TO BE PUBLISHED October 2026
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Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
This conference will consider the way forward for maintenance of school and college buildings in England, following publication of the Department for Education’s Education Estates Strategy: A Decade of National Renewal.
It will bring stakeholders and policymakers together to discuss next steps following the Government’s capital investment programme to 2029-30, recent announcements on investment in both school and college estates, and implications for long-term renewal, delivery, and co-ordination across the system.
The agenda will examine the School Rebuilding Programme and wider college capital programmes, with discussion expected on commitments to remove RAAC from all affected school and college settings by 2029, including progress on delivery at scale and insights so far. It will also consider the shift from short-term condition management towards longer-term renewal through programmes such as the Renewal and Retrofit Programme, as well as implications for sequencing of works, and continuity of provision.
Further discussion will consider the alignment of estate investment with wider priorities around inclusion, accessibility and sustainability in both schools and colleges, including how mainstream settings are being adapted to better support inclusion, special educational needs and disabilities, and high needs provision, and what this means for capital planning over the coming years. Sessions will also examine planning, procurement, and delivery capacity, as well as the role of national standards and digital systems in supporting estate management, prioritisation, and decision-making across schools, colleges, and responsible bodies.
Overview of areas for discussion
- policy and implementation:
- next steps following publication of the Government’s Education Estates Strategy: A Decade of National Renewal - translating national ambitions into delivery plans
- alignment of 2029-30 capital investment with local estate needs - sequencing long-term renewal alongside immediate condition requirements
- rebuilding:
- progress and lessons learned from the School Rebuilding Programme - assessing approaches of accelerating projects in national frameworks - maintaining flexibility and value for money
- management of disruption to pupils and staff during major works - assessing construction sector capacity and skills availability
- RAAC:
- strategies for meeting the 2029 commitment for removal of RAAC - prioritisation of affected settings based on risk and need
- continuity planning during remediation works - implications for wider estate safety and resilience strategies
- renewal:
- implications of a shift from short-term condition management to longer-term refurbishment - identifying buildings suitable for retrofit and lifespan extension
- modernising estates in the context of capital constraints - coordination across schools, colleges and responsible bodies
- sustainability:
- embedding energy efficiency and net zero standards in design and refurbishment - integrating climate resilience into estate planning
- improving access to outdoor and green spaces - reconciling environmental targets, cost and delivery timelines
- inclusion:
- adapting mainstream estates to support access and high needs provision - specialist facilities such as inclusion bases
- implications of rising SEND demand for capital planning - co-ordination of design, accessibility and pupil outcomes
- governance and standards:
- implementation of School Estate Management Standards - potential extension to further education colleges - consistency of expectations across responsible bodies
- strengthening accountability and system capability - roles of trusts, local authorities and central government
- data and systems:
- Manage Your Education Estate platform - transition to common condition data standards across sectors
- improving data quality and support for prioritisation and investment decisions - interoperability with local planning and asset management systems
- capacity:
- planning and procurement approaches for large-scale programmes - co-ordination between national frameworks and local delivery partners
- strategic approaches to addressing workforce shortages in construction and engineering - maintaining pace alongside competing infrastructure demands
- schools within communities:
- place-based approaches to estate planning
- expanding community use of facilities - balancing educational, social and operational priorities within estate design
