Four Derby schools in line for building improvements as academy trust secures £2.5m funding

Odyssey Collaborative Trust, which runs six primary schools in Derby, has won bids to secure £2.5m of funding to carry put major improvement works to school buildings under the Government’s Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) programme. Beaufort, Asterdale and Cherry Tree Hill schools will all undergo re-roofing projects under the scheme, while Springfield School will have new windows installed and Asterdale School will also receive a new boiler.

The multi-academy trust has worked on the funding bid with property consultant and CIF expert Eddisons, which has secured a total of £41m for schools across the UK in 2020.

The CIF programme is an annual round of bidding under which academy schools and colleges can apply for funding for the upkeep and improvement of their buildings and to fund expansion projects for schools that have been rated good or outstanding by Ofsted.

Eddisons’ national building and project consultancy team specialises in securing CIF funding for schools and has seen a doubling of successful bids in 2020 to £41m nationally, up from £20m in 2019. The team has also been appointed to design and project manage the safe delivery of all this year’s successful applications.

Eddisons associate director Joseph Fitzsimmons said:

“We are really proud of our record of achievement for schools in the East Midlands and across the country. It is fantastic news for Odyssey Collaborative Trust, and for the students and teachers at these four Derby primary schools, that the funding is now in place for much-needed improvements to the fabric of the buildings that will make a real difference to everyone who studies and works in them.”

Adey Greaves, Odyssey Collaborative Trust interim operations officer, said: “We are immensely grateful to Eddisons for submitting our CIF bids for us in this latest round, and even more overjoyed that these five projects were successful in securing funding. We very much look forward to working with the team over the coming months to see these projects through to fruition.”

Mr Fitzsimmons added: “Accessing CIF funding can seem an impenetrable process for school staff and it’s rewarding to be able to use the skills and experience that the Eddisons team have built up over several years to be able to guide schools through the maze and deliver improvements that are benefiting so many school communities.”