Planning major works to a school property requires the coordination of many moving parts. Schools operate on specific schedules with the need to balance student safety and amenity, the availability of tradespeople and materials and ensuring that any interruptions to staff are managed.
From the outside, it may seem that schools are only active during term times. The reality is that term breaks, when students are not at school, are also busy and are far from being holiday periods in the life of a school. Pupil-free times are an opportunity for school leaders such as Bursars, Principals and Assistant Principals to renovate, upgrade and refurbish facilities. But executing a successful refurbishment project requires careful planning.
Planning considerations
Most schools have a master plan that includes everything from major projects such as the construction of new buildings through to regular maintenance works such as upgrading bathrooms. The execution of those plans is typically contingent on available funds and internal staffing capacity to support the project.
However, these projects require schools to engage with external partners that have a track record that demonstrates they understand how schools operate and can execute works in a way that minimises disruption to the school.
Projects need to be scheduled so that elements that directly impact students are carried out when students are not on campus. As well as minimising disruptions this helps to manage staff and student safety. Ensuring that those within your school who are tasked with developing and managing the classroom schedule and timetable, are on board is important as they will often have insight into how limitations and issues relating to accessibility in classrooms and other learning areas can be managed.
Schools have an advantage over other organisations as they know, often for several years in advance, when grounds will be occupied. By planning smaller projects to coincide with term breaks, and larger works to execute in phases where students are less likely to be impacted into those breaks, it’s possible to carry out major projects without significantly impacting school operations or staff and student safety.
Partnerships are crucial
Schools need to choose their partners carefully. There are many property service and construction firms that can execute major projects. But not all of them are familiar with the specific challenges schools face.
Schools need to work with companies that can schedule the delivery of materials and availability of tradespeople so projects can be managed within the constraints of the school schedule. And with budgets being very tight, they need assurance that costs of materials don’t skyrocket between the time a project is signed off and its start date.
Limited resources and escalating costs
Since the start of the pandemic, the cost of building materials has been rising almost every week. Many projects have either been stalled or drastically cut back because of these rising costs. To manage this, school leaders may need to rethink the timing or scope of projects in their plans – even after they have committed. For example, the refurbishment of a classroom block might need to be split into two phases to ensure school funds are not overcommitted because of rising costs. A wise partner will work with the school to ensure they are aware of the risks and help you find a way through them.
There is also a scarcity of available tradespeople with the skills and experience who can execute major projects within the constraints of the school calendar. And while it may be tempting to manage significant works yourself and try to assemble your own team of tradespeople, this is very complex and time consuming. Working with a partner that has tradespeople with the requisite skills and access to the best possible deals on materials can make all the difference when it comes to managing renovations within school holidays, while students are not on site and sticking to budgets and other constraints.
Early planning with also allow the building contractor sufficient notice to commit the required resources to the job and lock in material costs which have seen a steep increase in recent years. This has an enormous impact on whether a project can be delivered on time and on budget.
Forward planning ensures you have the right people in place with realistic timelines. Looking at your long-term goals and choosing projects that fit with current budgets, schedules and other constraints is critical. Using a master plan, school leaders can look at current constraints and make smart choices about which projects they should embark on and then plan them to fit within the cadence of the school schedule.
Does your school need an upgrade but you’re not sure where to start?
Contact us today on 1800 620 911 or send your enquiry to maintenance.enquiry@programmed.com.au. Programmed has extensive experience in the education sector, with proven capability in facility and asset management, project services, refurbishment and maintenance services. We can assist with your facility, asset management and project service needs.
