Place Group has been successfully appointed to initially manage the feasibility phase of an exciting opportunity to establish boarding places at the Harefield Academy. The Academy opened in 2005 and is due to move into new buildings in September 2008. It specialises in sport and is striving to become a Centre of Sporting Excellence - and to support its aims, funding has been made available to explore the addition of a 50 place boarding facility.

Hampshire County Council has commissioned Place Group to assist with the early preparation of its BSF programme. This initial engagement will be focused on establishing a plan to highlight the necessary actions to effectively communicate the aspirations of Hampshire County Council and its many stakeholders.

Place Group has been supporting a number of its local authority clients in the final stages of preparing their Primary Capital Programme Strategy for Change which was submitted this month. Client Director Helen Ryan commented, "We have supported a number of authorities in recognising the need to join up when considering how they will use their PCP allocation. This includes developing and communicating the context, background, vision and rationale of what is needed and how schemes will be prioritised. This requires an effective consultation plan to be underway to ensure that stakeholders understand and buy in to outline plans.”

Place Group has taken its total number of Academy projects to 24 after being appointed as Project Manager and Education Advisor for the Francis Combe Academy in Watford. Richard Stone, Place Group’s Academies Director highlighted that, "In responding to this opportunity, Place Group recognised that the Francis Combe Academy represents an outstanding opportunity for the development of a community-focused school in Watford. Sponsored by West Herts College, it brings a powerful coalition of collaborative partners in the form of the School, the College and Hertfordshire University. The Academy will be a local school for local children, serving a local community and playing a key role within the existing family of secondary schools in Watford."

Place Group has been appointed as Project Manager and Education Advisor to establish an 11-16 Academy with six forms of entry, on the site of the existing Hayward School. Jim Lythgow, Place Group’s Project Director commented, "We are very happy to have been selected to support the establishment of this Academy which is sponsored by the ESSA Foundation with Bolton Council as co-sponsor, working in wider partnership with the University of Bolton.

We will have an important role in supporting the sponsors to ensure that they meet their aim of creating an Academy that is driven by the needs of the community which the school serves - and being a key factor in addressing some of Bolton's community cohesion plans. This Academy will also further enable young people and their families in the area to access new learning opportunities."

Oasis Community Learning has selected Place Group as an education consultancy framework provider to support the establishment of future Oasis Academies. Oasis is currently sponsoring some 10 Academies and Place Group is already providing specific support to the Coulsdon Academy project in the London Borough of Croydon.