Practice Note

EFM [Educational Facilities Management] was formed by teacher Steve Clyne in April 1990 and originally to provide premises management expertise for schools operating under the Education Reform Act 1988 and subsequent legislation. Largely through recommendation and reputation, the client base has broadened to include other sectors. EFM is both FM consultants and FM managers. It is also Health & Safety Adviser and Next Friend to its core client base.

Since 1990 EFM has worked for schools, LEAs and others providing a wide range of consultancy advice and project management, including the procurement of new buildings, estate rationalisation, disposals and site development as well as the management of the sites, staff and contracts of its core school clients. The Company has developed with others techniques and methodologies for achieving Best Value in the procurement of all services whether non-core or core education services and the systematic development of health and safety procedures.

EFM, as project managers, is currently running schemes on a number of sites, the largest at several million involves the sale of land, building new facilities, and attracting inward investment from regeneration funds and the private sector.

For schools, EFM acts as a managing agent. It relieves its schools from all the property and related service issues delegated to them. Consultancy clients are to be found all over the UK mainland.

For its schools, EFM is responsible for Asset Management Plans, PFI, SRB, National Lottery, Specialist Schools applications and other external financing schemes as well as Capital Bidding for Voluntary Aided, Foundation and Community Schools.

EFM and PFI: Since the inception of PFI, EFM has worked with many of the major PFI bidders on schools projects. It has 25year contracts maintaining a watching brief on behalf of the SPVs with regard to the FM provision at James Watt College and Larkmead Hospital, Scotland and Castle Hill Education Centre in Bolton.

EFM has good contacts with many of the major players, both within government and the private sector, in the fields of public and non-public funding of capital projects in education. It is education adviser to investors in negotiations with schools, local authorities and the DfES, bringing significant investment on to school sites and enhancing each school facilities.

EFM is recognised throughout the schools sector, and those providing for schools, for bringing a deep understanding of the educational and organisational needs of schools to the provision of appropriate accommodation and services.

On the practical front, EFM is a leading specialist manager of FM services. It runs cleaning, catering, grounds, maintenance, repair, and photocopying and other services. It line manages caretakers. It manages Health & Safety.

EFM exemplar project is Harlington School [Hillingdon] where over the last few years farmland has been acquired for playing field, derelict land disposal has provided both social and key-worker housing, capital receipt funded a youth centre and early years centre as well as expanded adult education facilities and public library. There is a commitment from the private sector to private specialist sports facilities [opening 20th June] and fund the land to sport conversion. This year's projects are the completion of the major upgrade of the facilities and circulation areas, the construction of a 38m [100kW] wind turbine to part-power the school and the sealing of a deal to bring the local Primary Care medical facilities on to site. EFM's contract has been changed from manager to long-term partner and is now running the catering, leisure centre and income generation as a joint venture with the School, under the direction of the governing body. It is likely that in time pupils will join in and run this business for their education and experience.