An estates strategy is a 3 to 5 year plan which will help you:
It also allows the development of the short to medium term asset management plan and will help you:
Conversely, as the DfE’s guide to good estate management for schools points out, poor estate management can lead to:
Understanding the estates' demands and needs directly impacts finance. Having a well-developed estates strategy will also put you in an ideal position to maximise the various funding streams available to support the estate when the opportunity arises. In other words, when bids are announced and there’s only a two-week window to apply, you will have all your key information to hand!
It starts with your vision and aspirations for your trust or school. What do you want to achieve? What do you need from your buildings to be able to deliver that?
For example, if the purpose of your multi-academy trust is to deliver exceptional teaching and learning, what kind of buildings and classrooms are needed? What does it mean for the school environment?
Build a picture of the demands and considerations you need to incorporate in planning
It’s about making the link between assets and aspirations. If one of your trust’s aspirations is to act as a hub for community services in your area and be a focal point for multi-agency working, what implications does that have for your buildings? What spaces will be required?
So, you start with data gathering – and a vital part of that is seeking views from stakeholders, so you can build a picture of the demands and considerations you need to incorporate in planning. Forward planning and engagement across the whole school community must be achieved.
| Potential stakeholders | Questions to consider |
|---|---|
| Local authority |
|
| CEO and board |
|
| Teaching and learning lead |
|
| Site managers and teams |
|
This table gives just a few examples of the stakeholders you need to consult. Other local stakeholders might include:
You will also want to gather information from the finance director, the school business managers, the senior leadership teams, governors and trustees, parents, pupils, surveyors, building consultants, decarbonisation experts… there’s a lot to consider!
Many factors will influence how you manage the estate, including:
Your estates strategy doesn’t have to be a lengthy document. It could include:
An assessment of the school buildings can’t be limited to simply considering their current condition. An in-depth review is needed to consider demands on reactive maintenance and technical compliance, as well as the wider issues of space, capacity planning and anticipated demands on the estate in future years. Having a clear understanding of key data, including carbon management, is vital.
You don’t have to do all this alone! Getting professional technical support will help ensure that your estates strategy is robust and fit for purpose. Building surveyors, building services engineers, energy efficiency experts and architects can all be of use. Building consultants, such as the Eric Wright Building Consultancy, can be valuable partners in the process.
