Here, we profile the winners of the first Education Property Awards, held recently in Leeds

Organised by Nexus Media Group, publisher of Education Property magazine, the Education Property Awards were launched late last year to recognise innovative projects, organisations, and individuals in the education property space.

And the winners were announced at a black-tie event on Tuesday at the Leeds Marriott Hotel with a three-course dinner and celebrity guest host, Irish comedian, Keith Farnan.

Trophies were handed out across 13 categories and here you can read more about the winners and the judges’ comments.

 

 

Early Years Project of the Year

Winner: Orchard House School
Dukes Education, LXA Projects

Picking this project as their winner, the judges said it was ‘nice to see something other than the standard Scandi-type, open-plan design which is adopted by so many operators’.

They added: “We liked seeing a nursery which does not follow the typical layout and fit-out which is now so generic.

“Installing structures in playrooms is new and I have not seen this before.

“We particularly like the use of areas for different activities, which are zoned.”

The project came after two schools and nurseries in Chiswick, London, were unified under the Dukes Education umbrella, prompting a strategic reallocation of Key Stages across three neighbouring buildings.

The challenge was to reimagine these spaces, ensuring they were fully prepared to welcome young people for the new autumn term.

At Rupert Road, the team designed each space to specifically support the developmental needs of early years groups.

The goal was to create an environment where young learners could engage, explore, and grow in a setting that is both safe and stimulating.

The ground floor fosters discovery and interaction, offering a playful atmosphere that extends beyond the conventional classroom.

A creative and engaging framework transforms the space into an active learning environment, encouraging movement, imagination, and hands-on experiences where interactive design elements spark curiosity and creativity, making learning immersive and dynamic.

A central feature of the space is the playhouse, which divides a carpeted learning area with an interactive screen from open-plan play areas, ensuring maximum flexibility.

And every corner of the room is designed to enrich a child’s day with meaningful learning experiences.

In the centre, furniture can be easily moved to allow different settings for learning and play.

We liked seeing a nursery which does not follow the typical layout and fit-out which is now so generic

To balance the structured framework, the design team introduced carefully-selected finishes and furnishings that add warmth and comfort.

Complementing this dynamic ground-floor setting, the first floor transitions into a more-traditional learning environment where a structured classroom layout provides a balance between focused academic work and the development of motor skills through playful engagement.

Through close collaboration with the contractor, the team successfully brought this vision to life, delivering the refurbishment within a six-week timeframe.

Primary School Project of the Year

Winner: East Calder Primary School

The new East Calder Primary School provides a unique and sustainable education facility, seamlessly integrating collaborative and individual workspaces with outdoor play and learning spaces.

The striking triangular form is a great example of low-energy, holistic design, derived specifically from its own particular place.

Equipped with the latest resources to enhance the learner journey, from modern classrooms, to a STEM lab, flexible learning spaces, and new technology, every corner has been designed with the needs of its young people at its heart.

This inspiring learning space is successfully supporting academic achievement while nurturing creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking.

The new building is also being exploited by its young pupils as a learning tool, where the embedded technology is helping learners to better understand both the school and the environment around them.

The site itself has good orientation for a low-energy design.

A compact triangular form is thermally and functionally efficient, conducive to good value and arguably easier and quicker to build.

Occupying a generally-flat northern portion of the site, the building is entered at its south western corner before slowly revealing the complex blend of inter-connected spaces within.

The manipulation of scale, light, and form provided by the design are all important factors in creating exciting, site-specific architecture which brings joy to the user, especially young people.

This undoubtedly adds value for the client, but in a dynamic, architecturally-interesting presence with an excellent heat loss form factor of just 2.4.

This added value allowed the use of double, rather than triple, glazing, further helping to reduce the carbon footprint of the project.

The project has a south elevation to absorb heat, but no north elevation from which to lose heat; greatly improving environmental performance in the context of a low-energy building.

The building has been built to comply with Band A LEIP funding requirements, providing thermal performance directly applicable to Passivhaus standards.

This is a wonderful combination of unique form and space utilisation to provide a wide variety of spaces for learning and connection that I can see working well for both educational and pastoral purposes

The school also has a better form factor than any Passivhaus project yet built in Scotland.

The building is also capable of future extension in a considered manner, which minimises disruption to the ongoing delivery of education.

The provision of flexible space has many educational benefits but would also prove helpful in any future pandemic situation as well.

As well as the improved social setting for young people, teaching staff are also benefiting, feeling an increased sense of community and closeness to colleagues because of the open-plan nature of the design.

Commenting on the project, the judges said: “This is a wonderful combination of unique form and space utilisation to provide a wide variety of spaces for learning and connection that I can see working well for both educational and pastoral purposes.

“It represents a strong, clear concept creating a unique school, highly executed to benefit students and creating generous internal circulation and breakout spaces that flow intuitively around the central hall space.”

School Project of the Year

Winner: Dulwich College Lower School Library Building
Dulwich College, alma-nac

alma-nac’s approach to the revamp of Dulwich College Lower School Library reimagines the educational environment and is designed to enhance interaction, innovation, and wellbeing.

Flexible furniture, adaptable spaces, and a double-height atrium create an inspirational space for students and the local community.

The vision for the Junior School and Lower School site was to remove an existing temporary library/ICT building and replace it with a new purpose-built ‘knowledge exchange’ to provide a contemporary library alongside state-of-the-art Information and Communication Technology (ICT) suites.

This new building offers a new presence for the Lower School and creates a more-prominent entrance area.

Located on the footprint of the existing temporary library building, the new building has a direct visual and physical connection with the Lower School courtyard.

Mobile book display shelves can be located within the space for specific showcases, and a simple adaptable seating feature, or ‘forum space’, allows for a variety of configurations from day-to-day group learning to lectures, debates, and discussions.

And a feature stair provides a ‘full stop’ to the double-height gallery space, while lift access is available, ensuring that the existing and new building is accessible to all users.

The first-floor gallery provides a more-traditional library space with display areas for books as well as a group working table, reading nooks, and individual study spaces along the east elevation provide quiet working space overlooking the playing fields.

The double-height atrium connects the two library spaces, with views back down to ground-floor level as well as to the library garden beyond.

This project exemplifies how contemporary architecture can co-exist with tradition, setting a benchmark for future educational spaces that are both inspiring and environmentally responsible

At second-floor level the additional volume is inset to reduce the perceived scale of the new building and an exposed glulam timber roof structure creates a calming learning.

The scheme has a material palette of concrete, timber, and brick – complementing the campus’s historic and iconic Charles Barry Jr red brick and stone buildings, while also being contemporary and forward-looking.

The selected materials are intended to be hardwearing and low maintenance; critical factors for school buildings subject to heavy traffic.

Sustainability was also key from the outset, with the client and alma-nac working closely with Max Fordham to develop the services strategy for the project and the project was registered as a London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) net-zero carbon pioneer project.

The judges said of the project: “This project exemplifies how contemporary architecture can co-exist with tradition, setting a benchmark for future educational spaces that are both inspiring and environmentally responsible.”

School Project of the Year (International)

Winner: Xàbia International College (XIC) Primary Campus
Xàbia International College, Affinitas Education, Espacios Maestros

The new Xàbia International College (XIC) Primary Campus in Jávea, Spain, is a cutting-edge development that integrates thoughtful design with a deep understanding of the specific needs of young learners, staff, and the wider community.

This innovative space fosters an enriching educational experience, blending functionality, sustainability, and flexibility for early years education.

The unique round modules provide a dynamic and modern learning environment that encourages collaboration and creativity.

Each module is thoughtfully equipped with the latest technology and learning resources, allowing students to explore and engage in their education in new and exciting ways.

The design is rich with cultural identity and feels like a village where learning happens

The building will enable the school to continue its commitment to individualised attention, providing students with the support and resources they need to succeed.

The campus will inspire creativity, encourage innovation, and foster a love of learning in students.

The judges commended the project as both ‘ambitious and embracing of the local culture and landscape to create a place for learning that feels accessible to and built for the community’.

And they said its design ‘is rich with cultural identity and feels like a village where learning happens’, adding: “This is a fascinating and unique design concept.

“The spatial organisation is great, and the creation of a ‘community’ between the separate buildings is something to be celebrated.

“Elevated walkways and circular forms are soft, playful and tactile – something that young minds will be inspired by for many generations to come.”

SEND Project of the Year (Sponsored by The Harkalm Group)

Winner: Silverwood SEND School
Wiltshire Council, AHR

This project was praised by the judges for ‘offering high-quality facilities that not only serve their functional purpose, but also make the most of the surrounding landscape’.

The Silverwood SEND School serves as a model for inclusive education, supporting students aged 4-19 with a wide range of needs, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), multiple, severe, and profound learning difficulties, as well as medical conditions.

The development brings together three existing schools – Larkrise, St Nicholas, and Rowdeford – into a cohesive campus, transforming the educational experience for SEND students in the region.

The project includes a new net-zero-carbon school building, a hydrotherapy pool, horticulture and wildlife learning areas, as well as a refurbished Grade II-listed manor house for residential respite and administrative spaces.

Recognising the broad diversity of the student body, the design incorporates a flexible approach that accommodates varying cognitive and developmental stages.

And the school’s ‘stage not age’ philosophy ensures students receive personalised learning experiences, with the flexibility to transition smoothly throughout their time at school.

The design adheres to SEND BB104 guidance, offering a variety of spaces that cater to students’ specific needs – including sensory spaces, therapy areas, and quiet zones.

The building is organised around a central spine, with three wings that branch out to create a series of connected learning clusters.

Recognising the logistics associated with students travelling, the two entrances and generous frontage set the tone for the day as a calm, adaptable environment.

Students can engage in a range of activities with two external courtyards acting as outdoor extensions of the learning spaces, promoting enrichment, group work, and quiet reflection.

The sensitive design of these spaces, alongside sensory gardens and all-weather pitches, further supports an effective learning environment for SEND students.

Additionally, four dining spaces allow for smaller, more-adaptable settings, encouraging student independence and providing a calmer dining experience.

The thoughtful layout ensure that all users can work and learn in spaces that are effective and supportive.

The building incorporates natural lighting, optimal acoustics, and natural materials, such as cross-laminated timber (CLT), to create a calming atmosphere that reduces distraction and promotes focus.

Placing a strong emphasis on sustainability and carbon reduction, Silverwood aligns with Wiltshire Council’s vision for carbon neutrality by 2030, incorporating energy-efficient fabric, natural ventilation, and renewable energy systems.

A photovoltaic array generates electricity to offset the school’s carbon emissions, and the use of CLT for the building’s structure ensures a low embodied carbon footprint.

These strategies, combined with a robust passive design approach, make Silverwood a model for low-carbon SEND facilities.

And stakeholder engagement was key, with the design team working closely with Wiltshire Council’s education team, the school’s senior leadership, staff, governors, parents, and students to ensure the design reflected the needs, aspirations, and values of all involved.

The consultations also involved working with local planning authorities, ecology officers, and conservation specialists to mitigate the environmental impact of the project, ensuring that the natural surroundings of the site were preserved and enhanced.

The resulting landscape design increases biodiversity by 14%, with over 3,000 trees planted as part of a ‘greening’ initiative.

Higher or Further Education Project of the Year

Winner: Schools of Art and Design, Bath Spa University
Bath Spa University, Grimshaw

In 2016, Bath Spa University purchased the Grade II-listed former Herman Miller factory in Bath, originally designed by Farrell/Grimshaw in 1976 to consolidate its Schools of Art and Design into a single creative community.

Previously dispersed across multiple sites, the schools faced challenges in accessibility, public engagement, and identity.

The relocation aimed to create a cohesive, dynamic environment that better supported students, fostered collaboration, and strengthened links with the local community and creative industries.

The university adopted the building’s original vision, outlined in A Statement of Expectations, which was included in the listing description.

This set of concise-yet-powerful statements enshrined two key aspirations: adaptability to changing needs, and a positive contribution to its users and surroundings.

And these principles aligned seamlessly with the evolving nature of art and design education, where flexibility is essential for fostering innovation, accommodating diverse teaching methods, and responding to technological advancements.

Central to the ambitious £22m retrofit was the preservation of the building’s inherent adaptability while significantly enhancing its environmental performance.

The design facilitates a range of educational experiences, from hands-on making and technical workshops; to quiet, contemplative spaces.

The ground-floor layout strategically positions making spaces to the east, with heavy workshops centrally located for efficiency, while social and collaborative spaces are situated to the west, flanking the communal ‘street’ – a vibrant hub for interaction.

An open mezzanine wraps around three sides of the building, providing studio spaces, while a new rooftop extension offers quieter study areas for focused work.

The building’s reconfiguration was driven by the need for versatility in teaching and learning environments.

And the modular façade system enables internal spaces to be reconfigured as academic programs evolve, ensuring the facility remains responsive to future pedagogical demands.

This adaptability extends beyond spatial planning to include technological integration, allowing students access to cutting-edge resources that support contemporary creative practices. Sustainability also played a crucial role in the project.

This is a brilliant project which demonstrates how, through retrofit, built-in flexibility can keep it relevant to the 21st Century

The retrofit significantly improves the building’s energy efficiency, ensuring it meets the needs of an environmentally-conscious educational institution while reducing operational costs.

Upgrades include enhanced thermal performance through additional insulation, new double glazing, and improved airtightness.

Over 100 rooflights were incorporated to maximise natural daylight, reducing reliance on artificial lighting, while extensive roof-mounted photovoltaic panels further lower carbon emissions.

Accessibility and community engagement were also central considerations in the redesign.

Unlike many institutional buildings, it has no security barriers at the entrance, allowing visitors to freely enter, explore the gallery, shop at the art store, or enjoy the café.

And the riverside landscape remains open to the public, fostering an inviting atmosphere that integrates the university with the city.

The judges said of the project: “This is a brilliant project which demonstrates how, through retrofit, built-in flexibility can keep it relevant to the 21st Century.”

Student Accommodation Project of the Year

Winner: Castle Bailey Quad, St Peter’s College
Oxford University, Design Engine Architects

 St Peter’s College, Oxford, was founded in 1929 expressly to widen access to the university and it holds true to the ideals of Oxford; above all the pursuit of academic excellence.

It became a full College of Oxford University in 1961 and currently comprises a Master and about 40 Fellows in a wide range of subjects, some 200 graduate, and 350 undergraduate students.

St Peter’s College has made strategic property acquisitions to secure the future expansion and growth of the college, including the site of the Castle Bailey Quad project.

The site has been redeveloped to provide student accommodation, primarily for second-year students.

The new building is set within a conservation area adjacent to the historic setting of the nearby Oxford Castle, a Scheduled Monument.

The site boundary itself is formed by Bulwarks Lane to the east, which follows the line of the ditch that surrounded the Castle Mound; New Road to the west; and the listed buildings of the Law Centre to the South, and Canal House – the Master’s residence – to the north, both of which are in college ownership.

The primary driver for the Castle Bailey Quad project is to create a connection, physically and in terms of identity, between the new development, the adjacent college buildings, and the main campus.

The existing campus is characterised by a sequence of linked courtyards and the design sought to continue this tradition with the creation of a new quad at the heart of the proposed development linking via a sequence of ‘garden’ spaces.

This also helps the adjustment from the college campus to Canal House garden, as well as dealing with the level change between the main campus and New Road.

The creation of the new central quad breaks the massing of the building above the lower-ground-floor podium level, creating an appearance of two separate ‘houses’ containing the 54 study bedrooms.

The careful and thorough stakeholder engagement with Oxford CC and Historic England, among others, has benefited this project, creating an elegant scheme in a sensitive heritage setting

And the two residential ‘houses’ are connected at lower ground floor by the podium level and form a single building.

The podium-level houses support functions including Fellow’s rooms, an estates workshop and office, as well as a cycle store and plant spaces.

The materials chosen for the building reference the surrounding context.

High-quality, hand-made bricks in grey and buff reflect the tone and colour of Canal House’s rusticated stone base and ashlar facings and are accented with cast stone features to building entrances.

And terracotta ceramic cladding to the upper storey echoes the tiled roofs of the surrounding buildings.

The existing garden and parking court to the front of Canal House have been relandscaped to provide a more-open and attractive space, adaptive to future parking demands and to facilitate different ways of using the garden.

And the landscaping connects the main campus, tying to landscape work the project team had completed previously.

While contemporary in approach, the design makes references to the existing context in its form, massing, proportions, and material tones. The development is targeting the environmental standard ‘Passivhaus Institute Low Energy Building’.

This is achieved by significantly improving the building fabric thermal insulation and air tightness, thereby minimising energy loss to a level that minimum space heating is required.

Commenting on the project, the judges said: “The careful and thorough stakeholder engagement with Oxford CC and Historic England, among others, has benefited this project, creating an elegant scheme in a sensitive heritage setting.

“It takes reference to the materiality and scale of the surrounding context to allow the new buildings to blend seamlessly, while still standing out as a robust piece of architecture, both in massing and in the careful and thoughtful detailing.”

Interior Design Project of the Year

Winner: iQ Hoxton
iQ Student Accommodation, Manalo & White, TA Knox

Since the early 1990s there has been a paradigm shift in higher education.

And, as the sector has grown, commercial pressures have obliged PBSA providers to listen to their market and differentiate their offerings through high-quality, inventive amenity spaces.

Although design conversations often centre the design of new developments, there remains several decades’ worth of existing accommodation which is basic and underdeveloped; dated not just in age, but in function, built for a student who no longer exists.

By analysing existing buildings, identifying problems with current layouts, and finding creative ways to unlock wasted potential, the design team for this project has been able to deliver transformative interventions to properties that were previously unfit for purpose. The approach was informed by onsite research and post-occupancy reviews, interviews with students and staff, and observations of how students occupy spaces.

The team prioritised the creation of distinct zones for diverse activities, including quiet solitary or group study, socialising, dining alone or in groups, entertainment, and wellness.

And a balance of tailored places for study and socialising allows students to achieve their academic and social goals while minimising the frictions that can get in the way.

The project aims for a 50-50 ratio of study to social space, with a variety which responds to the ways that the contemporary student studies and works.

The team focused on optimising the layout to provide improved social, dining, and study spaces, as well as a reconfiguring the reception, which provides upgraded staff facilities and creates a playful and approachable street presence.

They also introduced a series of closed-off seating areas for study or socialising, using translucent partitions which offer a degree of privacy while allowing residents to easily see whether the spaces are in use.

A large, underused TV room was divided into a study space and a more-intimate cinema room and the reception area is now set to one side behind a glazed door, lessening its dominance while aesthetically coding it as part of the space, helping improve relationships between staff and residents.

It places a social learning destination on a high street in close proximity to student residences and reimagines the potential for higher education to invest in, and contribute to, city life

Aesthetically, the approach aims to rectify the sometimes copy-and-pasted appearance of older schemes through the development of a locally rooted, contextual design, with materiality and details informed by the history of the building and its relationship with the surrounding neighbourhood.

Inspiration was taken from the facades and shopfronts of the local Vietnamese restaurants and cafés established by first-generation immigrants, which run parallel to nearby Hoxton Street’s traditional pubs and pie and mash shops, speaking to the eclecticism and diversity of the area.

And bold colours were used through the curation of sets of ceramic objects similar to those found in the Vietnamese restaurants.

Recycled plastic rattan forms the feature wall behind the reception desk, inspired by the restaurant placemats, while the tiled reception desk with white top and chequered floor references the pie and mash shop interior.

The design team also commissioned large-format photographs of the particular shopfronts and these are hung in the lounge amenity space alongside archival maps.

The judges said of the project: “This was an innovative approach to reconfiguring a series of higher education spaces with injection of colour and well-considered detailing, which enhances the social and study experiences for students.

“It places a social learning destination on a high street in close proximity to student residences and reimagines the potential for higher education to invest in, and contribute to, city life.”

Exterior Space Project of the Year

Winner: The Wave, University of Sheffield

HLM Architects

The Wave, the new home for the University of Sheffield’s Faculty of Social Sciences, represents a world-class, sustainable educational environment designed to foster collaboration and enhance the faculty’s reputation for excellence in teaching and research.

Central to the new building was the surrounding public realm, which needed to seamlessly integrate with the surrounding campus and elevate the overall experience for staff, students, and visitors.

HLM’s landscape design introduces two ‘Pocket Parks’ providing green spaces for socialising, studying, or relaxing.

These are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also serve as hubs for students, staff, and visitors to gather, fostering a sense of community.

The hard landscape mimics the sinuous lines of the building, echoing the architectural concept and rhythms of nature and the fluid shapes within the built form.

And, by utilising natural materials, such as timber and natural stone, a textured and tactile relationship with the organic materials has been created, merging into the landscape to create raised planters that are combined with dynamic planting, dry stone walls, and tiered seating.

HLM worked on a strategy for the protection, refurbishment, and rebuild of the existing walls and railings within the site.

And, by working hard to ensure these heritage features merged into the new scheme in a cohesive manner, the outdoor spaces feel unified and connected.

The soft landscape provides new green spaces that mimic naturalistic landscapes and offer functional dynamic ecological systems combined with the aesthetic beauty of nature.

The design echoes these ecological systems through rain garden planting and naturalistic perennial planting alongside wildflower mixes.

The planting strategy also includes over 80 mature trees, strategically placed to punctuate key public areas and provide seasonal colour and visual interest; while native flowering trees were chosen to create vivid displays throughout the year.

By retaining and enhancing existing landscape features, the scheme ensures a strong connection to the local vernacular and helps to create green corridors that are vital for wildlife.

The project was delivered within budget, with careful planning and collaboration between the design team, the university, and the contractors.

Decarbonisation/Green Project of Year

Winner: Let’s Go Zero Campaign
Ashden

 

Let’s Go Zero is the national campaign championing all UK schools to achieve zero carbon status by 2030.

Created four years ago to demonstrate demand for support in reducing school carbon emissions, the campaign has established itself as the UK’s largest school sustainability movement, with 5,700 schools now signed up and 2,301 new schools joining since September 2024 alone.

At the heart of Let’s Go Zero’s impact is its innovative Climate Action Advisor network deployed across England and providing schools with free, tailored support to measure their carbon footprint, develop bespoke Climate Action Plans, lower energy bills, train sustainability leads, and access funding opportunities.

This nationwide infrastructure accelerates decarbonisation through practical, on-the-ground assistance while simultaneously demonstrating demand for policy change.

Its coalition of 20 climate charities collaborates to deliver unified support through these advisors, ensuring schools receive comprehensive guidance on every aspect of decarbonisation, from energy efficiency and retrofit, to curriculum integration and community engagement.

The Climate Action Advisor network has already engaged 3,419 schools, providing direct support that delivers measurable carbon reductions and cost savings.

And its advisors have helped 372 schools create comprehensive Climate Action Plans, with schools implementing 806 actions focused on decarbonisation and energy efficiency, and 1,023 more planned for this year.

These interventions have already delivered an estimated 13,610 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent savings, comparable to eliminating 150,612 car journeys between London and Glasgow.

Stakeholder collaboration and consultation is foundational to Let’s Go Zero’s approach.

It maintains formal advisory relationships with the Department for Education and is a key partner in its Net Zero Accelerator Programme, supporting 25 ‘pathfinder’ schools to lead by example in energy efficiency and renewable generation.

The sheer size and scale of this project, and the accumulated reduction in CO₂, makes this the stand-out winner

This groundbreaking initiative is receiving ministerial recognition for shaping the public sector retrofit landscape.

Let’s Go Zero has also partnered with the Green Finance Institute on the Innovative Finance Project to research barriers to investment in school decarbonisation and co-design financial solutions to mobilise capital at scale.

This initiative brings together government stakeholders and financial institutions to explore solutions including loan schemes, energy performance contracting, carbon credits, and community energy financing.

And its policy advocacy has already secured four significant government commitments: investment in teacher training for sustainability education; improved building specifications for net-zero new school buildings; mandated Climate Action Plans for all schools by 2025; and required sustainability leads in every school.

“By demonstrating scalable solutions through our advisor network and Zero Carbon Fund grantees, we’re creating blueprints for decarbonisation that can be replicated across all UK schools – establishing the education sector as a leader in the transition to a zero-carbon future,” said campaign lead, Alex Green.

Choosing it as their winner, the judges said: “The impact of the work Let’s Go Zero has undertaken is enormous and has been a catalyst for increasing the awareness of the challenge of decarbonisation, and in addition the organisation has rolled out a national programme of behaviour change.

“The sheer size and scale of this project, and the accumulated reduction in CO₂, makes this the stand-out winner.”

Property Investor of the Year

Winner: The Harkalm Group

The winner in this category is The Harkalm Group.

In 2024, the company demonstrated excellence in educational property investment and development, acquiring 22 properties with a total purchase cost of £32.87m and generating an annual rent roll of £2.7m.

These acquisitions provided educational facilities for 1,504 children across both the day nursery and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) sectors.

Over the course of the last year, the group engaged in sale and leaseback portfolios, redevelopments, and SEND-specific school developments; secured lettings to 10 nursery and SEND operators, and created long-term educational infrastructure, job opportunities, and contributed to community wellbeing and sustainable development.

Harkalm’s sheer number and variety of deals over the year, in a mix of locations, all delivering high-quality educational provision for the 1,500 children in these settings, is impressive

For example, the company partnered with Outcomes First Group to transform a former care home into a high-impact SEND school with a 25-year lease and index-linked rent.

It also acquired eight fully-operational nurseries from The Old Station Nursery Group, securing long-term leases and supporting over 463 child placements.

And, in Bagshot, it converted a redundant office building into a modern nursery for Busy Bees, investing £1.5m and achieving an EPC rating of A.

The Harkalm Group has successfully combined financial performance with social impact, delivering high-quality education spaces while reinforcing its commitment to sustainable and community-driven investments.

The judges said of their efforts: “Harkalm’s sheer number and variety of deals over the year, in a mix of locations, all delivering high-quality educational provision for the 1,500 children in these settings, is impressive.

“In so doing it has created added value assets, both financially and socially, which makes them a very worthy winner.”

Adviser of the Year

Winner: Pinsent Masons

“The devil is in the detail and you won’t encounter problems due to overlooked or poorly-handled details with Pinsent Masons,” said the judges when choosing their winner.

They added: “The show strong examples of valuable advocacy and advice to universities in a challenging HE sector, building confidence and supporting growth and consolidation.”

Pinsent Masons is a purpose-led, professional services business with law at its core.

Its mission is to provide outstanding service to leading and ambitious universities and higher education institutions.

Built on deep sector knowledge and experience, the company has a track record of innovation, thought leadership, and getting things done.

Over the past 12 months, it has advised and supported education organisations on more than 984 significant matters across its offices worldwide.

Its market-leading advisory work includes delivering iconic deals such as the flagship Bankside project for LSE, the 75-year commercial ground rent funding of Urbanest’s Passivhaus scheme at Canary Wharf, and the West Slope project for the University of Sussex.

Despite a challenging construction and funding market, the team has showcased the benefits of university/private sector partnerships and passionately supports the sector beyond its adviser role.

Education sector advisory work includes high-value projects such as the major investment and development strategy for student accommodation at the University of Manchester, and the acquisition of key assets for Aston University.

It has also acted for City, University of London on its successful merger with St Georges, University of London, and provided specialist property law advice for the transfer of premises.

Pinsent Masons is committed to ESG and sustainability standards, offering award-winning multi-disciplinary support to clients in the rapidly-changing area of cimate and sustainability.

And its responsible business and pro bono work enhance outcomes for disadvantaged and underrepresented groups, with a global vision and local action.

Architectural Practice of the Year

Winner: AHR

Lauded by the judges for its ‘passion about sustainable design focusing on wellbeing and inclusivity’, AHR has been named Architectural Practice of the Year.

The judges said: “The practice’s balanced approach, with impressive levels of engagement, to deliver schemes that prioritise the learning experiences for pupil and staff alike, as well as their wellbeing, was compelling.

“They have undertaken a diverse and impressive range of projects across the sector, each presenting unique requirements and challenges, but all delivering strong design.

“Their approach to collaboration and sustainability scored exceptionally highly.”

AHR’s portfolio spans decades, creating innovative, sustainable, and resilient spaces, from nurseries to universities.

The largest Passivhaus education building in the UK, Woodmill and St Columba’s RC High School on Dunfermline Learning Campus, was a particularly-visionary project where the architectural vision brings both schools together, with shared spaces at the heart of the building, surrounded by courtyards and learning plazas.

The practice’s balanced approach, with impressive levels of engagement, to deliver schemes that prioritise the learning experiences for pupil and staff alike, as well as their wellbeing, was compelling

The school sets the benchmark for sustainable education design which not only reduces carbon emissions, but also prioritises the wellbeing, comfort, and inclusivity of staff, pupils, and the wider community.

The Daphne Steele Building, at the University of Huddersfield’s National Health Innovation Campus (NHIC), is another ground-breaking development redefining healthcare education.

Prioritising student wellbeing, sustainability, and community impact, it is the UK’s first university building targeting WELL Platinum, BREEAM Excellent and EPC A.

Designed through extensive stakeholder engagement, it supports the brief to create an inclusive, real-world training environment that replicates professional healthcare settings for over 1,000 students and 380 staff, helping them to fully engage with the patient journey.

The building is set to drive a 60% increase in trained healthcare professionals within five years, with biophilic design and simulation spaces enhancing learning.

Other projects include a new Clinic Building at The University of Salford, and the new Silverwood SEND School in Wiltshire.

Other projects AHR is working on include two GenZero Pathfinder schemes which will inspire new era in how schools and colleges are designed – looking to a future which prioritises sustainability and standardisation to help meet the UK’s net-zero carbon targets.