S4.4 - MANAGING PREMISES
April 2010
Web: www.fmsis.info
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.cipfa.org.uk
Email: [email protected]
SUMMARY OF GOOD PRACTICE
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Why Premises Management is Important
A school's premises, including its land and buildings, are a valuable asset and require
careful management. They are not normally owned by the school itself but usually by the
Local Authority (LA) or diocese. Thus, the role of the school is to act as the responsible
custodian of the premises.
Schools and LAs also have a duty to consider the implications of the Disability
Discrimination Act on their premises.
Key Benefits of Managing the Premises Effectively
Key benefits of managing the school’s premises, land and buildings, fall into four main
categories:
 financial – inappropriately designed (e.g. with inefficient heating) or poorly
maintained buildings (e.g. which may need to be replaced) can become a substantial
drain on recurrent resources
 educational – the school needs to have the right physical resources to ensure that
its curriculum meets the diverse needs of its pupils (including pupils with special
educational needs)
 motivational – the condition of the premises and the way buildings are used can
affect the motivation and effectiveness of the pupils and staff who work in them
 image – where there is competition for resources (pupils, staff and sponsorship etc),
the condition of the school can be a factor in attracting pupils and staff.
The Premises Development Plan
A Premises Development Plan should outline how schools plan to maintain or improve
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SUMMARY OF GOOD PRACTICE
their accommodation and grounds to provide a suitable, stimulating, healthy and safe
environment for learning. Premises plans should take into account a range of issues
which fall into three main categories:
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First, maintaining the current premises so that they are fit for purpose. This category
covers:
 Maintenance requirements.
 Quality and fitness for purpose.
 Health and safety issues resulting from risk assessment.
Second, making the best use of the premises. This category covers:
 Utilisation of current space.
 Comparison with space standards.
Third, planning necessary changes/improvements to the premises. This category
covers:
 Current and future initiatives in the School Development Plan.
 Future numbers of pupils and the staff required.
 Curriculum developments.
 Teaching and learning strategies.
 Requirements of the Support services.
Each of these is dealt with in turn below
Maintaining the current premises so that they are fit for purpose
Contact your LA for help with:
There should be a long-term maintenance plan showing:

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A condition survey for the school’s
premises - one should be provided
SUMMARY OF GOOD PRACTICE
 redecoration and planned maintenance
 replacement of fixtures and fittings (such as floor coverings and furniture).
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regularly by the LA.
 LA technical staff should be able to
advise on likely timescales and costs
for this work.
Some large schools will have these documents prepared by professional Architects,
Building or Quantity Surveyors. Others will base the work required on the issues raised
by the regular condition survey, which should be provided by the LA. Whoever prepares For more help with the impact on budget
the plan, it is vital that the costs revealed are reflected in the finance section of the setting for your school Click Here. This
will take you to the Budget Setting
School Development Plan and flow through into the relevant Annual Budgets.
Summary S3.1 in this Toolkit.
When planning work on the premises, it is important that it is timed to cause the least
disruption to the day-to-day running of the school. Governors and senior staff therefore
need to have a clear understanding of the scale of work to be undertaken. They will also
have to have some awareness of health and safety requirements, especially where work
is to be carried out by the school’s own staff.
Part of the school’s risk assessment should involve environmental health and safety.
This should be taken into account when carrying out maintenance and repair work.
Specific aspects for consideration will include:
 Fire safety.
 Asbestos.
 Security of the premises.
 Physical security of the pupils and staff.
Making the best use of the premises
Schools should regularly carry out accommodation audits to ensure that premises are
being used to their full potential. In smaller schools, and particularly Junior schools
where individual classes remain together for much of the day, this should be relatively
straightforward. However, for larger schools allocation of space is much more complex,
and more work is needed to ensure that space is actually being used when allocated
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For more help with risk management for
your school Click Here. This will take you
to the Risk Management Summary S3.3
in this Toolkit.
SUMMARY OF GOOD PRACTICE
and is suitable for the purpose (i.e. not too small or too large and is properly equipped).
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An accommodation audit will determine the extent to which the current space is being
used properly to further the school’s learning aims, and how it needs to be improved.
The results of such an audit are taken account of in the Premises Development Plan
(referred to above). There is a close relationship between the management of the site
and the school’s budgeting process.
The Audit Commission has provided broad guidance on accommodation audits and LAs
may also have tools that school’s can use. Typically the audit will assess different
categories of accommodation against a range of criteria. The categories would include
the space needed for:
 the teaching of particular year groups
 the teaching of specialist subjects
 extra-curricular activities
 meals
 community needs.
The criteria against which they are gauged include whether it:
 meets curriculum needs
 meets organisational needs
 is fit for purpose (space and fixtures and fittings)
 is safe and clean.
When assessing the effectiveness of utilisation of school premises, it is important to
calculate the school’s net capacity. Detailed guidance has been issued by the DCSF on
calculating the “net capacity” of a school. The calculation of net capacity is intended to
provide a single, robust and consistent method of assessing a school’s capacity.
Calculating the “net capacity” can indicate the number of places in a school that are
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For more help on calculating the net
capacity of schools Click Here (R43). This
will take you to the relevant section of
Teachernet, where separate DCSF
guidance is available for Primary and
Secondary schools. This covers:
 Objectives and options.
SUMMARY OF GOOD PRACTICE
surplus to requirements, or the number of additional places that are needed in a school.
It can help a school to make the best use of its capital resources. By comparison with
previous methods for calculating “net capacity”, those used now allow more space per
pupil. There are separate categories for teaching and ancillary space, and the
calculation excludes communal areas such as the school hall.
LAs are responsible for calculating the “net capacity” of their schools, and the DCSF
guidance is intended primarily for their use. LAs have to notify the DCSF of the “net
capacity” of all their schools and have to inform them of any changes. It is, however,
useful if senior staff in schools have an understanding of how “net capacity” is
calculated, in case they make changes to their school’s accommodation, which
increases or decreases its capacity.
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 Vision for the school.
 Implications for the design.
 Key design requirements.
 Area requirements and formulae.
 Net area and non-net area
requirements.
 Site issues.
In addition, making the best use of the school’s premises may involve certain parts of the
space being made available to outside organisations, especially where they provide
activities that support the school’s mission or are consistent with it (e.g. providing preschool or careers guidance facilities). In these cases, it is important that formal
arrangements exist, such as an appropriate lease or tenancy agreement, to put the
arrangement on a proper footing.
Consideration of premises changes/improvements needed to support the planned
development of the school
This area of activity covers a vast area, from minor improvements paid for out of
recurrent funds to the full redevelopment of a school, which would be funded out of the
Contact your LA for help with:
capital budget.
Estimating the costs of improvements. LA
technical staff should be able to advise on
The School Development Plan should indicate what improvements to accommodation
are needed if the school is to implement its curriculum effectively. The plan should cover likely timescales and costs for this work.
the replacement of facilities that are beyond economic repair and the maintenance and
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refurbishment of those facilities that are still required.
Often, action to make the best use of the space available is based on common sense.
For example, significant improvements to usable areas can often be achieved through
relatively minor changes, such as moving doors or putting in walls / partitions. There is
no guidance on such changes, which depend upon the eye and the creativity of school
staff, Governors and any professional advisers.
If more major changes are being considered, and especially if they require capital
funding, the LA should be contacted, as it has technical staff experienced in the design
and construction of educational premises. It is important, however, that senior staff
become well informed about ways of improving or designing accommodation, in order
that they and the school can derive maximum benefit from the support the LA gives, and
make the right decisions about changes to the premises. The DCSF has issued what it
refers to as “non statutory” guidance aimed at anyone who is involved with the design of
new schools or the remodelling of existing accommodation.
In planning premises changes/improvements, Schools need to consider that the
Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) also imposes a duty to make reasonable adjustments
if the premises substantially disadvantage a disabled person compared with a nondisabled person. Examples of adjustments might be the installation of a ramp for a
wheelchair. However, the requirements of the DDA do not apply in the case of a
voluntary aided, foundation or foundation special school which has fewer than 15
members of staff.
Funding repairs and new build work
Each of the issues dealt with above has financial consequences for the school, and
those consequences will include both costs and benefits. These will have to be balanced
against the many competing demands that the school has for its finite resources.
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LINKS
For more help on the design of new
schools or the remodelling of existing
accommodation Click Here (R43). This
will take you to the relevant section of
Teachernet where separate DCSF
guidance is available for Primary and
Secondary schools. This covers:
 Objectives and options.
 Vision for the school.
 Implications for the design.
 Key design requirements.
 Area requirements and formulae.
 Net area and non-net area
requirements.
 Site issues.
For more help on the Disability
Discrimination Act Click Here (R140).
This will take you to the relevant page on
Teachernet which gives advice on both
premises and employment issues.
For more help on funding repairs and
new build Click Here (R99) which will take
you to the Funding Strategy and
Programmes page on the Teachernet
website.
SUMMARY OF GOOD PRACTICE
However, for some building related work, particularly new build, additional funding may
be available. This is a complex area, and specific advice is available on the DCSF
Teachernet website.
For new build work, the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) will often provide an alternative
source of funding but often has wider implications and opportunities too (e.g. different
ways of organising the management and maintenance of properties). However, such
developments will need to be discussed with your Local Authority.
Some PFI initiatives will involve the use of companies by schools. This is covered by a
specific Statutory Instrument.
There are separate arrangements for capital funding for Voluntary Aided (VA) schools in
England set out in “The Blue Book”.
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For more information on PFI schemes
Click Here to go to S4.1 procurement and
supplier management.
Click Here (R4) for the Guide to the Law
for School Governors, which at Chapter
24 deals with school companies.
Click Here (R49) for the Blue Book, which
is a guidance document on capital
funding for Voluntary Aided (VA) schools
in England.
Energy efficiency
For more information on Energy
An issue for all organisations in managing their property portfolio is the increasing cost of efficiency Click Here (R102). This will
energy and the desire to reduce energy consumption for environmental reasons. In this take you to the Carbon Trust website
connection, the DCSF is working with the Carbon Trust in providing energy efficiency summarising the types of support,
including grants, that might be available
advice to schools as part of its commitment to sustainable schools.
and giving contact details.
What is an asset management plan?
For more help on Asset Management
Each Local Authority is required to prepare and regularly update an Asset Management Plans Click Here (R44). This will take you
Plan (AMP) covering all its assets and activities, including those in education, over a to the Asset Management page on
five-year period. Specific guidance in relation to education, in DCSF circular DCSF 0- Teachernet. It sets out:
095/2000 “Asset Management Plans” issued in April 2000, sets out the overall aims for
 The aims and objectives for AMPs
AMP’s as being to:
 Responsibilities for developing AMPs
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 provide an agreed basis for local decisions on spending priorities and link with other
LA plans
 help Governors and Head Teachers to develop plans for individual schools by
making the process for decision-making on funding priorities across the Authority fair
and transparent
 help the development of partnership projects
 provide assurance to stakeholders that capital projects are soundly based and
represent good value for money.
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 The rationale for AMPs
 Stages for development of AMPs
 The DCSF role
 Property Information Systems and
Schools Premises Data
 Condition Assessment
 Getting into Condition –a Good
Practice Guide for Local Authority
Asset Management Plan Condition
AMPs have implications for decisions on local expenditure, so it is vital that Governors
Assessments (with web-based
and staff are involved in their formulation. Guidance from the DCSF sets out the relative
example documents)
roles and responsibilities as follows:
 Suitability Assessment
 Sufficiency Assessment
Roles and Responsibilities
 Data Analysis Publication
In addition, there is an update on the
Both the school and its LA have responsibilities for premises. These may be summarised discount rate to be used in option
as follows. Governors and Head Teachers of schools should:
appraisal.
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determine, in consultation (where relevant) with diocesan bodies, school priorities to
be included in their School Development Plan (SDP), making clear what resources
(physical or educational) will be needed if these are to be met
help to frame authority-wide priorities
act as the responsible custodian of the premises
plan, budget and manage projects for which they are responsible including, those in
Foundation or Voluntary Aided (VA) schools, those covered by devolved or formula
funding and those which are self financed, in line with agreed AMPs
carry out some monitoring of Public Private Partnership (PPP) services, as agreed
with the authority
assess the extent to which capital investment will help to raise the levels of pupils’
attainment
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 help with the preparation of the AMP.
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Local Authorities should:
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develop policies, frame priorities and action plans, as part of their statutory role in
supplying school places, creating specialist units, planning and implementing the
annual capital programmes etc.
prepare and obtain agreement to an Authority-wide policy statement on AMP roles,
responsibilities, scope etc.
treat schools in all categories fairly
maintain a dialogue with schools and other partners about what capital investment is
needed and how the benefits of this will be identified and monitored
give advice on capital projects
be responsible for ensuring that data collection on accommodation and premises is
effective and carried out in a consistent way
monitor how school Governors discharge their responsibilities and ensure that good
stewardship by schools is recognised and rewarded
assemble and disseminate information relating to school buildings, including the
promotion of sustainable development, consistent with Local Agenda 21 strategies
promote local partnerships
broker agreements amongst the relevant parties (schools, diocese etc.)
integrate, where applicable, plans for schools with those of other council services
explore the potential of different funding mechanisms, including PPP, as a means of
meeting identified priorities and developing PPP priorities
plan in order to ensure the efficient and effective use of new and existing assets
provide the necessary information on inputs and outputs and co-operate with the
DCSF in appraising the local AMP processes.
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Links between AMP and School Development Plans
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There should be compatibility between the AMP and the asset section of the School
Development Plan. Notably, the finance section of the School Development Plan should
take account of plans to develop the school premises.
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