Purpose

Direct Award of contract for the design and
installation of modular build construction for additional
Classrooms at Foxfield School, Woodchurch

Decision

The Assistant
Director of Property and Investment has approved the award
to Wernick Buildings
Ltd (Company Number 00414489) via the Fusion 21 Framework for Refurbishment,
Construction, New Build and Modular Building Framework – Lot
3 of a contract for the design, fabrication and installation of 4
classroom permanent modular construction at Foxfield School, New
Hey Road, Woodchurch  CH49
5LE of a contract value of
£1,896,811.00 with a 29-week contract term.
 

Reasons for the decision

The proposal to
construct a permanent single?storey modular building at Foxfield
School will provide four additional classrooms, a multi-purpose
room, and the necessary ancillary facilities to support the
increased number of pupils by the start of the school year
2026.
 
A detailed
specification of requirements has been provided by Foxfield School,
New Hey Road, Woodchurch, outlining the accommodation needed for
the increased pupil numbers currently housed in temporary
accommodation on the school site.
 
Modular construction
enables the rapid delivery of additional accommodation by allowing
off?site manufacturing to proceed concurrently with on?site
preparation, significantly shortening the overall
programme.  Factory?controlled
production enhances build quality, reduces weather?related delays,
and ensures predictable outcomes—critical where schools must
meet urgent operational deadlines. Reduced on?site labour and fixed
manufacturing schedules offer greater cost certainty and reduced
project risk.  Modular buildings also
provide future flexibility for relocation, expansion, or
reconfiguration, while minimising disruption to school
operations.  This approach delivers an
efficient, reliable, and future?proof solution for new classroom
space within a short timeframe.
 
A direct award will be
made to Wernick Buildings Ltd through the Fusion 21 Framework for
Refurbishment, Construction, New Build and Modular Building (Lot
3). This appointment will be underpinned by a formal contract to be
prepared by the Council’s legal team in due course. The
proposal to construct a permanent single storey modular building to
Foxfield School is to allow the provision of 4 additional
classrooms, staff room and facilities required for the increase of
children to the school.
 

Alternative options considered

Due to the identified
need for additional school places, it is not feasible to pursue a
'do nothing' approach. The demand for SEND educational provision
must be addressed to ensure that sufficient capacity is available
to accommodate current and projected pupil numbers. Failure to act
would result in a shortfall of school places, which could have
significant implications for local communities and educational
outcomes
 
The young people could
have been offered education provision at another school; Foxfield
School meets the needs of children with complex needs and has the
capacity for capital works. The school has the correct staff and
resources to meet the complex needs, placing young people at
another school could have led to school non-attendance and impact
of the well-being of the young person.
 
The young person could
have been placed at an out of borough provision, this would have
been much more expensive and mean the young person needed to attend
a school out of borough, this would not be the best use of the
resources available to the council.