In today’s complex educational landscape, schools are increasingly recognising the value of having dedicated facilities managers. The role is increasingly seen as critical for creating a safe, efficient, and welcoming environment for students, staff, and visitors. Several factors are driving this trend, ranging from the need to maintain aging infrastructure to growing concerns about safety and sustainability. As schools face increasing challenges such as budget constraints, safety concerns, and the demand for technologically advanced classrooms, the expertise of a facilities manager has become indispensable in meeting these evolving needs.
Facilities Management (FM) professionals in schools and universities have a wide-ranging and increasingly complex remit. Here are some of the specific responsibilities they typically undertake in the education sector:
Health, Safety, and Compliance
• Regulatory Compliance: FM teams ensure that all school buildings comply with relevant legislation and guidelines, including fire safety, asbestos management, and health and safety regulations. For example, many older school buildings in the UK may still contain asbestos, which must be carefully managed.
• Emergency Planning: They develop and maintain emergency evacuation plans, coordinate regular drills, and liaise with local fire and rescue services or emergency services.
• Risk Management/Inspections: Regular inspections are performed to identify hazards (e.g., damaged structures, electrical faults, water leaks) so that preventative maintenance can pre-empt incidents.
Maintenance and Capital Works.
• Condition Surveys: FM professionals carry out building condition assessments which are vital for educational establishments. The look at structural issues, wear and tear, and outdated building services (e.g., heating, plumbing, electrical).
• Project Management: They plan and oversee refurbishment and renovation projects, such as upgrading classrooms, renovating laboratories, or modernising recreational areas, coordinating contractors while minimising disruption to school life.
• Preventative Maintenance: Implement maintenance programs (e.g., for HVAC, roofing, grounds) to prolong the life of school buildings and avoid costly emergency repairs.
Sustainability and Environmental Management
• Energy Management: Facilities teams often lead on energy-saving initiatives which considering the budgetary in education can have a huge impact. This could be projects like installing LED lighting, managing smart heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, or deploying renewable energy solutions.
• Water Efficiency and Waste: They oversee water-conservation projects (e.g., low-flow fixtures), recycling programs, and waste management strategies.
• Sustainability Education: By helping run eco-projects (green walls, recycling schemes, gardens), FM professionals can also support schools’ environmental education goals.
Operational Support for Educational Delivery
• IT and Technological Infrastructure: With the rise in smart classrooms, FM may be responsible for infrastructure like cabling, power, cooling, and the physical maintenance of digital tools (interactive boards, projectors).
• Specialist Spaces: They manage specialist facilities such as science labs, vocational training workshops (e.g., STEM), performance spaces, and sports facilities, ensuring these areas meet safety and functional standards.
• Logistics and Scheduling: Organise the use of shared spaces (halls, auditoriums, gyms) for both school and community use, including coordinating external bookings.
Security and Access Control
• Access Systems: Facilities teams may manage secure entry systems, key control, and smart access for students, staff, and visitors.
• Surveillance: Oversee CCTV installation and maintenance, ensuring that security coverage meets the needs of the school.
• Crisis Management: Work with security personnel and senior leadership to develop and implement lockdown or evacuation protocols, collaborating with local emergency services.
Community Engagement and Venue Management
• Event Management: When schools act as community hubs (e.g., hosting sports events or local meetings), FM professionals ensure that facilities are properly prepared, cleaned, and equipped.
• Accessibility and Inclusion: They ensure buildings comply with accessibility standards (e.g., ramps, lifts) so that external users, including people with disabilities, can safely access school premises.
Financial and Strategic Planning
• Budget Management: FM teams are often responsible for managing maintenance and facilities budgets, identifying inefficiencies, and finding cost savings (energy, vendor contracts, maintenance plans).
• Capital Planning: They contribute to long-term capital plans, helping schools prioritise which building upgrades, refurbishments, or sustainability investments to pursue.
• Funding Applications: Facilities managers may support applications for grants or government funding (e.g., for energy-efficiency improvements or major building repairs).
• Aging School Infrastructure: Many educational establishments operate in buildings that are decades old. With limited investment, facilities managers help navigate the tension between keeping these buildings safe and functional and managing tight budgets.
• Budget Constraints: According to FM and Education professionals, maintenance budgets in the sector are becoming increasingly stretched. In some cases, budget cuts have forced headteachers themselves to take on maintenance tasks that would normally fall to site staff.
• Safety Concerns: A good example, asbestos remains a major concern, nearly 700 schools in England reportedly raised asbestos safety issues with the Health and Safety Executive in one survey.
• Growing Demand for Green and Technology-Enhanced Spaces: Modern education demands sustainable and smart buildings, putting pressure on FM teams to deliver both performance and value.
Here are several data-driven insights illustrating the scale and importance of FM in UK education:
• The UK’s total outsourced FM market is estimated at around £49.2 billion (annual contract value) as of recent market analysis.
• Over 60% of the UK FM market’s value comes from the public sector, which includes education.
• The hard FM segment — infrastructure maintenance, building services, physical asset upkeep — is growing strongly, reflecting schools’ needs to keep aging buildings safe and efficient.
Investment in Technology
• There is a strong uptake of smart FM technologies: according to research, FM professionals are investing in data analytics, automation, smart building systems, and integrated workplace systems.
• On the software side, the school facilities management software market is forecast to grow by around 7% between 2024 and 2030, driven by the adoption of cloud-based, standardised systems for maintenance, scheduling, and asset management.
Underinvestment in School Buildings
• Reporting by The Guardian reveals that a record number of UK schools have had building repair funding applications rejected.
• Budget pressures have also forced some headteachers to undertake maintenance tasks themselves because they cannot afford to employ caretakers or FM staff.
• Risk Reduction: Having knowledgeable FM staff is critical for managing health and safety risks, from structural hazards to asbestos to fire safety.
• Cost Efficiency: Skilled FM professionals help schools make long-term savings through preventive maintenance, efficient energy use, and smarter capital investment.
• Sustainability: With rising environmental expectations, FM teams can lead schools in reducing carbon emissions, managing waste, and integrating green practices.
• Support for Teaching and Learning: When school buildings and facilities work reliably, teachers and students can focus on education rather than coping with maintenance issues.
• Community Value: Well-managed school facilities can double as community hubs, supporting broader social engagement.
