Contract Close

RNS Number : 8539H

RM PLC

11 November 2008

 

 11 November 2008

RM confirms Middlesbrough BSF contract

RM confirms contractual close for a £10m contract to provide managed ICT services to Middlesbrough's BSF (Building School for the Future) programme. RM announced on 27 February 2008 that it had been informed that it was to be appointed selected bidder for the contract.

RM will design and deliver a sophisticated managed ICT service, including the Group's Kaleidos learning platform, which will be integrated into the new and refurbished schools. Schools will be provided with a range of PC hardware, including RM's low-cost pupil access device, the RM Asus miniBook. In addition, RM will provide software and services including the Web-delivered Honeycomb creativity and collaboration environment and FUSE content generation tools. Support for Special Educational Needs will be provided by SpaceKraft and Inclusive Technologies. School managers will have online access to school performance and improvement data provided by the Group's Forvus subsidiary.

Terry Sweeney, Chief Executive of RM, said:

'Middlesbrough's BSF vision includes using innovative ICT to create a 'virtual' school, which will allow learners and teachers across the borough to communicate, collaborate and achieve. It's an enormously exciting prospect and we're delighted to be helping bring it to life. We look forward to a productive partnership with educationalists in Middlesbrough and, particularly, to helping improve pupils' life chances.'

Councillor Mike Carr, Middlesbrough Council's Executive Member for Children, Families and Learning, said: 

'I'm delighted to welcome RM Education to Middlesbrough as they have a proven track record in the provision of the very best in information and communications technology.

'Our young people represent the future of our town and it is vital that they are equipped with the skills that will stand them in good stead in later life.

'This exciting appointment is a hugely significant building block in the ambitious Building Schools for the Future programme which will change education in Middlesbrough forever.'

For further information, please contact: 

Mike Greig/Phil Hemmings, RM plc	08450 700300
Catherine Colloms/Franziska Boehnke, Brunswick	020 7404 5959

Notes:

1.       Founded in 1973, the RM Group is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools, colleges and universities, local government and central government education departments and agencies. RM works closely with educationalists to create new products, processes and technology which improve teaching and learning. RM is listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange under the symbol RM.L, ISIN GB0002870417.

2.      BSF (Building Schools for the Future) is the largest single schools capital investment programme for over 50 years. BSF will provide world-class teaching and learning environments for all pupils, teachers and communities in England. A key part of the initiative is to ensure that local authorities develop a sustainable, area-wide ICT strategy for schools in line with the Government’s personalised learning agenda: 10% of the funding is ring-fenced for ICT.

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