Transforming sixth form education with state-of-the-art Learning Resource Centre that combines sustainable design, complex live-site engineering, and direct social impact.
CLIENT: Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School
SECTOR: Education
VALUE: £6.8m
CONTRACT TYPE: Procure Partnerships Framework – West Midlands
Project Overview
Stepnell was appointed under a two-stage Design & Build contract via the Procure Partnerships West Midlands Framework to deliver a major new Sixth Form Learning Resource Centre for Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School in Sutton Coldfield. Designed by GSSArchitecture, the scheme provides a modern, two-and-a-half-storey steel-framed extension.
The completed facility transforms the campus by offering additional dining space, dedicated sixth form social and study areas, a new library, and modern, flexible classrooms. Designed around green principles, the project incorporates rooftop Photovoltaic solar panels installed by installed by Step Energy, Stepnell Group’s dedicated energy business, Air Source Heat Pumps, energy-efficient mechanical ventilation, and PAS24 triple-glazed windows, achieving an exemplary EPC Class A rating and an airtightness test score of 3.
Beyond the physical structure, Stepnell embedded a comprehensive social value and community engagement framework into delivery, retaining 62% of project spend within the local economy and delivering a 37% Social Value Return on Investment (SROI).
The Challenge
Expanding Capacity under BB103 Guidelines
A formal building capacity assessment conducted under BB103 revealed an urgent need for Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School to expand its physical infrastructure to support growing student enrolment. Existing sixth form facilities were fragmented, outdated, and insufficient to meet statutory student space needs.
Live School Environment & Conservation Area Logistics
The construction footprint was highly congested and situated both within an active, fully operational school site and a designated Conservation Area. Delivering the project required zero disruption to daily teaching, strictly controlled site access routes, and sensitive architectural detailing to complement the surrounding heritage context.
Unexpected Utility Infrastructure
During site works, the project team uncovered an unexpected Victorian gas main beneath the corner of the building, an asset absent from existing utility scans and school records. Safely rerouting and removing this infrastructure required meticulous coordination with utility operators and surrounding residents to prevent disruption.
Our Approach & Innovation
Phased Logistics & Adaptive Site Management
To navigate the restricted footprint and keep the school fully operational, Stepnell adjusted method statements and construction sequencing. The site team established multiple dedicated material access points to separate construction traffic from student footpaths. When managing the removal of the Victorian gas main, works were strategically scheduled during the summer holiday period, utilising temporary three-way traffic signals and closing Boswell Road to through-traffic to minimise local impact.
Tailored Technical & Sustainable Engineering
- Structural Build-Up: Utilised a Steel Framing System (SFS) with single-skin facing brick external walls and variable 50mm cavities matching architectural articulation. Upper floors feature a 150mm composite metal deck with in-situ concrete, topped by a Bauder hot-melt roof system.
- Specialist Energy Solutions: Partnered with Step Energy for PV solar arrays and ASHPs to deliver low-carbon heating and power.
- Bespoke Craftsmanship & Acoustics: Partnered with Lawford Bespoke Joinery, the Group’s specialist joinery business, to design and install high-specification internal joinery and feature acoustic ceilings. Internal partitions incorporated double-layer acoustic board with 25mm insulation to satisfy rigorous BB93 acoustic standards set by the project acoustician.
Stakeholder Engagement
Stepnell implemented a neighbour-first communication strategy. Quarterly newsletters were distributed to local residents, detailing site progress, upcoming traffic management measures, and direct contact details for the Senior Project Manager, ensuring open, two-way dialogue throughout construction.
Social Value & Community Legacy
Stepnell’s social value model went beyond standard compliance, embedding social responsibility directly into delivery to achieve a lasting legacy.
Inspiring the Next Generation & Education Engagement
Stepnell delivered 34 hours of educational engagement and six structured site visits for students.
- Workforce Readiness: Conducted CV writing workshops and mock interviews for 40 Year 12 students, alongside specialised talks on Health & Safety, Sustainability, and Social Value.
- Shadow Construction Team: Created a shadow construction team with Bishop Vesey students, giving them hands-on exposure to sustainable architecture and live site operations.
- Reaching Marginalised Youth: Partnered with RugbyWorks and the Ladder to deliver ‘Step into Construction’ and ‘Build a Bridge’ sessions for Alternative Provision and Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) students.
Breaking Barriers to Employment
- Reverse Mentoring with Prison Leavers: Partnered with the charity Beating Time to launch an innovative Reverse Mentoring Programme. Six prison leavers (mentors) were paired with six senior employers (mentees), providing 26 hours of guidance and speed-networking to break down employment stigmas surrounding ex-offenders.
- Supporting Vulnerable Groups: Delivered 1:1 career guidance for 12 individuals at HMP Birmingham, ran DIY life-skills workshops (flat-pack assembly, plumbing, electrical safety) for eight care-experienced young people, and provided 38 hours of skills training for unemployed individuals in partnership with the DWP.
- Employment Creation: Retained three full-time employees and successfully transitioned an agency worker into a permanent role within Stepnell.
Environmental Legacy
- Waste Reduction: Diverted over 90% of construction waste from landfill using the SmartWaste tracking portal.
- Local Procurement: Directed 62% of overall project spend to local supply chain partners and SMEs within the regional economy.
Graham Swindells, Finance and Operations Director, Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School says:
“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 led 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.”
