CDC2 is over. Your survey obligation is not new
Between 2021 and July 2025, DfE-commissioned surveying teams visited government-funded schools across England, visually …
The SEMS Annual Return Opens This Month — Download Your Free Guide
If you follow this newsletter, you already know what the School Estate Management Standards annual return is — we've cov …
Before the Gates Open: 10 Checks Worth Making This Week
Most site teams will already have the routine jobs covered. The more useful question this week is: what can go wrong whe …
Your trust has to explain how the money moves. Estates might be the awkward bit.
From 1 October 2026, every multi-academy trust in England has to publish a new summary statement of its financial arrang …
England's school sprinkler rethink
I was visiting a school last week and as we were walking up to the office we passed a new block being built on site. We …
The Autumn Return: What We Know, What We Don't.
Most people in the sector have heard of Manage Your Education Estate by now — the DfE's new digital platform, live since …
2026 Guide to buying school compliance and premises software
Most schools buying compliance software in 2026 will make the wrong choice — not because good platforms don't exist, but …
The DfE's Renewal and Retrofit Programme Is Live. The Question Isn't Whether Your Building Qualifies.
The pilot is already running. Around 50 projects are underway across schools in the East Midlands, Yorkshire and the Hum …
The HSE Isn't Your Only Regulator Anymore
At the end of January 2026, a fundamental regulatory shift took place: the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) separated fro …
The new DfE portal: It’s only half the story
The "Manage Your Education Estate" portal, which launched this month, marks a significant shift in how the Department fo …
