School responds to multi-million pound build criticisms

FOLLOWING the story reported in Issue 697 of the White Horse News regarding Hire Standards’ criticism of Matravers School, the school has issued a response. 

Local company, Hire Standards, criticised the school for not using local companies in their multi-million pound build project. This was a response to a letter which the school had sent to local businesses in the town, asking for donations towards the finishing touches for the 23-classroom teaching block.  

The story highlighted the issue of schools and councils using national companies – rather than local firms – for major projects.

In response the school said, “Matravers School would like to explain some of the misconceptions and misunderstandings that appeared regarding the building of its new block, as reported in the last edition.

“This project to build the new block is not a Matravers School project.  It is designed, planned and funded entirely by the ESFA (Education and Skills Funding Agency), which is a branch of the DfE (Department for Education).  As such, the ESFA/DfE ran their own tendering process; the school had absolutely no say whatsoever in who was appointed.  Matravers School has passed the concerns raised onto the ESFA in relation to their tendering process.  Any individual can contact them directly if there is the belief that they have inappropriately run this process.

“Matravers School is certain that when undertaking the scale of an £8million public-funded project that major Government departments use established frameworks for project tendering. As explained, the ESFA ran the tendering process and appointed the construction contractor, MIDAS.  The school was not involved in this.  MIDAS construction is responsible for how it delivers the project and they are accountable to the ESFA, not the school.  Matravers School has no say in the decisions regarding which companies are used.  

“Again, you may wish to direct your concerns regarding their use of contractors to MIDAS.

“ In response to the statement ‘The town is getting worse…because of projects like this’, Matravers School disagrees with this.  We would welcome further multi-million investments in the Westbury community.

“Clearly our passion is to ensure that students who attend the school benefit from the best possible opportunities they can get and we welcome all funding input from the ESFA/DfE.  We equate substantial investment in children and their education as a positive.

“In response to ‘You would have contributed if you’d received income’,  Matravers School were disappointed to read this.  Altruism is an important idea we try and foster in young people.

“We believe that individuals would want to support young people because they believe it to be a good cause and the right thing to do, rather than only if they themselves also benefit from it. 

“Any individual is entitled to contact the ESFA or MIDAS directly if you feel that they have been unfair in the procedures they have followed.”