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Systems, schedules and spot checks: a guide to estate management
Site managers, systems and schedules – managing a school estate can be a complex challenge. In this article, CLAIRE WALTERS, assistant director of finance & business development at Autism Education Trust, shares her top tips for successful estate management
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he best place to start is from the top. That means looking at your systems and processes. How are things being logged and responded to? Is everything being done in a timely manner? Whatever system you use, the first step is to analyse whether it is working for you. MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK FOR YOU A good system must be transparent and work for everybody involved. Estates management affects everyone from the site manager to the staff to the pupils. So, it is important that everyone can see how the system works and that there is a system of handover if the site manager is absent. Once you have a system in place, you can start to look at patterns. What jobs need doing regularly and where are things breaking down? Make sure you have a robust fault logging programme – this will make things visible and Tip one
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measurable. When you establish these things, it makes it easier to set specific smart targets to manage performance. You can even get apps on your phone to do this which can link to your computer at school! 365 planner is a good tool to use – you can make to-do lists, set due dates, and invite other people to it. You can also filter it to prioritise important tasks, which helps when you start feeling overwhelmed. You make it all about doing one job at a time rather than having to cope with a huge list all at once. Part of estate management is reacting on the spot but also being able to plan long-term strategic jobs. Things you may be able to get done at other times, such as over Easter or in the summer. Often, these jobs can involve using contractors, in which case, what is the SLA time? Are those levels being met? Does the contractor require additional communication or regular meetings? Sometimes hiring an external contractor can be a way to take the pressure off other staff