SURGO win fourth academy scheme

Mar 27 2008 By The Journal

WITH a long held reputation for providing a high standard of workmanship and delivering challenging projects in the education sector, SURGO Construction is about to embark on its fourth multi-million pound, academy project.

Against competition from national contractors, SURGO has been appointed by longstanding client, Emmanuel Schools Foundation (ESF) to construct the new state of the art, £31million pound Bede Academy.

To date ESF has been responsible for developing three outstanding schools - Emmanuel College, Gateshead, The King’s Academy, Middlesbrough and Trinity Academy, Doncaster, all of which are very popular with parents and are oversubscribed every year.

Bede Academy, the fourth to come on stream, will be its first all-age academy catering for students between the ages of 3-18, and will provide nursery, primary and secondary education across two sites. The main academy building will occupy the site of the former Ridley High School, Blyth, while a new primary school is to be constructed to the south east of the town. The Academy will open in September 2009 with 720 students at the secondary site, increasing to 1,150 by 2013. The primary site will start with 540students, growing to 630 by 2013, and a Nursery with 40 places.

Set over three-storeys the 11,100sqm academy has been innovatively designed around a central courtyard, allowing all spaces to benefit from an external aspect, ensuring a high level of natural light floods the building.

Specialising in engineering and enterprise the school will also provide insight into specialist areas such as biotechnology, environmental science and recycling technology, sound and computer networking as well as naval and automotive systems and designs.

In the past decade SURGO has been responsible for successfully delivering over 50 education schemes. This has included small refurbishment projects, extensions, new build schools, colleges and academies throughout the region.

SURGO’s managing director, Ian Walker, said: “Building the prestigious Bede Academy, is another opportunity for SURGO Construction to demonstrate its extensive capabilities, depth of resource and talented team of construction professionals. Delivering schemes of this size, I believe, reflects on the sound track record we have developed across a range of sectors, but in particular in the education sector.

“We have the pleasure of working on behalf of Sir Peter Vardy and the Emmanuel Schools Foundation on a third academy and I am confident this project will run smoothly throughout the build schedule further strengthening the working relationship.”

Speaking on behalf of ESF, project manager, David Vardy added: “Exciting times are ahead as the building work on the Foundation’s latest project commences in earnest in the coming weeks. We are committed to providing the highest standards of education in outstanding buildings which raise the aspirations of not only our students but the whole community and we hope the people of Blyth will be very proud of their new school.

“SURGO’s client focused approach to delivering projects to a high standard is certainly one from which we have benefited in the past and which continues to win praise from visitors to our Academies.

“We believe in providing functional yet attractive schools that provide exceptional value for money and are popular with staff, students and parents.

“We look forward to Bede Academy opening to students in September 2009.”