DfE publishes School Estate Management Standards Annual Return Guidance: What responsible bodies need to know
The Department for Education (DfE) has published guidance for the new School Estate Management Standards Annual Return, providing Responsible Bodies with their first look at how the annual submission process will operate.
While the guidance confirms that the return itself will be relatively straightforward, it marks the next step in the implementation of the School Estate Management Standards. Responsible Bodies should now begin preparing for the first annual return by ensuring appropriate governance, processes and estate information are in place.
What is the School Estate Management Standards Annual Return?
From September 2026, all Responsible Bodies eligible for annual DfE capital funding, including local authorities, academy trusts, dioceses and sixth-form colleges, will be asked to complete an annual return through the DfE's Manage your education estate service.
The return is designed to help organisations assess how well they meet the School Estate Management Standards while providing the DfE with information on how the Standards are being implemented and where additional support may be required.
The DfE has confirmed that:
the return uses multiple-choice questions;
no supporting evidence or documents need to be uploaded; and
responses will not affect capital funding allocations.
What does this mean for Responsible Bodies?
The annual return is intended to demonstrate how Responsible Bodies meet the School Estate Management Standards. This means organisations should understand:
how estate responsibilities are governed;
whether appropriate strategies, plans and policies are in place;
how statutory compliance is managed;
how estate information is maintained and used to support decision-making; and
whether estate planning is aligned with wider organisational priorities.
Key dates
The first annual return will open during the third week of September 2026, with submissions due by late November.
Returns must be submitted through the DfE's Manage your education estate service using DfE Sign-in.
What should Responsible Bodies do now?
Although the return does not require supporting evidence to be uploaded, Responsible Bodies should begin preparing now. Reviewing current estate management arrangements against the School Estate Management Standards will help identify any gaps in governance, planning, compliance or estate information before the submission window opens.
Early preparation will make completing the annual return easier while also helping Responsible Bodies identify opportunities to strengthen estate management and support continuous improvement.
How S2e can help
Whether you're looking to understand the School Estate Management Standards, assess your current arrangements or identify priorities before completing the first annual return, S2e can provide practical, proportionate support tailored to your education estate.
Our multidisciplinary team of surveyors, architects, building services engineers and health and safety specialists has been supporting schools, academies and multi-academy trusts with estate management for over a decade.
To support Responsible Bodies ahead of the new academic year, we will shortly be publishing a practical guide to the School Estate Management Standards. The guide provides a clear overview of each section of the Standards, together with practical advice to help organisations understand the requirements and prepare for the first annual return. For first access to this guide, please sign up to our newsletter here.
