Education

Work on the new John Gray High School was stopped in 2012 because of the financial crisis and concerns about the educational model that was used was the basis for the original design. When the Government revisited the proposals in 2017 they made it clear that they wanted to turn the four half finished buildings into a single, departmentally-organized high school instead of the campus of academies that was originally planned.

Designed by Chalmers Gibbs, in partnership with educational specialists Jestico + Whiles from the UK, the new school was redesigned from the ground up based upon extensive stakeholder consultations and  workshops, that included not only government and education officials but the wider school community as well.

Integrating the mostly abandoned buildings was a challenge for the designers, which they resolved by designing wings that connect to each other around a central library, the heart of the new school.

The new school was officially opened in March 2023 and surpassed it's brief to deliver classrooms for the core subjects, classrooms for visual arts and humanities, ICT labs, a main dining hall, administration offices, and a library. It also has workshops for building and construction, automotive, clothing and textile, robotics, and home economics; a new performing arts sector with dance and drama studios, music studios, a performance theatre/assembly hall, a health suite and rooms for inclusion and care.

Appointed following a two-stage bidding process McAlpine were awarded the Design and Build Contract.

During the design phase Kevin Drysdale developed the robust cost plans and negotiating documents using the 3D BIM models. Working directly from BIM models was a new approach for JEC Property Consultants, but it is one that KastleCay (with Kevin's experience) fully endorses and promotes.

Kevin Drysdale oversaw the construction phase of the project as the Employer's Agent/Contract Administrator.

Work on the new John Gray High School was stopped in 2012 because of the financial crisis, with only the external shell of the new gymnasium completed.

Designed by OA+D Architects, in conjunction with their international partner Cannon Design, Chicago the 34,442 square foot facility is a multipurpose sports hall and hurricane shelter.

The contract was let to McAlpine following a traditional procurement route and was delivered on time and within 3% of the target budget.

Kevin Drysdale was the Quantity Surveyor throughout the project, and in partnership with the Client's internal project manager he helped develop a robust financial risk model using Monte Carlo risk modelling and an Earned Value Analysis report that was used on a monthly basis to measure the project's schedule and cost performance. These two tools would be further developed for the new High School project itself.

Located upon on the bluff adjacent to the islands multi-sport facility the design of the proposed new school was developed based upon an ambitious Client brief to deliver first class education for the children of The Brac, an extensive programme of stakeholder engagements and a challenging budget.

While employed by JEC Property Consultants Kevin Drysdale was appointed to the lead consultant role and tasked with developing a robust cost plan and the strategic delivery of the project, which given the islands remote location presented many challenges.

Designed by AR Potter and Associates, the phased expansion of the existing Francis Lettsome Primary School located in Greenland area of the East End of Tortola, BVI, involved the provision of additional classrooms, a new library and improved staff room accommodation. 

While employed by BCQS, Kevin Drysdale was appointed as the QS for Phase 1. His scope of work included the preparation of the bid documentation, drafting the proposed contract and undertaking a detailed tender evaluation of the bids received.

Once on site Kevin established the payment regime, change order protocols and the means of delivering regular financial reports to the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports.

As part of a feasibility study, commissioned by the BVI Government's Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports, to establish a comprehensive framework for development of a new high school strategy to address the future education needs of the BVI, Kevin Drysdale was tasked with establishing the comparable costs for the various options identified.

The study involved completing detailed assessments of the existing education estate and establishing the baseline investment needed to bring these buildings up to recognised international standards. Then robust order of magnitude estimates were prepared based upon various options established by specialist education consultants so that those costs could be compared against the baseline.

The cost estimates not only considered the initial investment required, it also considered comparable the costs in use between the baseline old versus new options.

Kevin Drysdale was appointed by a leading firm of accountants and business development consultants to establish a robust order of magnitude estimate for the development of a new school campus catering for the full range of preschool to sixth form students.

Whilst no further details of this confidential project can be provided it demonstrates our ability to generate a complex financial model well before the appointment of a design team