Q&A with James Strang, Property Director at Melrose Education

Name: James Strang

Role: Property Director

Who is Melrose Education?

Melrose Education is a company with a strategy of building an outstanding group of special education needs and alternative education schools in England. Our priority is to positively change education outcomes for every one of our learners. Our senior management team and teaching and support staff are dedicated to achieving this meaningful goal with passion and experience.

How many locations do Melrose Education currently have?

We currently have 11 operating schools located across the country. In addition, we have two new sites under construction and two either in planning and or legals.

Melrose Property Requirements:

Required building area: 7,000 sq ft +

Site area: 0.5 acres + allowing for car parking and outdoor play space. Alternatively access to nearby outdoor play areas / sport facilities may be considered.

Use class: ideally existing education and or other uses/building types that lend themselves to educational use for 50+ SEND learners

Tenure: Freehold, however long leasehold may be considered.

Target locations?

Please see attached our latest requirements list. As we continue to expand our provision of SEND schools across England, the following will be subject to change and or new additions so please continue to follow Melrose.

Target locations:

We are currently seeking opportunies in the following Local Planning Authorities; Bexley / Bromley / Cornwall / Coventry / Dudley / Greenwich / Lewisham / Sandwell / Stafford / Walsall / West Devon / Wolverhampton

What are the main challenges you face when acquiring new property?

Given the type of educational provision we offer, finding appropriate sites can be challenging, especially when situated within complex search areas.

We are ideally targeting sites that are already in educational use, however recent acquisitions of former office buildings and repurposing them have delivered exceptional educational facilities meeting these restricted search parameters.

What opportunities are there in the sector?

The SEND school sector continues to show growth and resilience amidst evolving policy landscapes and financial pressures that other educational institutions are struggling to operate within.

As seen in recent publications, the introduction of VAT on private school fees has created uncertainties across the independent school sector, resulting in schools having to reassess their financial strategies and or subsequently close and cease trading.

Naturally it is assumed that former educational assets will begin to come to the market. We at Melrose however would like to explore it from a more collaborative stance and approach – working with schools that are exploring alternative avenues to generate capital in order to continue to operate rather than to close. We believe that there is a strategic pathway, leveraging surplus school property to generate capital receipts that can be reinvested back into the school estate. This approach not only provides a financial uplift but also supports the sustainability and future growth for these schools, ensuring they continue to serve their communities, whilst meeting the need for more SEND provision in England.

Favourite school acquisition

Whilst at LocatED (property arm to the DfE), I acquired a former police station and law courts site in Central Bournemouth to deliver a new state of the art 1,500 pupil place mainstream all-through school. The school opened in 2021 and now has circa 597 pupils on the school roll, achieving good to outstanding in their latest Ofsted inspection.

Favourite spots for coffee or drinks?

Like most people in property, my geography general knowledge tends to be based on the locations of café’s and or pubs. I would consider myself a coffee snob, so a decent espresso is key especially whilst out on the road inspecting sites. Recent favourites include Sabzi in Truro and Quince and Clover in Great Tew, Chipping Norton.

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You can view more information and contact details here

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