Created: 12th February, 2026
Robert joined Barker in 2002 and is a Partner based in our Braintree office. A Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, he has over 20 years’ experience of all core building surveying services and provides strategic estates advice to key accounts in the education, commercial, ecclesiastical and public sectors.
An education specialist, he provides the following services: estates and energy strategy, asset management planning, project management and capital funding applications.
Robert works closely with clients to plan and implement energy efficiency and sustainability strategies to save money, reduce carbon emissions and meet ESG objectives.
As a RICS Certified Historic Buildings Professional he provides conservation consultancy for clients with listed and historic buildings.
Robert is an experienced APC Assessor and Chairman and is also an external examiner for Anglia Ruskin University
As a Partner Robert leads the Business Development and Marketing function at Barker, builds relationships with key sector bodies and helps steer the strategic growth of the company.
Email: rgould@barker-associates.co.uk
Tel: 01279 648057
The Department for Education has published its new Education Estates Strategy, setting out a 10-year framework for schools and colleges in England.
The government describes this as a “decade of national renewal” and positions it as the most ambitious estates plan in a generation. In practical terms, it is the most comprehensive reset of education capital policy since Building Schools for the Future – not because of a single funding programme, but because it reshapes how the entire estate is expected to be managed.
For Responsible Bodies, this represents both opportunity and greater accountability.
Below, we outline what is changing, what is new, and what leaders should be doing now.
The Education Estates Strategy is a structural shift, not just a funding announcement.
While the headline capital allocation of £38 billion between 2025–26 and 2029–30 is significant, the bigger change is structural rather than financial.
The strategy marks a deliberate move away from reactive, project-by-project intervention towards:
Rebuilding remains important, particularly for the worst-condition buildings. However, it now sits within a broader model where the majority of the estate is expected to be renewed, adapted, and extended rather than replaced.
For most Responsible Bodies, estate maturity and data quality will become the defining factors in accessing and prioritising funding.
Several elements represent a clear departure from previous guidance.
They are no longer advisory in tone. From autumn 2026, Responsible Bodies will submit annual returns confirming how they meet those standards.
This formalises expectations around governance, compliance, asset management planning and digital capability. For some organisations, this will be evolutionary; for others, it will require structural improvement.
From autumn 2028, the Condition Improvement Fund will be replaced by a new capital maintenance allocation model.
Competitive bidding will give way to a data-driven distribution mechanism informed by standardised estate data, digital submissions and annual management returns.
For small trusts and voluntary aided bodies that have relied on CIF as their primary capital route, this is a material shift. Strong bid-writing will no longer compensate for weak asset management.
The £710 million Renewal and Retrofit Programme, launching in April 2026, is designed to address buildings that are too complex for routine maintenance but do not justify full rebuild.
This is a significant policy acknowledgement of the “missing middle” in capital funding. It reinforces the message that renewal and resilience – not default rebuild – will drive the bulk of estate improvement over the next decade.
The launch of the “Manage Your Education Estate” portal and the introduction of common data standards signal a shift towards digitally enabled asset management.
By autumn 2027, Responsible Bodies will be expected to collect and manage estate data in line with national standards, with two-way data sharing operational by 2028.
Digital readiness is becoming a prerequisite for effective capital planning.
The strategy introduces longer-term capital certainty than the sector has experienced in recent years:
The funding envelope is substantial. However, the allocation model and accountability framework attached to that funding are equally significant.
Key milestones over the next three years include:
This staged implementation means the sector has time to adapt but not to delay preparation.
The direction of travel is clear: reactive maintenance gives way to strategic stewardship.
To operate confidently within the new framework, Responsible Bodies should:
For many organisations, this will require cultural as well as technical change.
We welcome the clarity of direction within the Education Estates Strategy. A move towards proactive lifecycle management and longer-term certainty is a positive step for the sector.
However, successful implementation will depend on capability, data maturity and delivery capacity across Responsible Bodies and the wider supply chain.
Barker’s expertise in condition surveys, lifecycle modelling, estate strategy, SEND adaptation, digital estate systems and climate resilience aligns closely with this evolving framework.
The opportunity now is not simply to secure funding, but to build estates that are safe, suitable, sustainable and sufficiently sized – supported by evidence, sound governance and long-term planning.
The Education Estates Strategy will be phased in over the next three years, but the direction of travel is clear. Organisations that begin preparing now, particularly around estate data, governance and lifecycle planning, will be best positioned as the new framework takes effect.
Over the coming 12–24 months, Responsible Bodies should be:
To explore these issues in more detail, we are hosting a practical briefing:
Education Estates Strategy: What Responsible Bodies Should Do Now
Wednesday 18th March
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
This session will focus on the operational implications of the strategy and is designed for Responsible Bodies, trust leaders, estate managers, and governors seeking clarity on next steps.
Click Here To Register For The Webinar
As a starting point, you may wish to take our Estates360 Self-Assessment. This short diagnostic tool provides an immediate snapshot of how your organisation aligns with emerging estate management expectations and highlights priority areas for development.
Take The Estates360 Assessment
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