Academy trusts: DfE School Estate Management Standards explained
The DfE’s School Estate Management Standards (published April 2025) provide a clear framework for what effective estate management should look like across schools and academy trusts, setting out expectations from basic compliance through to fully effective, risk‑based and strategically governed practice.
Rather than introducing new statutory duties, the standards bring together existing requirements and good practice into a structured maturity model, helping trustees and leaders understand where their current arrangements sit and what needs to be strengthened to provide effective oversight and assurance.
The standards sit alongside (but are distinct from) the DfE Estates Management Competency Framework and the DfE Education Estates Strategy.
Importantly, while all trusts are expected to meet the baseline level of compliance, the DfE’s clear expectation is that organisations should be able to demonstrate active progression towards a fully effective level of estate management.
Who are the standards for?
The standards apply to anyone responsible for overseeing or managing the school estate, including:
- academy trustees and trust boards
- executive leaders and CFOs
- estates and facilities teams
- local authorities and diocesan bodies
They are explicitly intended to support governance and assurance, not just operational estates teams.
How the standards are structured
A maturity model with four levels
The standards are arranged as a progressive framework, recognising that trusts are at different stages of maturity:
| Level | What it means |
| Level 1 – Baseline | The minimum essential controls that all schools should have in place |
| Level 2 – Transitioning | Building consistency and improving planning beyond basic compliance |
| Level 3 – Fully effective | Estate management is planned, risk‑based, and governed effectively |
| Level 4 – Advanced | Strategic, system‑level estate leadership and innovation |
All schools are expected to meet Level 1 as a minimum and work towards Level 2 & 3. Level 4, which is optional, is advanced and aspirational – demonstrating an opportunity for schools to become sector leaders in estate management. Trusts may wish to progress to Level 4, if this fits their strategic aims.
Core areas covered by the standards
The standards define expectations across 11 key areas of estate management, with increasing sophistication at each level.
- Strategic estate management
- Planning and organising estate resources
- Understanding and managing land and buildings
- Maintaining the estate
- Health and safety compliance
- Fire safety
- Asbestos management
- Legionella and water hygiene
- Other statutory compliance
- Sustainability and carbon reduction
- Digital technology and information management
We recommend all academy trusts carry out a self‑assessment against the School Estate Management Standards. Use our template to complete the self-assessment here.
Overview of the levels
Below we review what ‘good’ looks like at each level from 1-4. For full details of each level we recommend all trusts read the DfE guidance in full.
Level 1 – Baseline (non‑negotiable)
This covers the essentials that schools should have in place as they begin their journey to full effective estate management.
Focus: Safety, compliance and basic control
Typical features:
- Accurate asset register and floor plans
- Up‑to‑date statutory compliance records
- Estates strategy and asset management plan in place
- Clear responsibility for estates and compliance
- Reactive maintenance, but critical risks identified
- Estates issues reported to senior leaders
This level answers: “Do our buildings meet safety standards and comply with legal requirements?”
Level 2 – Transitioning
This covers the next set of priorities, building on level 1. This stage is in addition to the standards listed in level 1.
Focus: Consistency and planning
Typical features:
- Estate vision and climate action plan in place
- Forward maintenance planning
- Prioritisation of works based on condition and risk
- Improved oversight from senior leadership
- Better use of data to inform decisions
This answers: “Are we beginning to manage risk instead of simply reacting to it?”
Level 3 – Fully effective (DfE’s expected destination)
This covers all the things schools should have in place to manage their estate efficiently and effectively. This stage is in addition to the standards listed in stages 1 and 2.
Focus: Governed, proactive, risk‑based estates management
Typical features:
- Regular strategic reviews scheduled
- Preventative maintenance regime
- Clear escalation of estates risks through governance structures
- Regular reporting to trustees with assurance and action tracking
- Integration of estates with education delivery, SEND and sustainability goals
- A whole-school/trust approach to combat climate change which includes carbon reduction and nature recovery
- Use of digital Building Information Modelling (BIM) to support approach to effective estate management
This answers: “Can trustees demonstrate effective control and assurance?”
Level 4 – Advanced (optional)
This is an opportunity for schools to become sector leaders in estate management. This stage is in addition to the standards listed in stages 1, 2 and 3.
Focus: Strategic leadership and system maturity
Typical features:
- Digital asset management and advanced data analytics
- Climate resilience planning and net‑zero alignment
- Dedicated board member to oversee the effective management of the estate
- Benchmarking across trusts or regions
- Continuous improvement and innovation
This answers: “Are we sector leaders in estates governance?”
How can academy trusts respond?
- Are we at least Level 1 in all areas, with credible plans to reach Level 3? Carry out an honest self‑assessment against the School Estate Management Standards. Use our template to complete the self-assessment here.
- Can trustees evidence oversight of estate risks, not just operational compliance? Consider introducing or enhancing regular estates reporting to trustees.
- Is the trust risk register up to date and includes relevant estate risks with clear mitigating actions and owners?
- Consider whether estates management & governance should be part of the internal scrutiny plan in the next 12 months?
- Is estates data accurate, owned and reviewed?
- Are capital and maintenance decisions risk‑based and documented?
- Is sustainability and climate resilience being factored into estates decisions, even if a full climate action plan is still developing?
Closing remarks
The DfE has been clear that these standards are not optional reference material. They provide a common benchmark against which practice can be assessed, support annual estate management returns from autumn 2026 and create a clearer basis for regulatory challenge and improvement notices where estate management is weak.
If you would like to discuss the implications of the DfE School Estate Management Standards for your trust, or explore how Price Bailey’s internal audit services can provide practical assurance over estates governance, our specialist academies team would be delighted to help – please use the form below to get in touch. Current external and internal audit clients are also encouraged to contact the Price Bailey Academy Helpdesk with any queries.
We always recommend that you seek advice from a suitably qualified adviser before taking any action. The information in this article only serves as a guide and no responsibility for loss occasioned by any person acting or refraining from action as a result of this material can be accepted by the authors or the firm.
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