The Marsh Academy

The Marsh Academy seems to be doing something right. Oversubscribed in 2017 and now in 2018, things are looking up. The last Ofsted report said of the school:

• Leaders use precise and honest analysis of information when evaluating the school’s strengths and areas to develop. This approach is leading to better consistency in the quality of teaching and subsequently improving pupils’ outcomes.

One of the things which has no doubt helped the school is the new £15.1 million pound building opened in 2012.

The Marsh Academy was a school built by Carillion, the mega contractors which went bust in January of this year. Thankfully, The Marsh Academy was not a PFI contract. It was according to the contract, a lump sum option. Schedule nine of the contract sets out the contract sum for the provision of works was £15.1 million. Unfortunately we cannot know what the contractors margin was, that has been redacted.

Altogether Carillion built 5 schools as a lump sum option across Kent. They were Cornwallis Academy, Maidstone at a cost of £35.3 million. Longfield Academy, Longfield, at a cost of £24 million. The Marsh Academy, New Romney at a cost of £15.1 million. Newline Learning Academy, Maidstone at a cost of £23.6 million and Spires Academy, Canterbury at a cost of £13.1 million. In total Carillion received over £132 million between Feb 2003 and Dec 2016.

The sum Carillion received is not far of what Stagecoach have received for the same period ( (2010-2018 only) £131.7 million). All we can say is that at least Carillion delivered the Marsh Academy on time, enabling the school to be part of the design process for the new building. It’s a pity though that Stagecoach will not involve the school as part of the timetable design, as according to many of the locals on the Marsh, they can’t get a bus to turn up on time.  Perhaps The Marsh Academy could approach Stagecoach and allow the students to be part of  designing a timetable fit for purpose. You never know, it might not turn out be rocket science and the pupils might be able to get a bus turn up on time, who knows.

Emails for the Chief Executive and Finance Officer of Stagecoach are:

martin.griffiths@stagecoachgroup.com

ross.patterson@stagecoachgroup.com

The Shepwayvox Team. Journalism for the People NOT the Powerful.