retired locals, was involved in discussions about the school project proposals. When it was discovered that the group were having difficulties finding a daytime meeting venue, the school meeting room was offered for use free of charge. This allowed the group a better insight into the workings of the school and led to greater empathy with, and ownership of, the project and the school in general.

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