Inspiredspaces (including Ramesys) selected as private sector partner for £90m schools renewal

Proposals to build new 21st century secondary schools in Nottingham under the £90 million Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme has reached a major milestone with the announcement of its selected bidder.

Following a stringent selection and scoring process in line with European Union procurement rules, Nottingham City Council has selected Inspiredspaces as the Private Sector Partner for the Local Education Partnership. The Inspiredspaces consortium includes Carillion as a construction partner and Ramesys as the ICT managed service provider. The consortium will join the City Council and Partnerships for Schools, via Building Schools for the Future Investments (BSFI)), to form the Local Education partnership (LEP).

The LEP will build eight schools in Wave 2 of the Government's BSF programme. The first phase of Wave 2 includes a new secondary school in the north of the city for Big Wood in Top Valley; the remodelling and complete refurbishment of Hadden Park High School, and a new special school (Centre of Excellence) on the integrated Harvey Hadden Campus in Bilborough to replace Aspley Wood and Shepherd Special Schools. Building work on the first schools in Wave 2 is on track to start in early Summer 2008 with opening planned for Autumn 2009. Work should be fully completed in 2010. The remaining five schools in Wave 2 are due to be complete by 2010/11. The LEP is also expected to build three new Academies in Bulwell, Bilborough and the east of the City.

Councillor Jane Urquhart, Nottingham City Council's Portfolio holder for Children's Services, said:

'This is a major milestone for Building Schools for the Future. We asked our bidders to be ambitious in their proposals for Nottingham and to be as inspirational and imaginative as possible. We are confident that together the City Council and Inspiredspaces can give Nottingham the most exciting 21st century schools of which we can all be proud. We can now work with Inspired Spaces to finalise the proposals for the partnership with a view to building work starting in the summer.'

Tim Byles, Chief Executive of Partnerships for Schools, said:

'We congratulate Nottingham City on nominating their selected bidder, which is good news for the progress of the BSF programme nationally and even better news for the learners and communities of Nottingham. The new and improved buildings, facilities and technology will have an enormous impact on the education and life chances of every young person in the area.'

Jonathan Walker, Commercial Director at Ramesys comments: 'Ramesys is a leading player in the Government's Building Schools for the Future Programme, and ideally placed to provide managed ICT services for schools in Nottingham. This latest appointment builds on our recent BSF successes in the London Boroughs of Waltham Forest and Westminster, and Manchester City. and reflects the strength of our skills and experience in supplying and managing ICT in the UK education sector.'

Mark Chambers, Chief Executive at Ramesys explains: 'Ramesys has its Head Office in Nottingham and therefore we are all very pleased to win Preferred Bidder status for the local area. Our staff and their families will be amongst the community who benefit directly from this programme, which will undoubtedly have a major impact on the City.'