What the New Education Estates Strategy Means for Schools and Trusts

In February, the Department for Education (DfE) published its Education Estates Strategy: A Decade of National Renewal, setting out a 10-year plan to reshape how school and college estates are funded, managed, and improved.

At a headline level, the message is clear:

This is a shift from reactive funding to long-term, strategic estate management.

But what does that mean in practice for schools, trusts, and estates teams?

A Shift Away From “Patch and Mend”

For many years, estates funding has often been driven by immediate need, addressing urgent condition issues through programmes like Condition Improvement Funding. (CIF)

The strategy recognises that this approach is no longer sustainable.

Too many buildings have been maintained just enough to remain operational, repaired repeatedly rather than improved, and allowed to deteriorate to the point of requiring full rebuild.

The direction of travel is now firmly toward:

• Planned maintenance, not repeated short-term fixes
• Early intervention, not late-stage failure
• Whole-estate thinking, not isolated projects

This is about managing buildings over their full lifecycle, not just responding when things go wrong.

CIF Is Changing

One of the most significant changes outlined is the future of the Condition Improvement Fund.

While CIF remains in place for now, the strategy confirms that:

• A new funding approach will replace CIF from 2028
• Competitive bidding is expected to reduce over time
• Funding decisions will increasingly be based on estate data and condition need

In simple terms:

The quality of your estate data and planning will become just as important as the strength of your bid.

A New Focus on Data and Estate Strategy

Schools and trusts will be expected to take a more structured and proactive approach to estate management.

This includes:

• Maintaining accurate, up-to-date condition data
• Developing long-term asset management plans
• Using digital tools to manage estates
• Providing regular returns to the Department for Education

A new platform, Manage Your Education Estate, will bring together funding, guidance, and data in one place.

For many responsible bodies, this represents a step change in how estates are managed day to day.

New Funding Opportunities, But With a Different Emphasis

Alongside changes to CIF, the strategy introduces or expands several funding routes, including:

• A new Renewal and Retrofit Programme for larger condition and upgrade projects
• Continued investment in the School Rebuilding Programme
• Increased funding for SEND provision and inclusion bases
• Capital for school-based nurseries and sufficiency
• Funding linked to digital infrastructure and connectivity

What is changing is not just the funding itself, but how it is assessed.

Funding is increasingly tied to:

• Strategic need
• Long-term value
• Estate-wide impact

Projects that sit within a clear, well-evidenced estate strategy will be stronger.

Sustainability & Climate Resilience – Now Built into How Estates Are Assessed & Funded

One of the clearest themes running through the strategy is the role of sustainability.

Future investment will increasingly prioritise projects that:

• Improve energy efficiency
• Reduce carbon emissions
• Incorporate renewable energy such as solar PV
• Address climate risks such as overheating and flooding

For schools and trusts, this means:

Condition, compliance, and sustainability are no longer separate conversations.

They are becoming one joined-up approach to estate improvement.

What Does This Means for Schools and Trusts?

Taken together, these changes point to a more structured and strategic future.

Schools and trusts will need to:

• Move from short-term fixes to long-term planning
• Strengthen their estate data and asset knowledge
• Align condition, compliance, and sustainability works
• Clearly prioritise projects across the whole estate
• Be ready to evidence need, not just describe it

Those who are prepared will be in a far stronger position as funding evolves.

How to Start Preparing Now

While some of these changes will take time to fully come into effect, there are practical steps that can be taken now:

• Review and update condition information across your estate
• Begin developing or refining a 5-year estates strategy
• Identify projects that combine condition and sustainability improvements
• Consider future heating, energy, and carbon requirements
• Ensure estate priorities are clearly documented and evidenced

These steps will support both current funding opportunities and future allocation models.

A More Strategic Future for Education Estates

The Education Estates Strategy sets out a clear direction of travel.

It is not just about funding more projects, it is about funding the right projects, at the right time, based on a clear understanding of need.

For schools and trusts, this represents both a challenge and an opportunity.

Those who embrace a more strategic approach will be best placed to secure investment, improve their buildings, and support the communities they serve.

How AltMarkt Services Can Support

At AltMarkt Services, we work alongside schools, trusts, and dioceses as an extension of their estates team.

Whether it is securing funding now or preparing for the future, we support with:

• Estate strategy and planning
• Condition surveys and data
• CIF and capital funding applications
• Renewal and retrofit project development
• Sustainability and decarbonisation planning
• Project delivery and contract administration

If you would like to discuss how these changes may affect your estate, we would be very happy to have an informal no obligation, conversation.

AltMarkt Services – Supporting education estates through a decade of renewal.

AltMarkt Services is a RICS-regulated Chartered Surveying consultancy based in Colchester, Essex, supporting schools, academy trusts and public sector estates across Essex, Suffolk, East Anglia and London. We remain committed to delivering clear, practical advice while maintaining the highest professional standards. If you would like to learn more about how we support schools, trusts and public sector estates, please get in touch.