Sectors/Local Government

Early Years Assessment

Place Group has significant experience of undertaking early years and childcare themed projects for clients including Local Authorities, Multi Academy Trusts and maintained sector schools.

For Local Authorities we can support with:

Childcare Sufficiency Assessments – (post COVID-19 we have worked in this capacity for 20 Local Authorities
Early Years and Childcare sector sustainability and business support projects
SEND and Alternative Provision reviews
Reviews of Family Hub and Children’s Centre services – see SEND and Alternative Provision section
Planning for new early years childcare provisions, commonly linked to the establishment of new primary schools
Need Assessments for wraparound and out of school childcare
Early years themed marketing and communications projects

For Multi Academy Trusts and maintained sector schools (including Federations and clusters of maintained schools) we can support with:

Planning for new early years and childcare provisions – including through Significant Change Project funding applications
Business planning and revenue generation forecasting
Navigating standards and Ofsted quality directives
Community consultation aligned to potential need and demand for new early years childcare places

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Change Management

We like to think we do change management differently, and to achieve understanding, consensus and adoption more effectively. Whilst we develop the strategy with our clients and agree outcomes and metrics as you would expect, we focus on straightforward, courteous and pragmatic direct conversations. Engagement with meaning rather than just cascading comms.

We manage change programmes spanning from statutory consultations through to influencing the attitudes and behaviours of stakeholders deploying a range of strategic and tactical approaches including multi-channel communications targeting different cultural and socio-economic groups and hard to reach communities, online and face-to-face workshops and thematic presentations. Capturing feedback and analysing data through regular structured reporting allows opportunities to modify approaches and hone conversations.

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Research and Assessment

Place Group can support clients with research and assessment needs on the themes of healthcare and housing. Our expertise in healthcare sector research focuses on Public Health projects, where we have supported local authorities with assessing such needs for children and young people, aligned to government programmes such as Start for Life and Family Hubs.

For housing themed projects, our team regularly support local authorities and district councils with needs and forecasts assessments which recommend education provisions that should develop in scale as an outcome of major new housing developments - particularly resulting requirements for primary schools, secondary schools, nursery provisions and FE places.

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Decarbonisation

We are passionate about net zero and helping the public sector meet its targets, evidenced by our track records in delivering over £40m worth of decarbonisation interventions. We help develop specifications and investment solutions to accelerate the procurement and implementation of solar, EV charging, heat pumps, insulation, LED replacement as well as green energy, and deploying smart meters and technologies to monitor and enable data driven building control management and behavioural change programmes.

Through our TEEAM alliance partners we can also carry out building surveys and statutory energy reporting, carbon management plans, energy audits, climate action and scope 3 carbon reduction plans, and community heat networks.

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Procurement Services

Place Group has a team of MCIPS qualified public sector procurement professionals that specialise in school settings. We understand the complexity and importance of getting it right.

We offer two routes to our service; Interim, where we work as part of the client team and are on hand to support with whatever needs arise, or on a project-by-project basis whereby clients outsource their contract tendering requirements to us.

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Project Management

Place Group has significant experience of undertaking early years and childcare themed projects for clients including Local Authorities, Multi Academy Trusts and maintained sector schools.

For Local Authorities we can support with:

Childcare Sufficiency Assessments – (post COVID-19 we have worked in this capacity for 20 Local Authorities
Early Years and Childcare sector sustainability and business support projects
SEND and Alternative Provision reviews
Reviews of Family Hub and Children’s Centre services – see SEND and Alternative Provision section
Planning for new early years childcare provisions, commonly linked to the establishment of new primary schools
Need Assessments for wraparound and out of school childcare
Early years themed marketing and communications projects

For Multi Academy Trusts and maintained sector schools (including Federations and clusters of maintained schools) we can support with:

Planning for new early years and childcare provisions – including through Significant Change Project funding applications
Business planning and revenue generation forecasting
Navigating standards and Ofsted quality directives
Community consultation aligned to potential need and demand for new early years childcare places

Learn more