What the New Education Estates Strategy Means for Schools and Trusts

In February, the Department for Education 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:

But what does that mean in practice for schools, academy 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 such as the Condition Improvement Fund.

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 where more significant intervention becomes necessary.

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.

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.

• 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. It also reinforces the importance of having a clear Estate Strategy & Planning Services approach that connects condition information, asset management and future investment.

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 projects are assessed.

• Strategic need.
• Long-term value.
• Estate-wide impact.
• Strength of supporting evidence.
• Deliverability and future benefit.

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

That makes early Capital Funding & Investment Planning Services increasingly important, not only when a funding window opens, but when schools and trusts are deciding which projects should be brought forward in the first place.

Sustainability and climate resilience

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, building performance and sustainability are no longer separate conversations. They are becoming one joined-up approach to estate improvement.

Our Sustainability & Decarbonisation Services support this kind of practical, evidence-led approach by helping organisations understand how decarbonisation fits within wider estate planning and capital investment.

What does the Education Estates Strategy mean for schools?

For schools and trusts, the Education Estates Strategy means that estate management is becoming more data-led, more strategic and more closely connected to long-term investment decisions.

Instead of treating each condition issue as a separate funding challenge, schools will need to show how projects fit into wider estate priorities, asset condition, educational need and future value. This does not remove the need for urgent repairs, but it does mean that evidence, planning and prioritisation will carry greater weight.

Those with clear condition information, a structured estate plan and well-evidenced project priorities are likely to be in a stronger position as funding models evolve.

What this means for schools and trusts

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

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

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.
• Use Building Surveying Services where technical evidence needs strengthening.
• Begin developing or refining a five-year estate 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 better placed to secure investment, improve their buildings and support the communities they serve.

How AltMarkt Services can support

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

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

• Estate Strategy & Planning Services.
• Building Surveying Services.
• Capital Funding & Investment Planning Services.
• Renewal and retrofit project development.
• Sustainability & Decarbonisation Services.
• Project Delivery & Management Services and Contract Administration Services.

If you would like to discuss how these changes may affect your estate, we would be happy to have an informal conversation.

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.