In Slough three new schools are being created to provide teaching and residential facilities for young people with autism, and also adult learners in the community which will contribute to the Lifelong Learning Adult Education Opportunities programme within the borough.

The schools are Beechwood School, accommodating 750 pupils plus 150 post-sixteen places, Arbour Vale Special School, co-located on the same site and William Penn Primary School, a further new build replacement Primary School to be constructed on the existing site and to accommodate 420 pupils.

Appleyards has provided Independent Certifier duties for these major projects. Our services involved site inspections from financial close to completion and finally certification. Liaising closely with the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) representative and Local Authority at regular intervals, and consulting the other project participants, we have ensured that all parties are fully aware of the completion process and their respective obligations prior to the certificate being issued.

Through continuous involvement on site, in meetings and through progress reports, we were able to focus on issues early in the process and arrange for the team to discuss and resolve these in good time. 

We also monitored the contractors Quality Management Systems to ensure that the standard of the final product met with the Authority’s requirements and the contractor’s proposals.