Dorothy Barley Junior Academy Alterations & Refurbishment Works To Form An ARP

The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham (LBBD) is seeking to appoint a suitably experienced contractor to convert an area of existing accommodation at Dorothy Barley Junior Academy, Ivinghoe Road Dagenham to an ARP, Additional Resource Provision for pupils with multiple and complex learning needs.

The works include a number of structural openings to make the available space bright and airy and have level access to outside play. These noisy, dusty, structural opening works, along with the gutting of an old pupil toilet area, ideally need to be completed over the summer break (by Monday 4th September), during which time site access for vehicles will be much easier.

The total area available for conversion currently consists of a large ART classroom (that used to be a cloakroom area) and an adjacent pupil toilet area & store (which needs to be gutted and prepared for conversion to teaching space). There is also a small external area that will become the ARP play area, with a canopy for shade. The Art Classroom and toilet area currently have different floor and roof levels. Once the wall is knocked through creating an opening between the two, there will be a new ramped arrangement for level access between the two areas, this also facilitates level access to the outside play area. Further details are in the tender drawings and specification package.

It is proposed that the old toilet area is to have a new insulated flat roof, again completion of this element of works over the summer break is desirable. (NB this element of work is funded by the academy and therefore needs to have a clear separate price for their approval)

The contractual date of possession and commencement date for the building works is to be Monday 24th July 2023.

Less invasive works can continue within the site compound area during term time, (with all necessary health and safety and noise control measures in place), with contractor parking possible in nearby Lodge Avenue.

The school require this facility to be in operation as soon as possible, and a contractual deadline of end of October half term has been set, by which time all works should be fully completed and handed over.

This is an exciting opportunity for a contractor to be involved in the transformation of this prominent corner of the school site to something very special for these children and staff to have a great environment to teach and learn.

Additional information: The Contracting Authority used an eTendering system in this procurement exercise, register and access the full documents at the weblink provided.