GovWire

Collecting property data

Data will need to be collected from many sources. You may already hold data about the estate in different places and in different formats. Data may be held:

• by individuals but not formally recorded
• in a number of formats in your existing business planning system, for example spreadsheets or paper documents
• in a co-ordinated specialist estate management system

Its important that you designate responsibility for the collection and maintenance of property data. This minimises security, consistency and resilience risks associated with data management. Depending on the amount of data and how its held, responsibility could be given to a school business professional or to dedicated estates staff in larger MATs.

Its the responsibility of the designated person or staff to ensure data requirements are understood, co-ordinated and sourced effectively.

If youre being given data by technical advisers, you should make sure your contract specification sets out what format you want it in. Its important to have a clear understanding of data requirements across your whole organisation.

Storing and managing data

Storing and managing data in one system may be easier, as it:

• reduces the need to manage several systems
• lowers the risk of data duplication and reporting errors

Its not always necessary to buy or develop a complicated system for your data management. You may be able to store and manage data in a bespoke or locally developed system.

If you decide to buy a proprietary asset management system, you should consider whether it will meet your specific needs and provide value for money.

Its important to understand the needs of your organisation and the trustees of the school when making this decision.

Any data storage and management system you use should:

• be able to manage all data types that you need for your organisation
• provide data input control to ensure accuracy and consistency
• be easy to use and provide support and training where required
• allow many users to use it at the same time
• be able to store and manage documents
• be able to interface with other systems
• allow data migration and data updating
• provide reporting functions and be able to produce reports in different formats to suit your needs
• provide a full audit process

What a condition survey is

Condition relates to the physical condition of buildings in the estate. This is determined by undertaking condition surveys.

Condition surveys are normally:

• non-intrusive surveys, carried out by suitably qualified professionals
• cover 5-year planning periods for the purpose of strategic estate management

Why you need a condition survey

Condition surveys will help you to:

• identify what work is needed to maintain the estate
• consider how much works might cost
• prioritise work within available funds
• understand if the nature of the buildings change

This information will help you prepare a maintenance programme, which reflects potential future capital investment.

Academy trusts, dioceses or local authorities may carry out condition surveys on behalf of their schools and prepare a long-term maintenance programme. You should check if this has been done.

Whats included

The condition survey should identify specific building condition issues, deficiencies and maintenance requirements, including, but not limited to:

• structural
• roofs
• building fabric
• windows and doors
• mechanical and electrical
• asbestos
• utilities
• sewage and drainage
• fire safety and security
• site layout

It should also provide an estimated cost for repair or replacement.

Condition surveys should identify critical elements that might need further investigation. You should ensure that condition surveys include a suitably detailed assessment of your buildings structure, to identify possible structural problems and health and safety risks. This may include RAAC (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) and issues associated with older buildings.

Older buildings, such as those built post-war between 1945 and the 1970s, often need careful maintenance and monitoring. This includes regular condition surveys to assess the buildings structural safety at least every 5 years, or more often for buildings that need closer monitoring. Guidance on managing older school buildings is available to help you identify these buildings and for further information about monitoring and maintaining them effectively.

If you encounter structural issues, or there are known issues or risks with a particular construction type in your building or structure, you should:

• carry out further checks<
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