SUPPORTING YOU WITH YOUR EDUCATION ESTATE
Sewell Advisory was formed in 2025, bringing together the established estates consultancies of Shared Agenda and Community Ventures and their 25 combined years of history of working in partnership with public sector organisations across the country.
We know education estates inside out, having supported schools, academies and higher education institutions through some of the largest investment programmes in the UK. We help education providers make confident, informed decisions that shape better outcomes for pupils, students, staff and communities as we help plan, fund and deliver inspiring, inclusive learning environments that stand the test of time so that you can concentrate on delivering high quality education for your pupils and students.
We can help you manage your competing priorities and put in place plans which will ensure your building is fit for the future.
Services we offer include:
- Utilisation studies
- BB103 and BB104 capacity analysis
- Pupil place planning and sufficiency strategies
- Estate strategies and sustainability advice
- Feasibility studies
- Project and programme management
- Bid and funding application support
Helping create a SEND sufficiency strategy
For some local authorities, managing the need for SEND places is more difficult than others. One local authority had a rising trend for pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) needing special school places, with this trend growing at more than the national average.
They asked us to work with their in-house SEND and schools team, reviewing data on historic and current trends to create a forecast of the number of special school places that are likely to be required across the area, classified by the SEND designation of the pupils.
We then reviewed the existing estate to establish how and where additional capacity could be created, and identify the scale of the future shortfall in places. Our strategy and forecasting dovetailed with the local authority’s inclusion strategy, which aimed to increase the ability of mainstream schools to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.
This sufficiency strategy sat at the cornerstone of the local authority’s successful free school application to the Department for Education, resulting in approval and funding to build a much-needed 125-pupil setting for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
Remodelling a school to expand SEND capacity
Sewell Education York is a successful long-term operational public private partnership which has involved the design, build, maintenance and operation of four primary schools in the city of York.
Sewell Advisory provides SPV management as well as governance, strategy advice and project management services for the partnership, and as part of our role we planned the remodelling of a primary school to help alleviate pressure on the city’s special educational needs estate.
“The open and creative teamwork has relentlessly focused on pupil need and, despite challenging timescales, has delivered an excellent outcome for the school.”
Struggling with an ageing estate?
Nikola Idle, our Deputy CEO, reflects on the issues schools and academies are facing every day due to their ageing estates, and gives you a series of practical steps you can take to avoid your estate continuing to deteriorate.
About us
Well, for a start, we’ve got a diverse team of over 60 skilled estates professionals, brimming with energy and ready to get stuck in.
We’re ready and willing to really listen and then work together to find a solution to your challenges – whether it’s understanding how to use what you have more effectively, squeezing maximum value from your funding, long-term estate planning, unlocking capital funding, or delivering new or refurbished facilities, our offer is rooted in deep sector knowledge and practical experience.
Many of our team have also worked directly with education leaders, so we understand the unique challenges facing the sector – creating inspiring, safe and inclusive learning environments while managing resources carefully.
understanding your industry
The education, healthcare and commercial sectors are where we excel, with experienced consultants who understand the industry and can navigate you through the complex regulatory, funding and compliance landscapes.
We know education estates inside out, having supported schools, academies and higher education institutions through some of the largest investment programmes in the UK alongside day-to-day management of some of the schools we have helped developed along the way.
We’re based in the north of England, but we work nationwide, supporting customers the length and breadth of the country.
We can support your ambitions for students in your region
Find out more about us in our education capability statement or speak to one of our experts.
