As part of a portfolio-wide drive to improve their school estates, Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST) appointed TFT to project manage the rationalisation and redevelopment of Brighton High School.

The school is split across two sites and originally comprised a wide variety and age of blocks including listed buildings. TFT was appointed to support an initial masterplan of the site to produce a report for the GDST board. We were supported by a team consisting of an architect, a mechanical, electrical & public health consultant, a structural engineer and a cost consultant.

The masterplan process to rationalise the Brighton High School estate commenced with a detailed briefing meeting with the client and key stakeholders including GDST, the headteachers of both the senior and junior schools and the director of finance and operations.

Once the brief was agreed, the team collated the required information to support the masterplan process. This included undertaking surveys, reviewing existing information and understanding the condition of the existing building stock. This information, alongside the brief, helped to determine the location of areas to develop, to refurbish and to demolish.

Through regular stakeholder meetings, the masterplan was developed to incorporate services infrastructure and included the potential for an energy centre. In addition, the viability of relocating the whole school onto one site was investigated. Following an assessment of potential risks, the final masterplan was then costed and the proposed works programmed was presented to the key stakeholders for approval.

As project manager, TFT led the masterplan process, managing the supporting team to ensure that key programme dates, objectives and deliverables of the brief were met by the team throughout the development of the final masterplan report. TFT also advised on phasing and sequencing the proposed works in order to minimise the impact on the school’s day-today operations. For example, a key objective was to avoid temporary accommodation. This was achieved by understanding the school’s requirements and agreeing a suitable relocation strategy with the school. The project took place over 7 months between 2016-2017.