Making Sense of Asset Management in Schools

Every school starts somewhere. Some start with colour-coded spreadsheets. Some start with chaos. Both are valid beginnings.

If your asset list is a file called Copy of FINAL (use this one).xlsx, this article is for you.

Managing school assets well isn’t about bureaucracy — it’s about knowing:

• What you’ve got
• Where it is
• What state it’s in
• When it might need attention

From boilers to laptops, minibuses to microscopes, every item has a cost, a purpose, and an eventual replacement date.

Most schools start with a spreadsheet — which is fine. But as the list grows, tabs multiply, and people change roles, keeping it all accurate starts to feel like a full-time job. That’s where the DfE’s guidance can make life a lot easier.

What the Guidance Says

The Department for Education’s Good Estate Management for Schools (GEMS) outlines how schools should manage their land, buildings, and equipment. It recommends that schools:

• Keep an up-to-date asset register showing ownership, location, and condition
• Use data to make informed decisions about maintenance, replacement, and investment
• Integrate asset information into financial and strategic planning — especially for capital bids
• Assign clear ownership for maintaining records

The newer School Estate Management Standards (2025) builds on this, setting out effective practice:

• Reliable, accessible data about your estate and equipment
• Using data to prioritise spending and minimise risk
• Moving from a reactive “fix it when it breaks” approach to a proactive, planned one

Between them, these documents basically say: Know your stuff, keep it up to date, and use it to make better decisions.

Why It Matters

A spreadsheet is a great start — until you need to:

• Track warranty/service dates
• Identify items approaching replacement
• Share data across multiple sites
• Prove compliance during audits

Without a system:

• Assets vanish
• Duplicates appear
• Someone buys the same printer again

💡 The DfE’s aim is simple: help schools spend wisely, plan ahead, and avoid surprises — the kind that usually start with “why didn’t anyone know about this?”

Good Practice and Next Steps

If you’re working from Excel or Google Sheets, you’re already halfway there.

1. Start with structure

• Categorise assets (IT, Premises, Furniture, Vehicles)
• Record key details: location, purchase date, supplier, cost, warranty, condition, replacement date

2. Keep it live

• Review and update termly (ideally) or annually
• Remove disposals promptly; add replacements cleanly

3. Link to maintenance and compliance

• Tie assets to testing schedules (PAT, LOLER, PUWER, servicing)
• Log inspections and repairs for full lifecycle history

4. Plan for the future

• Forecast replacement costs
• Spot condition issues before they become budget shocks

5. Share ownership

• Assign update responsibilities to sites/departments
• Use consistent naming conventions

⚠️ Common gaps in school asset registers: – Missing serial numbers/locations – No condition/replacement data – Duplicates across sites – Forgotten disposals at term-end

Considering an Asset Management System

When spreadsheets reach breaking point (too many users, too many tabs), consider a dedicated system.

A good system will:

• Centralise data across sites
• Use barcodes/QR codes for audits
• Link assets to maintenance and statutory tests
• Generate instant reports for SLT/trust boards
• Support evidence for funding bids

The DfE doesn’t prescribe software — but expects schools to use data effectively. Moving to a live, structured system often meets this standard.

💡 If your asset list vanished tomorrow, could you rebuild it instantly? If not, you’re in good company. But it might be time to modernise.

Where to Learn More

📘 DfE Good Estate Management for Schools (GEMS)

📗 DfE School Estate Management Standards (2025)

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