Clear Futures helps shape Liverpool’s SEND school estate through strategic partnership
Liverpool City Council has completed the third and final phase of redevelopment at Bank View School in Speke — a milestone that builds on earlier phases delivered in strategic partnership with Clear Futures.
The completion of Bank View School, located in the former Parklands High School building in Speke, has seen a series of phased refurbishments combine to provide all-age school places for over 250 pupils with complex learning difficulties.
The transformation of Bank View School, located in the former Parklands High School building, forms part of the city’s wider programme to expand and improve provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Across the three schools involved — Bank View, Millstead Primary and Palmerston School — the phased refurbishments have created more than 450 high-quality school places for pupils with complex learning needs.
This ambitious programme began in early 2023, when the Council identified an urgent need to provide additional SEND capacity within the city. Clear Futures worked closely with the Council’s education team to prioritise delivery and fast-track the first phases of work. With a strategic partnership and established Tier 1 supply chain already in place, Clear Futures rapidly mobilised Robertson Construction North West and Seddon Construction to carry out essential refurbishments and install classrooms, ensuring all three schools opened on time for September 2023.
At Bank View School, Robertson completed a rapid nine-week refurbishment to create 60 school places, followed by further works delivered safely within the live school environment. Seddon supported delivery at both Millstead and Palmerston Schools — providing temporary modular units, followed by full refurbishments that significantly expanded capacity.
Pupils at all three schools were able to start in time for September 2023, which meant they could receive education within their area and Liverpool City Council’s key deadline was met.
In creating extra local SEND places at Bank View, Millstead and Palmerston, the Council has saved in excess of £20 million over a five-year period, by avoiding the need to fund education for these pupils outside the city. In addition, children and young people with SEND can now learn locally, in specialist environments designed around their needs.
In a recent statement, Cllr Joanne Kennedy, Cabinet Member for Employment, Educational Attainment and Skills at Liverpool City Council, reflected on the council’s 2023 commitment to significantly expand high-quality SEND school places and highlighted the completion of work at Millstead Primary, Palmerston College and Bank View High School. Read more: https://liverpoolexpress.co.uk/10m-regeneration-of-send-school-complete/
Keith Edwards, Partnership Director, Clear Futures, said:
“Our partnership with Liverpool City Council allowed us to move quickly and deliver the first two phases of this vital programme at pace.
The power of Clear Futures’ flexible strategic partnership enabled this. With our procurement-ready route to market and Tier 1 partners in place, we helped ensure that pupils could start the academic year in new, high-quality facilities. Meeting this deadline was critical for the city, when initial market options could not deliver within the required timeframe.
With the final phase of Bank View School now complete, it’s fantastic to see these schools transforming lives and supporting inclusive education for local families.”