Our Projects
Real engagements with real outcomes. The projects below show how we have helped schools, academy trusts and education estates teams across London and the South East tackle compliance, safeguarding, capital delivery and procurement challenges.
Every project was scoped, procured, delivered and contract-administered by Brown Consult.
Case study 1 — Reconfiguration and refurbishment of toilets and showers
Client: Secondary Academy
Service: Design, procurement, project management and contract administration
Duration: July – September 2023
Project value: £159,000
The challenge
The school needed to improve pupil safeguarding around its sports centre by redesigning toilet and shower facilities accessed directly from the outdoor play area. The existing layout created sightline and supervision risks, and the spaces were no longer fit for purpose.
What we did
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Produced a new layout design that addressed safeguarding and improved flow
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Procured contractors through a compliant tender process
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Managed the works on site, including new openings, wall demolition and reconstruction
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Performed full contract administration from order through to handover
The outcome
The school reopened the autumn term with redesigned, safer toilet and shower facilities — delivered on time, within budget and ahead of the academic year. The new layout removed the original safeguarding concerns and gave staff cleaner supervision lines across the sports centre changing facilities.
Case study 2 — Creation of a new Sixth Form reading room
Client: Secondary Academy
Service: Design, procurement, project management and contract administration
Duration: September – October 2023
Project value: £69,000
The challenge
The school needed a dedicated quiet study space for Sixth Form students but had no spare capacity in the main building. Without an additional space, study and supervised reading periods were being held in overcrowded shared areas.
What we did
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Identified an underused 95 m² shower block as a viable conversion candidate
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Designed the conversion and relocated existing building services
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Specified and installed new ceiling, lighting and data infrastructure
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Procured contractors and supervised the works to completion
The outcome
A 95 m² fit-for-purpose Sixth Form reading room delivered in six weeks — without the school taking on a new build or extension. The space went into active use at the start of term and recovered usable footage from a redundant block at a fraction of new-build cost.
Case study 3 — New Sixth Form building feasibility study
Client: Secondary Academy
Service: Architectural feasibility study
Duration: September 2023
Project value: £2.5 million (indicative capital value)
The challenge
The Academy wanted to scope a new Sixth Form Centre to accommodate 300 students across three floors (400 m²), including a dining area, library, classrooms and offices. The site had significant constraints — limited footprint, neighbour relationships, and a need to match the existing Grotto site building in materials and style.
What we did
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Conducted the architectural feasibility study and tested options against site constraints
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Produced a design concept that matched neighbouring building materials and style
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Modelled massing against the adjacent sports hall to confirm acceptable height
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Provided indicative capital cost and a route to next-stage RIBA design
The outcome
The Academy was given a buildable, sympathetically designed concept with an indicative £2.5m capital cost — enough to take to its board and trustees for capital approval decisions. The study turned a vague ambition into a tangible business case.
Case study 4 — Classroom decoration and fire door overhaul
Client: Secondary School
Service: Procurement, project management and contract administration
Duration: July – September 2023
Project value: £150,000
The challenge
The school had 25 classrooms with damaged internal fabric requiring urgent attention. A separate fire door inspection identified 70 doors that did not meet current fire door standards — a serious compliance and safeguarding concern.
What we did
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Conducted a thorough condition assessment across all 25 classrooms
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Worked with school leadership to identify the highest-impact cost-effective interventions
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Combined the 70-door fire door remediation into the decorations package to drive single-mobilisation savings
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Prepared the tender specification, managed procurement and ran contract administration
The outcome
Twenty-five classrooms refurbished and 70 fire doors brought up to current standard, all delivered over the summer break ready for September. By bundling the fire door work into the decorations package, the school avoided the cost of a second contractor mobilisation and removed a live fire-safety compliance issue from its risk register.
Case study 5 — Roof void compartmentation and fire stopping
Client: Secondary School
Service: Surveys, procurement and contract administration
Duration: September – October 2023
Project value: £130,000
The challenge
The roof void of the school's main building required fire stopping to comply with compartmentation regulations — a critical life-safety requirement. The space was complex to survey, with services running through penetrations that had never been properly sealed.
What we did
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Surveyed the entire roof void to map all penetrations and compartmentation gaps
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Prepared a detailed tender specification covering mastic sealing and fire-rated closure systems, including wall systems and metal framework
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Selected the contractor through a compliant procurement route
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Performed contract administration through to compliance sign-off
The outcome
The school's roof void was brought into compliance with compartmentation regulations, closing a significant fire-safety risk and giving trustees the documented evidence required for insurance and inspections. Delivered in eight weeks at £130,000.
Case study 6 — Sixth Form extension and full refurbishment
Client: Secondary Academy
Service: Architectural services, project management and contract administration
Duration: September 2021
Project value: £700,000
The challenge
The Academy wanted to create a flexible Sixth Form space combining learning, social and study zones for up to 150 students at a time, supporting their transition into higher education. The site had a significant constraint: existing rooftop plant rooms that could not be relocated.
What we did
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Designed a solution that extended the existing rooftop rooms around the immovable plant
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Delivered full architectural services from concept to construction information
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Procured contractors and managed delivery on site
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Performed contract administration through to handover
The outcome
A 150-seat, multi-functional Sixth Form space delivered for £700,000 — solving the rooftop constraint creatively rather than trying to move services that couldn't be moved. The space supports learning, group work and independent study in a single flexible footprint.