Regenerative Schools Pilot - Academic Advisor

The Department for Education (DfE) is the UK government’s Department responsible for the schools in England. As part of this role, we oversee the safety, condition, and long‑term sustainability of the education estate. This includes ensuring that current and future school buildings are provided with safe, high‑quality environments where children can learn and thrive. On 11th February 2026 the Department published its 10-year plan for the Education Estate, the Education Estates Strategy, A decade of national renewal. The Regenerative Schools Pilot was outlined within the strategy: “Testing new solutions, technologies and construction methods – we will continue to look at how we can go further for our future design specifications as part of a research and development programme supported by £33 million to 2029-30. This will prioritise regenerative approaches looking at a wide range of outcomes from energy storage to bio-based construction materials, such as timber and working closely with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) on the Timber in Construction Road Map.” This is your opportunity to shape this cutting‑edge project, which will guide the Department’s work over the next ten years and beyond. The Regenerative Schools Pilot, Introduction: The Department for Education intends to research, develop, and deliver a series of single and dual classroom, ultra‑low‑carbon school buildings under the Regenerative Schools Programme. This will be accompanied by a package of landscaping and retrofit interventions which will support biodiversity, passive heat‑reduction (such as tree shading), fabric upgrades to existing buildings (cladding and windows), sustainable drainage systems and the creation of outdoor learning spaces. This programme will also produce case studies, guidance and resources for schools. As part of the Regenerative Schools Programme, the Department intends to appoint two parties in August 2026: an Innovation Lead and an Academic Adviser. These organisations will produce feasibility studies, research the building materials and techniques required to produce ultra‑low‑carbon school buildings and develop 6 standard designs. Then, in March 2027, the Department plans to appoint a contractor to deliver the works, using the materials and methods specified by the Innovation Lead and Academic Advisers. Separate market engagement and tender events will be held for the construction contractor’s appointment.   The Academic Adviser The Academic Adviser will complement the Innovation Lead’s technical work by focusing on the social, educational, and behavioural dimensions of the programme. You will use your research capabilities and academic expertise related to ultra-low-carbon materials to advise the Department and Innovation Lead. Your role will begin with the creation of a school‑ready engagement toolkit and the delivery of inclusive engagement across the participating regions. This will involve working directly with pupils, staff, governors, parents, and other stakeholders to build a picture of community needs, aspirations, and challenges, ensuring these insights inform both retrofit strategies and the design of the new learning spaces. You will translate these findings into clear design inputs so that lived experience directly shapes feasibility work and guidance documents. As projects move into delivery and buildings begin to be used, the Academic Adviser will lead a structured programme of post‑occupancy evaluation, bringing together qualitative and quantitative evidence to understand how the new and refurbished environments perform in practice. Your work will consider internal and external environmental factors (such as air quality, temperature, and acoustics), wellbeing, nature‑connectedness, and educational impact, helping the Department understand what works and where further development may be required. The insights you produce will be shared through publications, reports, and case studies, contributing to future policy and guidance for the wider education estate. Working with the Innovation Lead The Innovation Lead and Academic Adviser are intended to operate in parallel, each with a distinct focus but with close coordination throughout. The Innovation Lead will ensure technical feasibility, safety, and low‑carbon performance, while the Academic Adviser will ensure that the programme responds to the needs and experiences of the schools and communities involved. Together you will provide the Department with the combined academic, social, and technical expertise required to develop a set of replicable, ultra‑low‑carbon solutions that are grounded in real‑world school environments and capable of informing future national delivery. Please refer to the engagement section of this notice for market engagement details.