Educational Spotlight: Helping Clients deliver in a changing sector

The UK education sector is evolving rapidly, with organisations tackling everything from RAAC remediation and school rebuilding programmes to net‑zero campuses, SEND provision, modern sports facilities and improved student accommodation. School leaders, academy trusts, colleges, universities and local authorities are working hard to deliver safe, efficient and future‑ready learning environments.

At Potter Raper, we help clients plan, fund and deliver projects with confidence, because the buildings we learn in should support the needs of today and tomorrow.

What’s shaping the education sector today
National conversations continue to focus on how education providers can modernise their buildings while managing risk, funding pressures and long‑term sustainability. Key themes include:

The condition of school buildings and long-term capital investment.
RAAC remediation and urgent building safety programmes.
Net-zero and low-carbon strategies for schools, colleges and universities.
Growing demand for SEND provision and inclusive learning environments.
Community engagement and multi-use educational spaces.
The need for resilient, well-governed projects that minimise disruption to learning.

These challenges require clear strategy, strong governance and partners who understand both national priorities and local realities.

How Potter Raper supports education clients
We listen to our clients, solve challenges with tailored solutions, and deliver exceptional results across the full lifecycle of education projects. From urgent safety interventions to complex campus expansions and sustainability-led redevelopment, we provide the insight, technical expertise, and assurance needed to move project forward with confidence.

We also support academy trusts and eligible schools with Condition Improvement Funding (CIF). Our team provides end-to-end CIF assistance, from initial condition surveys to technical design, cost planning, bid writing and project delivery. We help clients maximise funding success while ensuring projects are compliant, well-governed, and delivered efficiently.

Recent Projects
UCL Summer Refresh 2025
Modernisation across multiple campus buildings and student accommodation to enhance the student experience with minimal disruption.
Client: University College London (UCL)

Notting Hill & Ealing Junior School
Demolition of the Junior School enabled a new cross-laminated timber building delivering modern, accessible facilities for ages 4–11. Centred on a double-height hall, it provides specialist teaching spaces and landscaped play areas. Designed for net zero, targeting BREEAM Excellent.
Client: Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST)

Mulberry Academy London Dock Secondary School
A sustainable urban secondary school built to Passivhaus standards, providing clean air, low energy use, and high-quality teaching spaces on a tight city site.
Client: London Borough of Tower Hamlets

St Paul’s Catholic College
A new 4-court sports hall with changing facilities, alongside extensive refurbishments including classroom extensions, drama and arts spaces, and science labs to support student learning and well-being.
Client: Surrey County Council

Putney High School
The new four-storey BREEAM ‘Excellent’ building includes music and recording studios on the ground floor, a drama studio, debating centre, and physics labs on the first floor, chemistry and biology labs above, with staff workrooms and breakout spaces on every floor.
Client: The Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST)

Downsview School
Vertical extension and partial refurbishment to add teaching spaces, therapy rooms, and specialist facilities. Works were completed while the school was occupied, including temporary relocation of the dining hall and bespoke high-level emergency escape walkways.
Client: Brighton & Hove City Council

GDST RAAC Works
Urgent roof remediation due to RAAC discovery. Delivered temporary teaching facilities and roof removal works under a PCSA, providing cost and programme certainty, contractor management, and safety oversight.
Client: The Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST)

Begbroke Science Park Phase 1
12,500sqm campus expansion across two buildings, providing state-of-the-art research and teaching spaces. Constructed to BREEAM Excellent, WELL Gold, EPC A, LETI guidelines and Passivhaus standards, using low-carbon methods including GBS concrete and prefabrication.
Client: Legal & General

Our core services for education include: