Good Estate Management for Schools

1. Good Estate Management for Schools Simon Lindsay Capital Capability and Efficiency Capital Directorate

2. “A school building is part of the hidden ethos of a school, and can be instrumental in shaping its operation.” Headteacher, May 2018 “More money spent by schools on buildings means less money spent on great teachers, or school trips, or mental health provision.”

3. What does it look like?

7. Top 10 estate checks • Are we managing the estate effectively? • Who is responsible for the estate? • Do we have the necessary skills, knowledge and capacity to manage the estate? • How do we manage the estate? • What is the condition of the buildings? • Are we complying with our legal responsibilities? • What do we do in emergencies? • What funding is available for investment in the estate? • Are we spending wisely on the estate? • Can we become more efficient with our expenditure? Source: Top 10 estate checks for boards https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/good-estate-management-for-schools-tools

8. Assess your position… https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/good-estate-management-for-schools-tools Source: Organisational self assessment

9. User perspectives: Challenges and support needs articulated by schools and RBs Capital Efficiency and Capability Team

10. Context and high-level summary Good Estate Management for Schools (GEMS) guidance launched in April 2018. We undertook research to better understand schools’ challenges and priorities in managing their estates. Key items arising from feedback on GEMS: • GEMS was well-received amongst responders, with an extremely high approval rating. • Offered a comprehensive overview of information on managing the school estate - easy to understand, and useful to share with governors and staff. • Some users find it hard to access the information they need through the site. There is clear demand for more tools (checklists, case studies, exemplars) to help them apply the guidance. The following slides detail feedback on pivotal themes – some inform our next steps on GEMS, others are of broader application. • The research approach (June-Sept 2018) employed a range of methodologies and covered different RB types and roles. • 283 responses to survey; 8 depth interviews and 6 focus groups • Findings offer insight into the needs and concerns of our users.

11. Strong themes (across the research): • Funding • Health and Safety • Training and professionalisation • Procurement • Sources of support • Roles and responsibilities • Communication and engagement

12. Training and professionalisation

13. What do we want to do next?

14. Strengthening capability • Improvements and additions to GEMS based on user feedback • More support for those responsible for health and safety of school premises and compliance with legislation • Work with sector leads on a coordinated training offer / skills framework • Embed good estate management practice in DfE initiatives: • Training/professionalisation: School Business Professional, NPQs • Procurement: Buying for Schools • Continue to promote the use of GEMS • Explore opportunities to reflect GEMS / the estate in condition funding, AFH, Audit.

15. Give your views Contact us By email: GEMS.esfacapital@education.gov.uk Visit the website • www.gov.uk/guidance/good-estate-management-for-schools • www.gov.uk/government/publications/good-estate-management-for-schools-tools

16. The central role of local authorities • Support • Challenge • Advise • Promote • Communicate • Fund • Prioritise • Survey ? • Enforce ?

17. Questions for discussion • What are the most important roles of the local authority in good estate management ? • What should the priorities be for the department in further development of GEMS ? • What examples of excellent support from local authorities are out there, and how can we help to roll these out ?