Context
Ilkley Grammar School is a large secondary school in West Yorkshire with a student population of approximately 2,000. The school is currently undergoing a major, phased redevelopment programme spanning several years - an approach that allows new buildings to be constructed before existing ones are demolished, maintaining full school capacity throughout the works.
Logic Fire & Security, part of Complii was appointed by main contractor Bowmer & Kirkland (B&K) - marking the first direct order placed with Logic - to design, supply, install, and commission a bespoke site-wide PAVA system. The appointment followed Logic's existing role as incumbent fire and security contractor on the school site, where they had already been supporting the development of the wider temporary fire strategy.
Challenge
The phased redevelopment created a specific and significant fire safety challenge that required a carefully considered solution:
Loss of the primary evacuation assembly point: The first phase of the new build development would occupy the sports compound - previously the sole fire evacuation assembly point for the entire school. With no single alternative location capable of accommodating all 2,000 pupils, a revised evacuation strategy was required, directing students to separate assembly areas depending on their location on site.
Ensuring safe evacuation without direct supervision: The revised strategy introduced a critical new challenge: how to ensure pupils moved to the correct assembly area during break and social periods, when they would not necessarily be under direct staff supervision. A site-wide PAVA system programmed with carefully worded custom voice messages was identified as the only fully compliant solution, enabling clear and calm evacuation instructions to be heard across the entire site.
An exceptionally tight delivery window: Construction works were scheduled to commence during the school summer holidays, meaning the PAVA system had to be fully installed, commissioned, and operational before students returned in September. With the installation window limited to six weeks and a short lead-in period beforehand, the programme was ambitious under any circumstances. The scale of the works - 198 PAVA speakers and associated cable infrastructure routed around the perimeter of almost every building, including the original historic school buildings - made it more so.
Solution
Logic Fire & Security brought rapid mobilisation, close collaboration, and practical on-site ingenuity to every stage of the project:
Fast-tracked design and procurement: To meet the challenging deadline, Logic responded quickly, collaborating directly with their equipment manufacturer to secure reduced lead times and arrange direct manufacturer support during the commissioning phase. The cause-and-effect strategy and system programming were developed and approved within weeks of the initial commission.
Integration with the existing fire alarm system: The new PAVA system was required to integrate fully with the school's existing fire alarm system, including the configuration of emergency and evacuation messages specific to each of the ten buildings on site. This necessitated modifications to the existing fire alarm programming and cause-and-effect strategy - all delivered within the constraints of the summer programme.
Efficient single-visit installation strategy: Due to the difficulty of accessing certain areas of the site, Logic adopted a modified installation approach - completing each area in a single visit wherever possible, rather than following the traditional first-fix and second-fix sequence. This improved efficiency, minimised repeat access requirements, and helped protect the programme.
Added value beyond the scope: While routing cabling around the perimeter of the buildings, Logic took the opportunity to re-dress and secure a number of existing external cable runs that had been installed over time to varying standards. The result was a noticeably improved appearance across the installation - particularly on the original historic building at the front of the school.
Collaborative stakeholder management: From initial consultation through to commissioning, Logic worked closely with both the school and B&K throughout. When changes were made to the desired evacuation strategy during the course of the works, Logic adapted accordingly, maintaining close dialogue with all stakeholders to ensure a clear and shared understanding of requirements at every stage.
Results
The PAVA system was delivered on time and fully operational ahead of the students' return in September 2025, enabling the school to continue operating at normal capacity throughout a complex, multi-year redevelopment:
School capacity maintained: Without the PAVA system, the school could not have continued to operate at full capacity during the redevelopment. The system directly enabled the revised evacuation strategy to function safely and compliantly, removing what would otherwise have been a significant operational constraint.
198 speakers installed across ten buildings: Full external coverage was achieved across the entire school site, including the historic original buildings, within the six-week summer holiday window.
Full fire alarm integration achieved: The new PAVA system was successfully integrated with the existing fire alarm infrastructure, with a bespoke cause-and-effect strategy programmed and tested to reflect the school's revised evacuation requirements.
First order with B&K delivered successfully: The project marked Logic's first direct appointment by Bowmer & Kirkland and was completed to the client's satisfaction - demonstrating Logic's capability to deliver complex, time-critical fire safety projects in live educational environments.
“Logic very quickly mobilised and attended meetings with the school and Arup Fire. They very quickly and professionally created the cause-and-effect strategy and developed the software and programming of the system. Overall, our experience with Logic has been very positive — they worked very quickly to a tight deadline and delivered a complex and very sensitive project.”
Jason Bransfield, Design Manager, Bowmer & Kirkland