Updated: 27th March, 2025
Created: 24th March, 2025
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
In the wake of the Chancellor’s Spring Statement delivered on the 26th of March 2025, the education sector is poised to receive significant investments aimed at bolstering the construction industry and enhancing technical skills among the workforce. These measures are designed to address the growing demand for skilled labour in construction and to ensure that educational institutions are equipped to meet this need effectively.
Prior to the announcement, anxiety was mounting across the school and trust leadership teams. While some reporting had sensationalised the impact on education, sector leaders such as Leora Cruddas, CEO of the Confederation of School Trusts (CST), urged caution, clarifying that dialogue with senior civil servants is ongoing. Nevertheless, the underlying message is clear: fiscal tightening is a reality for the coming years, and schools must prepare for a prolonged period of constrained resources.
For those charged with the stewardship of multi-academy trusts (MATs) and local authority schools, this presents a complex operational challenge. Balancing rising costs, maintaining educational outcomes, and ensuring staff wellbeing within static or reduced budgets is no longer just a strategic issue; it is a matter of institutional resilience.
The context for the Spring Statement is a challenging macroeconomic picture. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) revised short term growth forecasts downward, while public sector borrowing pressures are intensifying. In this climate, education, though politically sensitive, is not immune. The potential for real-term funding reductions or slower-than-expected uplifts means that schools must assume a ‘best-case, worst-case’ scenario mindset.
Even in the absence of direct cuts, inflation continues to erode purchasing power. Energy, catering, transport, and staffing costs remain elevated. Recent teachers’ pay awards, while necessary, have not always been accompanied by commensurate increases in funding, creating pressure points across trust-level budgets.
The case for operational efficiency is not new. But in the current fiscal environment, efficiency is no longer a theoretical construct—it is mission critical. As sector bodies such as CST, the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) continue to advocate for fair funding, school leaders must take the initiative to mitigate financial pressures now.
School estates are one of the most underleveraged assets in the sector. Energy inefficiency, reactive maintenance, and fragmented asset planning can significantly impact budgets. Schools and trusts must accelerate the development of integrated estate strategies, aligned with long-term curriculum and workforce plans. Forward-looking trusts are investing in energy audits, consolidating underused space, and pursuing decarbonisation funding where available.
Fragmented procurement is a silent drain on resources. Trusts should centralise procurement functions to unlock economies of scale in areas such as ICT, facilities management, and insurance. Additionally, opportunities for shared services—particularly in HR, finance, and estatesshould be explored across trusts or with local partners. Centralisation need not compromise school level autonomy if implemented strategically.
In an environment where every pound counts, data becomes a strategic asset. Trusts must embed robust financial forecasting, benchmarking, and performance analytics into their decision-making. Real-time insight into staffing ratios, energy usage, and per-pupil costs can empower leaders to make timely interventions and evidence-informed trade-offs.
While the fiscal picture may darken, the role of leadership has never been more vital. Boards and executive teams must take a proactive stance, focusing not just on financial survival but on building the capacity for sustainable improvement.
The voices of CST, ASCL, and ISBL remind us that advocacy continues at the highest levels. But they also underscore that reliance on central government alone is insufficient. Resilience must be built from within the sector.
The tone of the statement and these strategic investments present both opportunities and challenges for schools and MATs:
As the education sector navigates these developments, a focus on operational efficiency, strategic planning, and collaboration will be essential to maximise the benefits of the government’s investment and to meet the evolving needs of both students and the construction industry.
To learn more about how operational efficiency can help your school or trust navigate financial pressures and optimise resources in light of the Spring Statement 2025, please get in contact today. Our team of experts is ready to support you in implementing cost-saving strategies, enhancing procurement efficiency, and making data-driven decisions.