Agenda item

The Brook Special School was a facility for primary-aged children, located within the same building as Willow Primary School. The two schools shared amenities such as the playground and car park. The Brook accommodated 128 students aged 4–11, specializing in education for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), profound and severe learning difficulties, as well as associated physical, medical, communication, and emotional needs.

The school building, constructed ten years ago in a ‘C’ shape, featured two teaching wings and central shared facilities. It replaced three former schools, including Moselle Primary, whose previous site to the east was repurposed for housing development by the council. Both The Brook and Willow operated at full capacity.

In 2024, the site was chosen to host a unit for up to 18 Key Stage 2 students with Complex Needs, as part of the Safety Valve programme, approved in September 2024. A multi-disciplinary design team was appointed in July 2024 to explore options, and a feasibility report led to the selection of a preferred design. This design reached RIBA Stage 2, and preparations were made for a modular building tender.

A Design and Build Contract was deemed the most suitable for the project. To meet the September 2025 deadline, tenders were issued based on a RIBA Stage 2 design, requiring the contractor to finalize the plans and secure planning and building control approvals.

The Invitation to Tender (ITT) was released via the Dynamic Purchasing System, targeting modular and modern construction methods. Evaluation weighted quality at 60% and price at 40%. However, after receiving a Pre-Tender Estimate exceeding £1,000,000, the tender process was paused to incorporate Social Value considerations.

It was queried if all rules and procedures were followed during the process which officers confirmed.

THE CABINET MEMBER RESOLVED:

Recomendations

The Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Families, pursuant to contract standing order 16.02, approved the following actions:

3.1 Awarded a contract, in accordance with contract standing order (CSO) 9.07.1d, for the construction of a new modular two-classroom block at The Brook on Broadwaters School, based on a tendered contract sum of £1,154,231.54.

3.2 Approved a client contingency, as detailed in Part B of the report, which was to be strictly managed under change control governance arrangements.

3.3 Approved the issuance of a Letter of Intent, up to the value of £115,423.15, in line with CSO 9.07.3.

Reasons for decisions:

The reasons for the decision were as follows:

4.1 In February 2024, Cabinet approved The Brook on Broadwaters as the location to provide up to 18 places for Key Stage 2 (KS2) children with Complex Needs under the Safety Valve Programme.

4.2 A feasibility study, completed in July 2024, recommended a modular building in the southeast corner of the site to expand the school and create 18 additional places for children with severe learning difficulties.

4.3 A design and build contract was proposed as the most efficient way to meet the project deadline of September 2025.

Alternative options considered.

5.1 Do nothing – This would result in Haringey failing to meet its commitment to deliver additional SEN spaces by September 2025 under the Safety Valve Programme.

5.2 In-house – There is currently no resource within the Council that has the capacity, specialist expertise or qualifications to deliver this service.