Category: Construction
EXPERIENCED further education contractor Stepnell has completed a £6.45 million sixth form learning centre in Sutton Coldfield, creating a future-ready space built for students to collaborate and develop.
Named after former pupil Robert Lowndes, who donated funds towards the project, the works included a two-and-a-half-storey extension to the existing building at Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School. This extension provides a permanent structure for sixth form learning, which had previously taken place in mobile classrooms.
With a focus on modernising the space to support collaborative learning, the new centre includes a library, additional classrooms, expanded dining space and dedicated areas for social and study activities.
Chris Kirby, contracts manager at Stepnell, said:
“Our expertise in creating dedicated further education facilities was key to delivering a modern, inclusive and supportive environment for sixth form students at Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School. The new centre not only enriches the school’s learning environment but also accommodates its growing student body, and we are proud to have helped the school achieve these goals on time and within budget.”
Working on a live site, Stepnell ensured consistent contact with Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School throughout the project, with weekly site visits to track progress and support collaboration.
Stepnell has channelled significant social value efforts, with 64% of spend on the project being directed to local supply chains within 30 miles and facilitating 34 hours of student engagement through interactive sessions, such as upskilling and career workshops. Elsewhere, 38 hours of skills support was dedicated to those looking for work in the area and Stepnell contributed over 60 volunteering hours, helping students better understand the breadth of opportunities to work in the construction sector.
Chris added: “We understand how important the learning environment is for fostering growth and encouraging engagement, so it has been brilliant to see the centre now open for current students and generations to come.”
Graham Swindells, finance and operations director at Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School, said:
“The learning resource centre was a complex project where we were dealing with limited space and a live site where normal school day to day activity had to continue.
“From pre-construction contract engagement to building strong stakeholder relationships and engaging pupils on careers in construction, Stepnell’s quality of service far exceeded our expectations. By keeping disturbances to a minimum and the ability to adapt and pivot where necessary, this lead to a very successful conclusion where all required outcomes were met. We simply wouldn’t have the amazing building that we have now for our students without Stepnell.”
The project was procured via Procure Partnerships West Midlands Framework via direct award.
Lauren Oxland, key account manager (West) at Procure Partnerships Framework, said:
“It has been a pleasure supporting this project through the procurement stages to ensure the right contractor partner was on board to deliver Bishop Vesey’s new sixth form learning centre.
“At Procure Partnerships, it is not only important that our projects provide excellent facilities for the end user but that they leave a lasting impact on the wider community. Stepnell has exceeded social value expectations across the board while overcoming challenges of a live, operational site.”
