RM PLC
11 April 2008
11 April 2008
RM chosen as ICT supplier for Newham BSF ICT project
RM has been selected by the London Borough of Newham to provide ICT services to
the Borough's BSF (Building Schools for the Future) programme. RM will deliver
the services as part of the Newham Learning Partnership (NLP), a Laing
O'Rourke-led consortium in which RM will hold a 15% stake and which has been
appointed selected bidder for the programme. Newham's BSF programme covers 15
schools and a sixth form centre, serving over 19,000 pupils.
The project, which is estimated to be worth approximately £53m to RM over eleven
years, will provide a sophisticated and flexible managed ICT service to Newham's
secondary schools. This will include in-school systems and software
infrastructure, a central data centre, and integration with the London Grid for
Learning's managed learning environment. RM will also be part of Newham's LEP
(Local Education Partnership), a public-private vehicle tasked with ensuring
Newham's secondary school estate meets the challenges of the 21st Century to the
benefit of all of Newham's learners.
Commenting on the contract, Tim Pearson, CEO of RM, said:
'Newham has a bold vision for education and we're delighted to be part of it. We
have a long and successful track record providing innovative ICT for learners
and teachers in the Borough, most recently through the Connected Learning
programme which has contributed to a real improvement in standards in primary
schools. We're looking forward to working with education managers in the Borough
and with Laing O'Rourke, our consortium partners, to help implement Newham's
Strategy for Change.
'The momentum of the BSF programme continues. This is the third project we've
won since the beginning of the calendar year - ahead of our target and a clear
indication that the quality of our ICT proposition is widely recognised.'
Councillor Quintin Peppiatt, Newham Council's Cabinet member for Children and
Young People, said:
'I am delighted that we have chosen a first class partner in NLP to work with us
to deliver new secondary school facilities across the borough. We are excited
that within a year we will start to see new school buildings that will allow our
secondary schools to deliver a transformed curriculum for the young people of
Newham.'
Tim Byles, Chief Executive of PfS, the government agency responsible for
delivering the BSF programme nationwide, said:
'We congratulate Newham on reaching this important milestone on their journey to
transform education for school children and communities in the area. The new and
improved buildings, facilities and technology will have an enormous impact on
the life chances of every child in Newham for decades to come, and I look
forward to charting the progress of this exciting scheme.'
For further information, please contact:
Mike Greig/Phil Hemmings, RM plc 08450 700300
Mark Antelme, Brunswick 020 7404 5959
Notes to Editors:
1.Founded in 1973, the RM Group is a leading provider of educational
products and services to schools, colleges and universities, local government
and central government education departments and agencies. RM works closely with
educationalists to create new products, processes and technology which improve
teaching and learning. RM is listed on the main market of the London Stock
Exchange under the symbol RM.L, ISIN GB0002870417.
2.BSF (Building Schools for the Future) is the largest single schools
capital investment programme for over 50 years. It aims to rebuild or renew
every one of England's 3,500 state secondary schools during the lifetime of the
programme. A key part of the initiative is to ensure that local authorities
develop a sustainable, area-wide ICT strategy for schools in line with the
Government's personalised learning agenda: 10% of the funding is ring-fenced for
ICT.
This information is provided by RNS
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