(Just like) Starting Over... but John Lennon wouldn’t have ‘Imagined’ his school could look like this!

Picture: the recently renovated Quarry Bank Hall was the venue for some of John Lennon’s earliest performances

Originally the home of boys’ grammar Quarry Bank High School, and now forming part of Calderstone’s School, the Grade I listed building has been meticulously restored by a team of education specialists from Jarvis, the facilities management and infrastructure services firm, which signed an agreement to build 15 new schools and refurbish three others in Liverpool with the City’s Education and Lifelong Learning Service in 2001.

Work at Calderstone’s started in June 2002, when Jarvis developed a rationalisation programme to bring together the 14 disconnected blocks that had sprung up as the school grew during the 1900s. The programme was designed to unify the separate departments and teaching facilities and provide a more effective learning environment for the pupils.

The majority of the new teaching facilities are now completed with refurbishment of the technology block, sports hall and swimming pool in progress. Forthcoming work is planned on a brand new sports pavilion and the last of three modernised gymnasium buildings, for which the school has obtained a Sports Science Grant.

The pupils walking through the school’s gates will now have access to modern IT suites, new Arts and Science wings, a fully equipped drama studio, with technologies John Lennon could not have imagined set to be installed – including electronic whiteboards and smartcard vending and door-entry systems.

Terry Hazelhurst, Project Manager for Jarvis, said: “Working on such an historic building has been continuously exciting and the whole team is delighted with the progress to date. Work on the remainder of the project is on schedule, and pupils and teachers alike will benefit immediately from the enhanced facilities that are now available to them.”

Headteacher, Brian Davies, remarked: “The partnership between the School and Jarvis is a long term one, 30 years. We are confident that, once finished, this building programme will deliver a truly excellent environment for our students."

Under the terms of the overall partnership with the council, which involves expanding and improving facilities for almost 10,000 pupils, Jarvis is building 14 new primary schools and one new secondary school. Three other schools, including Calderstone’s, are undergoing comprehensive refurbishment programmes. Initially the Council had requested three new-build schools and refurbishment for the rest but under the Private Finance Initiative programme Jarvis was able to devise a scheme that provided 15 new schools for the same overall cost. All construction work is due to be completed by September 2004.

Jarvis has worked closely with the council on the development of an innovative design solution for the new primary schools, to provide staff and pupils with an inspirational, but efficient, modern learning environment. In addition to the range of new facilities provided, every classroom opens onto landscaped grounds and all the schools have full disabled access. The design concept was developed through consultation workshops with all the headteachers involved and it is intended that the new schools will act as a regeneration focus for communities across Liverpool.

Notes to Editors

• Jarvis plc delivers high quality infrastructure and support services to the education, health and local government sectors, on the roads and across the rail network. The Company provides a wide range of facilities management and infrastructure services, and is an acknowledged leader in innovative outsourcing solutions, mainly through public/private partnerships (PPPs).
• Jarvis’ involvement in public services has initiated significant investment that would not otherwise have occurred. On Jarvis projects alone, over £1 billion has been attracted into the UK schools sector and £1.8 billion to London Underground. Britain’s universities have benefited by more than £500 million and healthcare by £100 million. Over the past seven years Jarvis has committed over £200 million to investment in the rail industry and in improving the safety, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of rail maintenance and renewals. This unprecedented level of investment has delivered – and continues to deliver – substantial improvements to public infrastructure.
• Jarvis employs over 10,500 people in the UK and Europe, and exports to over 60 countries worldwide. In 2003 the Group generated revenues of over £1.2 billion through its core businesses and a number of strategic joint ventures.
• Jarvis is one of only 317 companies worldwide to be included in the 2004 Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Jarvis is also a founder participant of the Business in the Community Corporate Responsibility Index and is a member of the FTSE4Good Index.

For further information, please contact:

Lisa Carine, Head of Communications, Jarvis Accommodation Services
Tel. +44 (0)20 7017 8000
E-mail: lisa.carine@jarvis-uk.com

Or

Stuart Lambert / Edward Knowles
Jarvis Accommodation Services press office
c/o Republic
Tel. +44 (0)20 7379 5000
E-mail: stuart@republicpr.com or edward@republicpr.com

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