Portakabin provides ideal solution for quick, quality classroom accommodation

With the end of the summer term fast approaching, headteachers and bursars across the country are finalising plans for any additional classroom accommodation that is needed for the new academic year. For those that require extra buildings in time for the start of the new term in early September, it’s not too late to get quality buildings in place.

Portakabin, the UK’s leading modular building provider, has developed a purpose-built double classroom building to provide schools with the ideal solution.



Available for hire or to purchase, the 64m² Portakabin Classroom buildings exceed DfES size guidelines, and, due to the nature of modular construction, can be delivered to a school within days of an order being placed. Offering a stimulating and attractive working environment, they can be up-and-running within hours of arriving on-site, therefore minimising disruption to the school.

The buildings can also help schools increase their spending efficiency in line with the recent Gershon Report.

As the 2007-08 target for annual savings of over £6.45billion¹ in public sector spending approaches, headteachers and bursars are increasingly looking for more economic methods of procuring buildings while ensuring quality standards are maintained.

As well as offering speedy delivery and high quality environments, Portakabin Classrooms are delivered to site fully fitted with all electrics and plumbing, therefore reducing the need for additional tradesmen on-site.

The buildings have been specifically designed to provide specialist teaching resources with high levels of natural light - a key factor in productivity and motivation - good ventilation and excellent energy efficiency.

Mike Williams, General Manager of Portakabin Hire Division, said, ‘Research shows that 76% of teachers and 54% of students think classroom design is vital in influencing students’ ability to learn. The quality of the teaching space available along with lighting, ventilation, noise and temperature levels also all play a crucial role² and can result in improvements in learning of up to 26%³.

‘Portakabin Classrooms have been designed with all of this in mind, while also offering headteachers and bursars a more practical, faster, convenient and cost-effective method of procurement. This allows savings to be made without compromising on service, value or delivery.’

A one-stop-shop solution

As well as supplying excellent quality classroom space, Portakabin can provide all the other services required to complete a building project through its one-stop-shop solutions for hire offering. Providing an ideal way to improve procurement efficiency and value for money, the service includes everything from obtaining planning permission and completing groundworks, through to installing climate control and security systems.

It also includes the brand new classroom furniture range from Portakabin Interiors, which has been specifically designed to meet the demands of a classroom environment. Strong and robust with riveted tamper proof fixings, the range of desks and chairs has been thoroughly tested by the Furniture Industry Research Association to meet stringent classroom safety guidelines.

Portakabin scores top marks

As a result of the high quality, value-for-money environments Portakabin buildings provide and the range of services offered, the company has achieved accredited supplier status with OGCbuying.solutions, the executive agency of the Office of Government Commerce.

Following a stringent selection process, which included pre-qualification questionnaires, a competitive tender and interviews, Portakabin was included in a four-year modular building framework agreement with OGCbuying.solutions. This enables public sector organisations looking for accommodation solutions to avoid the costly, compulsory competitive tender process and turn to Portakabin to fulfil all their requirements.

A spokesperson for OGCbuying.solutions said, ‘Portakabin proved to us that the company offers the high standards of service, product quality and value we demand from our accredited suppliers.

‘We were also very impressed by the full turn-key package that Portakabin offers. From processing planning permissions to installing climate control systems, access ramps and furniture, the company is able to handle everything, offering complete peace of mind for customers.’

Service with a smile

In addition to offering quality products, Portakabin also aims to provide excellent levels of service to customers at all times. All Portakabin buildings come with the company’s pioneering Customer Charter4, which promises to deliver all projects on time and on budget.

If Portakabin ever fails to meet a contract start date, the customer will be entitled to a week’s free hire for every day the building is late or an additional six months’ product warranty5 on buildings that are purchased.

Mike Williams concluded, ‘At Portakabin we aim to provide all our customers with complete peace of mind that their building projects will be completed to the highest standards, on time and on budget.

‘We are also committed to helping schools meet the targets set out in the Gershon report. Our expert team allows us to provide a full range of products and services that can take care of all aspects of a building project, therefore increasing efficiency and enabling schools to make much needed savings in terms of speed of delivery and resources invested in managing the projects.’

For more details on how Portakabin buildings and services can benefit your school call 0845 359 0059, email news@portakabin.co.uk or log on to www.portanews.co.uk.

Notes to Editors

¹ As outlined in the Gershon Report.
² Source: ‘Best Practice in Classroom Design’. Ministry of Education, New Zealand, 2004.
³ Based on research conducted by the Heshong Mahone Group (1999), Fair Oaks, California.
4 Terms and conditions apply. A copy is available on request.
5 All Portakabin buildings that are purchased come with a 5-year product warranty, which covers the external fabric of the building and a 20-year structural warranty, which covers the load bearing elements of the building.

Porta, Portakabin, Portakabin Classrooms and Portakabin Interiors are trade marks.

For further media information contact Viccy Hodson, Louise Wylie or Carly Pattison at Ptarmigan Consultants on 0113 242 1155 or email jamesh@ptarmiganpr.co.uk / louise@ptarmiganpr.co.uk / carly@ptarmiganpr.co.uk.