Updated: 15th July, 2025
Created: 26th June, 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 has published the Academy Trust Handbook 2025, effective from the 1st of September 2025. This year’s update brings a sharpened focus on estates management, sustainability leadership, and procurement compliance, reflecting the sector’s growing responsibilities in these critical operational areas.
In a significant development, Estates Management was formally added to the previous handbook as a reason to issue a school or trust with a Notice to Improve. This policy shift underscores the DfE’s expectation that responsible bodies take a more structured and proactive approach to estate oversight.
Supporting this change, the DfE launched its new School Estate Management Standards in April. While not introducing new legal obligations, the standards provide a clear, codified framework for both minimum and aspirational estate management practices. Schools and trusts are expected to benchmark their current approach against this guidance to ensure compliance and long-term asset sustainability.
Read more about the new School Estate Management Standards HERE.
The Handbook also reiterates the requirement for every trust to appoint a Sustainability Lead and have an active Climate Action Plan (CAP) in place by 2025. This aligns with the broader Net Zero agenda and is a clear signal that environmental leadership is now a core accountability for school leaders.
Early adoption and tangible progress will be key to demonstrating compliance and commitment. The DfE has curated a wide range of resources to support schools in developing their plans, many of which are signposted directly in the updated Academy Trust Handbook 2025.
Following the implementation of the Procurement Act 2023, and prompted by recent investigations into capital funding misuse, the Handbook places increased emphasis on procurement policy and the effective management of public money.
The DfE has confirmed it may now recover funds where irregularity or fraud is identified, highlighting the importance of transparency, competition, and value for money in all capital-related procurement processes. Trusts must ensure internal policies are aligned with the new regime. Full guidance is available in the Procurement Act FAQs.
At Barker, we welcome these changes as an opportunity for trusts to embed stronger governance and resilience into their estate strategies. If you need support navigating the new standards or developing your Climate Action Plan, our team is here to help.
To understand how your trust measures up against the latest requirements, start with our free tools: the Sustainability Assessment to review your Climate Action Plan readiness, and the Estates360 Tool to benchmark your estates’ compliance against the new DfE standards.