RIBA Stage 0 - strategic definition for schools
Stage 0 is the moment the trust decides whether a capital project is needed at all. The deliverable is a strategic case, not a design. Many trusts run Stage 0 internally; some commission it externally where the question is genuinely open.
What Stage 0 delivers
A short strategic case: the problem statement (capacity, condition, curriculum change), the constraints (funding, programme, decant), and the four canonical options (do nothing, refurbish, rebuild, hybrid). No drawings; sometimes a sketch [source: RIBA POW 2020, verified 2026-06-24].
Who signs off
The trust board, on advice from the estates director and bursar. A governor pack should accompany the Stage 0 output.
Typical fee envelope (Stage 0 only)
Externally commissioned Stage 0 commonly £3,500-£7,500 for a primary scheme, £5,000-£10,000 for a secondary scheme. Often rolled into a Stage 0-1 engagement for budgetary simplicity.
Inputs that drive Stage 0
Estate vision (where the GEMS and SEMS work feeds in), pupil-place forecast, condition data refresh, curriculum strategy. Without these the Stage 0 output is opinion, not analysis [source: GEMS, verified 2026-06-24].
Programme
Two to four weeks. The bottleneck is usually trust-board decision-making, not consultant turnaround.