Academic Assurance Partner for Regenerative Schools Pilot

The Department for Education is seeking an Academic Assurance Partner to support the Regenerative Schools Pilot, a £33 million research and development programme running to 2029-30. This programme will design and deliver ultra-low-carbon school buildings using regenerative approaches, including bio-based materials like timber, alongside landscaping and retrofit interventions to support biodiversity and sustainable learning environments. As the Academic Assurance Partner, you will focus on the social, educational, and behavioural dimensions of the programme. Your responsibilities will include: (1) creating a school-ready engagement toolkit and conducting inclusive stakeholder engagement with pupils, staff, governors, parents, and communities to identify needs, aspirations, and challenges; (2) translating community insights into clear design inputs for feasibility studies and guidance documents; (3) leading post-occupancy evaluation once buildings are in use, measuring environmental performance (air quality, temperature, acoustics), wellbeing, nature-connectedness, and educational impact; and (4) producing publications, reports, and case studies to inform future policy and national delivery. You will work in parallel with an Innovation Lead (appointed simultaneously in August 2026), who will handle technical feasibility and low-carbon performance, while you ensure the programme responds to real school and community needs. Together, you will develop replicable, evidence-based ultra-low-carbon solutions that can guide the Department's education estate strategy for the next decade. A construction contractor will be appointed in March 2027 to deliver the works based on specifications developed during the feasibility phase.