chichester free school was a project undertaken for the DfE in my technical advisor role.  the normal duties under the role were extended to include procuring planning permission to accommodate the school partly within locally listed chichester carmelite convent.  the convent is an important heritage asset that had been unused for many years and was falling derelict, and the project is recognised as one of the most successful produced by the DfE Free Schools programme.  the integration of the beautiful old buildings elevates the architectural quality of the school environment to provide a variety of teaching spaces not normally found in a fully new build school.