Created: 5th November, 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
The Department for Education (DfE) has released its guidance on Strategic School Improvement Capital Budget (SSICB) to support academy transfers where urgent capital issues pose a barrier to sponsorship. This funding is distinct from the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) and is designed to unlock school improvement opportunities by addressing critical site challenges during transfer.
SSICB is a targeted capital funding stream aimed at enabling school transfers that would otherwise be unviable due to severe building condition, safeguarding, or suitability issues. It is not a general funding pot, but a strategic tool to facilitate improvement through trust sponsorship.
Funding may be available for:
However, eligibility is tightly controlled. Applications must be made before the transfer – retrospective bids are not accepted. The DfE will assess:
Trusts should not assume funding will be granted and must engage early with their DfE Regions Group Delivery Officer.
SSICB supports urgent, high-cost capital works only. Examples include:
The DfE applies a strict threshold – only critical needs are considered, not desirable enhancements.
Outgoing responsible bodies are expected to have met their legal duties around safety and safeguarding. If not, they may be asked to contribute to remedial works. Incoming trusts must plan for long-term maintenance through their School Condition Allocation (SCA). SSICB is not a substitute for ongoing capital planning – it is a short-term, exceptional measure.
For Multi Academy Trusts SSICB offers a pathway to take on schools previously deemed too risky due to site condition. It can help unlock growth and improvement opportunities, but only in exceptional cases. Trusts must:
SSICB is a valuable tool but use cases will be limited. It reflects the DfE’s commitment to removing barriers to school improvement through trust sponsorship, while maintaining high standards for capital investment. Trusts considering new acquisitions should factor SSICB into their strategic planning but not rely on it as a guaranteed solution.
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