We feel there is real merit in the main recommendations including:

• A recognition that free schools are best supported from the centre, enabling them to call upon the expertise of experienced practitioners in the early days of establishing these new schools.

• An intention to allocate notional budgets to local authority areas, allowing for clarity of funding and recognising that spending decisions are best determined locally and within the context of national priorities.

• An intention to continue working through national framework agreements, to ensure common standards of quality and value for money.

• A review of current guidelines and regulations to remove unnecessary burdens and costs on schools.

• A move towards standardised designs and specifications so that all can benefit from best practice and lessons learned elsewhere.

Willmott Dixon has prepared for the likely outcomes of the review by continually refining our design and construction processes, in recognition that money spent on administration and procurement is money diverted away from directly benefiting teaching and learning. Our recently launched Sunesis designs offer clients pre-designed primary schools, available through the Scape Framework, at a considerable saving on traditional methods of design while maintaining a focus on delivering high-quality and cost-efficient solutions. A similar offering for secondary schools will follow shortly.

Further details of our unique standard designs through Sunesis can be seen at www.sunesisbuild.co.uk