Reimagining Schools.
A snapshot of our clients
The foundation for all our school projects is the solid alliance we build with contractors and wider teams, grounded in our deep industry knowledge of the latest DfE generic design brief and technical annexes.
Projects
Our multidisciplinary teams have worked with more than 60 leading UK universities, drawing on decades of experience to design and deliver world-class campuses.
How we help
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People's Needs
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Net Zero Targets
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We unlock hidden value in your estate
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Designing for big dreams and bright futures
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Our multidisciplinary teams have worked with more than 60 leading UK schools and universities, drawing on decades of experience to design and deliver world-class educational facilities.
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How we add value
We put people first
Decades of designing buildings with educational outcomes in mind.
Focus on your pupils, staff and visitors. Your school needs to offer an environment that is safe, engaging and supportive for all its users that fosters learning, creativity, wellbeing and community. Our architects and engineers share their knowledge and long history in your sector to design and deliver new build and refurbished facilities that unlock wellness. Every decision they make is centred on providing the most adaptable spaces, the right tools and the very best experience for your pupils, staff and school users - however complex and diverse those needs may be. Whether for mainstream or SEN school facilities, we design with future expansion and adaptability in mind.
Health and wellbeing
Adaptable spaces
Stakeholder and user engagement
Design for people
Safeguarding
HVAC for comfort
Inclusivity and accessibility
© A beasley, Pembroke College
RIDGE.CO.UK
Net zero road maps
Waste heat transfer
Energy efficiency
Adaptive reuse
Sustainability certifications
Circularity
Climate change risk and resilience
Low carbon materials
Achieve targets, improve wellbeing, boost peformance. Sustainability and environmental responsibility are integral to the wellbeing of your school users, necessary to meet government targets and essential for efficient performance – for new builds and existing schools. Our engineers, surveyors and architects provide timely solutions to the political, technical, operational and behavioural challenges that are an important part of your journey to achieve sustainable, Net Zero Carbon schools. We are experts at retrofitting and building new schools however tight the timescale. We future-proof every space, hit Net Zero targets, and ensure that energy efficiency is a top priority to reduce operational costs.
We deliver sustainability with certainty
Our long track record demonstrates the pace that we deliver compliance schemes.
© Treetops Free School
Environmental responsibility is no longer optional, it is a core expectation from students, staff, and stakeholders. Universities are under pressure to meet Net Zero targets, reduce carbon footprints, and create environmentally responsible campuses - all while balancing cost pressures and operational constraints. Our team brings deep expertise in sustainable design, retrofit strategies, and circular economy principles, ensuring your estate isn’t just compliant but also resilient and future-ready. Through data-led carbon reduction plans and intelligent energy management, we help universities reduce costs, improve efficiency, and enhance their reputation as climate leaders. Whether it’s revolutionising existing buildings through low-carbon refurbishment or integrating renewable energy solutions, we ensure that sustainability is embedded, not just added on
Sustainability
Budget control
Cost management
DfE Compliance
Cross discipline support
Inhouse Technical Advisors
Value Engineering
School projects demand precise delivery within unforgiving parameters: DfE compliance, fixed budgets where overruns impact contractor margins, and condensed timescales that compress design periods to just 6 or 8 weeks. Misalignment between design ambitions and commercial realities can derail projects. We understand these pressures because we work within them daily. Our teams design to budget from the outset, ensuring alignment with costed contracts while meeting all DfE specifications, whether appointed on a single or multidisciplinary level. We collaborate digitally across disciplines, drawing on in-house environmental specialists and other expertise as projects demand. By taking a pragmatic approach that balances end-user needs with commercial realities, we create quality academic spaces that work for students and staff while delivering the commercial outcomes contractors need and the DfE requires, ensuring every project succeeds on all fronts.
We understand what contractors need
We support the delivery of fully compliant, quality school projects on time and on budget, creating academic spaces that satisfy both commercial requirements and end-user needs.
New build expertise
Refurbishments expertise
Dedicated MEP cost management support
PFI Support
Estate planning and strategy
Project and programme management
Stakeholder engagement
Student-centric design
Public realm transformation
Community facilities
Pastoral care
Learning commons
Campus identity
Inclusivity
Accessibility
Smart buildings
We design and optimise student-centric estates - across new builds, refurbishments and repurposed assets. This includes dynamic social spaces, state-of-the-art learning environments and high-quality accommodation. As teaching models evolve and students seek greater flexibility, we create future-ready spaces that align with academic strategy and modern student expectations to enhance wellbeing, overall student satisfaction and academic success.
We elevate the student experience
We create vibrant, inclusive and future-ready spaces that enhance your students’ experience, support wellbeing and foster deeper engagement.
UNDERPERFORMING ESTATES
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPECTATIONS
BUDGET CONSTRAINTS
STUDENT COMPETITION
© John Cairns, Exeter College
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Institution name
Read how our multidisciplinary team is supporting this £100 million campus transformation with new student accommodation and healthcare teaching facilities.
Find out how we are unlocking the full potential of this 590,000 square metre world-class estate through a five-year project management partnership.
Bournemouth and Poole College
Buckinghamshire college group
Our projects
Princes SEN Primary School
Read about a bold campus transformation supported by our multidisciplinary expertise - from project and cost management to engineering and architecture.
University of Portsmouth
Discover how our multidisciplinary team is reshaping this university’s campus - delivering major refurbishments, new labs and future-ready learning spaces.
Aston University
York St John University
University of Oxford
Higher Education
Click on a project below to find out more
Ridge is providing multidisciplinary services, including Architecture, Mechanical and Electrical, Transport Planning and Principal Design, for a new SEN school in Liverpool. The Princes SEN Primary School will support and inspire children aged four to 11 years old with severe learning disabilities. It will have capacity for 250 pupils and provide specialist teaching and therapeutic spaces, as well as calming outside environments designed to meet sensory needs.
Ridge provided multidisciplinary services and acted as lead consultants for Treetops Special Academy. This was the DfE’s first completed Net Zero Carbon ‘Pathfinder’ project and one of the first built under the offsite Modern Methods of Construction framework. The aim was to prove the concept before it could be replicated across new build school projects. The school now provides full-time education and therapeutic behavioural support for children with Special Educational Needs and visual and learning impairment.
Treetops Net Zero Carbon School
Ridge created a Net Zero Carbon design for Pinn River School, helping them deliver energy-saving measures with the maximum impact. Using energy modelling and sustainable solutions, we incorporated fossil fuel-free heating and rooftop solar panelling. Our team provided a full range of MEP and sustainability services for the project, developing it from RIBA Stage 2 through to construction.
Pinn River School
Ridge is delivering multidisciplinary services, including Architecture, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering and Sustainability Consultancy, for the construction of a primary and secondary SEND school. St John Vianney RC School will accommodate 160 non-ambulant pupils and provide a range of specialist spaces, including calming sensory rooms, a forest school area, fitness suite, hydrotherapy pool and flexible classrooms. Boasting a bio-solar roof, the development is Net Zero Carbon.
St John Vianney SEND School
Buckinghamshire College
Little Reddings Primary School
Bloxham School
Ridge provided Building Services Engineering, Net Zero Carbon Modelling and Climate-Based Daylight Modelling for Little Reddings Primary School. The school needed to be in line with 2080 climate conditions, which project much higher temperatures year-round. We introduced an innovative passive cooling strategy that uses Phase Change Materials, providing cooling in the summer and improved heating efficiency and cost effectiveness in the winter.
Ridge was engaged to provide Building Services Engineering, Net Zero Carbon Modelling and Climate-Based Daylight Modelling for the Bournemouth and Poole Further Education College project. Procured through the DfE HVB CF21 framework, the college required demolition and a new build that minimised energy use. Our team introduced a range of innovative solutions, including a heat recycling system which allows waste heat from ICT equipment to be used to heat domestic water, all electric kitchens with no equipment that burns fossil fuels and heat recovery by recirculating kitchen ventilation (reducing energy consumption by over 80%).
Ridge provided multidisciplinary services to deliver an energy reduction strategy study for Bloxham School in Oxfordshire. It was aimed at lowering the school’s operational energy costs, supporting their estate renovation plans and highlighting their positive impact on reducing carbon emissions while improving the health and wellbeing of pupils and staff. Our team produced an Energy Reduction Strategy Report that summarised the survey findings and proposed initiatives, costs and recommendations, supporting the school in their next steps for managing the estate.
Ridge supported Buckingham College Group to apply for Salix funding for the decarbonisation of its Aylesbury campus. We provided feasibility studies, options appraisals and cost estimates. Our role also included full support for the application process, completing the document for the client and providing technical detail, supporting documentation and management of the process up to submission. The funding application was ultimately successful, securing £1.85 million for the project.
Beaulieu Primary School
Cheney School
Knowsley SEND Primary School
Redhill Primary School
Knowsley Central School needed to increase their SEND offering to meet the growth of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan. Ridge provided multidisciplinary services for a Stage 2 feasibility study for the design of a new-build primary school. The design, which allowed for future expansion, featured therapy rooms, a hydrotherapy pool and classrooms with safe access to outdoor play. Our proposal provided an estimate of construction costs, an initial heating, ventilation, energy and daylighting strategy, and outlined the site constraints that could occur later in the project. We also produced a bespoke transport feasibility report for the school.
Cheney School, a co-educational secondary in Oxford, plans to expand from eight to nine forms of entry over a five-year period. Ridge provided multidisciplinary services for the critical first stage – the replacement of a 1950s science and teaching building with a new two-storey block. We oversaw the demolition and asbestos management, the decanting into temporary accommodation and the design and delivery of a new high-quality building featuring seven science laboratories, seven classrooms and two flexible break-out spaces.
Ridge worked with BCHN Architects on this £1.5 million project to create a more bespoke, energy-efficient building for Redhill Nursery. Providing Mechanical and Electrical, Structural and Civil services, we helped to create a passive design using local climate conditions to maintain comfortable temperatures in the building, including air source heat pumps and low carbon technology. The new nursery, which achieved an 'A' rated EPC on completion, was designed and developed with the Thomas Telford Academy Trust for 40 pupils.
Thanks to our expertise in delivering Net Zero Carbon schools, Ridge was appointed to provide Building Services Engineering, Sustainability and Energy Modelling, and Climate-Based Daylight Modelling for the development of Beaulieu Primary School. The school was designed to achieve Essex County Council climate resilience targets, which included overheating assessments using a London Gatwick 2050 weather file. To achieve this, solar shading was incorporated on the south-facing façade, enabling passive solar heating during the winter while also preventing solar gains and overheating in the summer. The school building is Net Zero Carbon in Operation and fully compliant with LETI guidelines for energy efficiency and usage.
St John Fisher Secondary School
Net Zero Oak Academy School
Ash Green School
Castleford Academy Trust
Ridge was working with Creative Education Trust on a project at Ash Green School in Coventry when an existing vital teaching building suffered a structural failure. We were engaged to manage its replacement, providing Architecture, Civil and Structural Engineering, Building Services Engineering and Principal Design. The new facility features nine classrooms and three science laboratories with associated amenity spaces, alongside two IT suites, staff offices and toilets.
Ridge Building Services engineers worked with architects Jestico and Whiles to deliver the Oak Academy Secondary School from Feasibility to Stage 3 in just six weeks. The £20 million project has energy efficiency and passive performance at its heart, featuring air source heat pumps, an extensive bio-solar roof and passive stack ventilation – all free from fossil fuels. This scheme was one of the earliest projects released on the DfE’s CF21 framework and delivered using the Spec21 Output Specification.
Ridge delivered two key projects for Castleford Academy Trust under an ongoing Project Consultancy framework. The first involved comprehensive design and project management for a roof replacement, providing end-to-end support from surveys through to contract administration as Principal Designer. The second comprised full building condition surveys across four Northern Ambition Trust schools as part of a merger consultation, assessing building fabric, mechanical and electrical installations in accordance with BCIS and RICS standards. By coordinating early engagement with approved contractors, our team identified practical considerations and remedial costs beyond standard inspections, delivering both projects on time, within budget, and with minimal disruption to school operations.
Occupying an aging building that had become unsuitable for their needs, the St John Fisher Secondary School required a new site that would offer outstanding facilities for students, staff and the local community. Ridge supported Wates Building Services to win the DfE’s design and build contract, and carried out full Mechanical and Electrical design up to RIBA Stage 5. The new school can accommodate 900 pupils and 285 sixth formers, offering high-quality facilities including a sports pitch, chapel, gym and drama studio. The completed building achieved an EPC A rating.
Bromley High School Junior
Zero-Carbon Teaching Block
21 Standard School
Deyes High School
Ridge provided Building Services Engineering and Sustainability Consultancy for the development of a standardised school prototype. Sustainability was at the core of the Net Zero Carbon project, which incorporated passive design strategies and innovative lighting solutions. The school was also future-proofed for resilience to climate change. The School 21 prototype has since been rolled out successfully on a number of projects, with a high 'win' ratio.
Ridge helped Over Hall Community School secure ESFA funding to develop a prefabricated, contemporary and Net Zero Carbon classroom building. Its energy-efficient design features super-insulative walls and roof, roof-mounted PV panels and a combined ventilation and heat recovery system. The classrooms now inspire KS2 children to learn more about how they can save energy and embrace sustainability.
Ridge provided Civil and Structural Engineering services for the new-build construction of Deyes High School in Liverpool. The school offers high-tech classrooms, specialist science laboratories, a library and learning centre, art studios and a multipurpose sports and games area. The building has sustainability at its heart and is Net Zero Carbon thanks to the installation of a bio-solar roof and air source heat pumps. Drainage that met Lead Local Flood Authority requirements, alongside our careful modelling and calculations, alleviated the risk of flooding to the site.
Ridge provided Cost Management services for the £4 million refurbishment of Bromley High Junior School. Supporting the design team, project manager, school stakeholders and client representatives, we kept the project on target and within scope, from budget estimates to the Final Account. The refurbishment included a new library, ICT suite, upgraded classrooms and offices, and new external areas for student enjoyment. The project is regarded as a success story by the school and the Girls’ Day School Trust.
Bromley High School Junior Refurbishment
BACK TO PROJECTS
For over a decade, we’ve worked alongside the University of Oxford through its evolving project management framework, developing a trusted partnership with its Estates Services team and wide network of stakeholders. As the estate gears up for significant growth, we have been appointed to lead the next five-year phase of capital projects across the 590,000 square metre estate - home to world-renowned research labs, libraries, museums and teaching spaces. Operating as part of the university’s internal team, we are supporting projects ranging from state-of-the-art research facilities to major refurbishments that reimagine office and learning spaces.
Pembroke College
New Porter's Lodge
We delivered multidisciplinary services for the refurbishment of Pembroke College’s Grade I listed Porter’s Lodge and adjacent office. The project combined sensitive modern design with historic character, including refurbished windows, bespoke frameless glass doors and custom oak furniture designed in-house by Ridge.
Exeter College
Library
We delivered cost and project management expertise for the £11 million restoration and refurbishment of Exeter College’s Grade II listed library. The project modernised 700 square metres of study space, carefully coordinating extensive works to enhance facilities while preserving the character and heritage of this historic academic building.
Merton College
Lecture theatre
We have proudly supported Merton College for over 15 years. For this project, we delivered multidisciplinary services for a new acoustically-responsive theatre for lectures and music within the Grade I listed college grounds. Our team carefully studied the site and its historic surroundings, developing a design that fitted naturally, with building size, shape and materials chosen to complement the existing architecture.
Lincoln College Renovation of Turl Street and Mitre Accommodation
St John's College Porter's Lodge Refurbishment
Somerville College Student accommodation
Other projects
© A Beasley
© John Cairns
© Dan Paton
© Diane Auckland
© A beasley
Close to the city walls and York’s historic centre, York St John University is investing £100 million to transform its facilities and meet the needs of a rising student population. As part of this ambition, our multidisciplinary team has delivered a three-storey, 6,000 square metre student accommodation development and specialist healthcare teaching spaces. We are also providing our expertise for the extension and refurbishment of the university’s Design Centre.
Peppermill Court
We delivered multidisciplinary expertise for a new 210-bed, three-storey student accommodation development, helping York St John University improve and consolidate its accommodation portfolio. This supports the university’s commitment to providing guaranteed, affordable housing for all UK and international first-year students. We’re also providing design and management services for the conversion of a newly acquired city centre office building into additional student accommodation.
© Design Engine Architects
Healthcare Teaching Spaces
We delivered multidisciplinary services, including design, for Phase 2 of this healthcare education project, creating specialist spaces for radiography, ODP and midwifery training. The new facilities include MRI and x-ray suites, a mock operating theatre, birthing spaces, seminar rooms and recovery areas. It delivers a welcoming, high-spec environment that supports hands-on learning in real-world clinical settings.
Design Centre
We are providing cost management expertise for the phased extension and refurbishment of the Design Centre, supporting creative courses including game and graphic design. The scheme includes a new two-storey extension, upgraded studios and teaching spaces and sustainable heating and ventilation systems. This is being delivered to meet strict funding timelines while creating a dynamic, future-ready environment for design students.
Aston University is undertaking a bold campus transformation, supported by our multidisciplinary team. Driven by a vision to establish a distinctive ‘urban university’ identity and optimise space across the estate, the capital programme spans new builds, refurbishments, relocations, demolitions and landscaping. The redesigned campus will open up key gateways, connecting to the city centre and future HS2 Station.
Main Building
Our Project Management, Building Services Engineering and Health and Safety teams are leading the transformation of Aston University’s Main Building - home to 75% of its teaching space. Plans include demolishing the South Wing, delivering an accessible new entrance and reimagining the surrounding landscape to reflect Aston’s bold Estate Strategy and ‘urban university’ identity.
Cyber Factory
We project managed the delivery of Aston University’s £2 million Cyber Factory - a new Industry 4.0 training hub for the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology. From risk and procurement to stakeholder coordination, we kept the project moving through pandemic and supply chain challenges, delivering a cutting-edge facility on time and on budget.
Pharmaceutical Laboratory
We delivered project management and cutting-edge M&E design for new pharmaceutical teaching labs, transforming dated lecture spaces into high-spec, future-ready environments. From aseptic suites to advanced HVAC and AV integration, we helped create a benchmark facility that blends energy efficiency, technical precision and teaching innovation at the heart of the university’s evolving estate.
City Centre
Acquired in March 2023 by Aston University, John Cadbury House, formerly known as Citadel, is a commercial office building located in the heart of Birmingham's City Centre in a location bridged between their campus and the city. Acting as an enterprise and alumni hub for the University, as well as a dedicated space for the chancellery, executive and professional services teams to work from, the space required full CAT B refurbishment lighting, HVAC, power and AV systems to achieve client requirements.
The University of Portsmouth has set out to become the UK’s top modern university by 2030. To support this ambition, we led the masterplan for a £250 million campus transformation, underpinned by a commitment to people-focused, sustainable and digitally-connected spaces. Alongside the masterplan, we played a key role in developing proposals for the landmark £100 million Faculty of Technology Building. Together, these projects create flexible, future-ready environments that balance in-person and remote learning, enhance wellbeing and support academic excellence.
Campus Masterplan
We reimagined the University of Portsmouth’s campus, putting student wellbeing front and centre in a bold vision to attract and nurture world-class talent. This transformation set out to deliver cutting-edge facilities while reinforcing the university’s position as a leader in science and technology. We brought together multidisciplinary expertise from within Ridge, including project and cost managers, architects, MEP designers, civil and structural engineers and flood risk consultants.
Faculty of Technology
As part of the university’s bold campus transformation, our multidisciplinary team developed proposals for a landmark £100 million Faculty of Technology Building, consolidating seven outdated facilities into one sustainable, inclusive hub. Developed with university academics, it supports learning, research and social connection, with a focus on wellbeing, inclusivity and renewable technology.
Digital Estate Masterplan
Our Digital Engineering team has partnered with the University of Portsmouth to define and drive their digital strategy across their transformative campus masterplan. We're delivering information management and BIM coordination on every project - ensuring consistent, high-quality outcomes through smarter processes, aligned standards and close collaboration with the university’s Estates department.
Education Lead
Click one of our experts to get in touch with them
Paul Deverill pauldeverill@ridge.co.uk
Alice Parker aliceparker@ridge.co.uk
Paul Harding pharding@ridge.co.uk
Schools Lead
Head of PFI Advice
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