The Team

The team engages and works collaboratively with internal Council departments on supporting the Council’s growth strategy through:

• Developing and commissioning the capital investment strategy for the schools’ estate supported by the Schools Strategic Development Manager – Capital Delivery Team
• Engaging and working collaboratively with property and other colleagues to ensure the quality and value for money of works commissioned.
• Engaging and working collaboratively with internal departments including Planning, Highways and Property to deliver good, robust, quality school environments as outlined in the School Planning Charter.
• Supporting the planning of essential educational infrastructure as new homes are built, ensuring there are sufficient places at nurseries, primary and secondary schools whilst exploring opportunities for possible mixed used developments.

• Exploring opportunities and constraints to expand existing schools and delivering expansions.
• Exploring opportunities and constraints of potential new school sites.
• Working collaboratively with the schools’ community to inform, develop and deliver the schools capital condition programme, ensuring our school estate remains fit for purpose.
• Seek funding opportunities, support the education community to identify and apply for funding or bid opportunities.
• Working closely with Pupil Place Planning colleagues to ensure places are created to meet local need and to minimise any negative impact on existing provision.

• Developing accommodation strategies to support the creation of new pupil places (expansion strategies) for primary, secondary and SEND schools and ensuring sufficient accommodation is in place across the school’s estate.

Schools Asset Management

The Schools Asset Manager works collaboratively with the maintained school’s community to inform, develop and deliver the schools capital repairs programme, ensuring our school estate remains fit for purpose. The Schools Asset Manager provides the first point of contact for any building related issues/questions/concerns. Annual Asset Management visits are carried out with the Headteacher or responsible officer to review documentation and undertake a site walk, make recommendations for improvement or repairs where necessary.

The main functions of the Schools Asset Manager are as follows:

Capital Repairs and Maintenance and Asset Management   

• Commission, monitor and review the financial and physical delivery of the rolling schools Capital Repairs Programme.   
• Work collaboratively with the school community to develop and maintain asset information on schools.
• Use this knowledge to inform the prioritisation of works included in the schools Capital Repair Programme.
• Support schools to utilise Concerto as an asset management tool / database.
• Engage and work as part of the Schools Delivery team, Property and other colleagues to ensure capital works delivered are value for money and of the required quality.
• Liaise with the Corporate Property Asset Management team on school asset management issues, including academy conversions, assets surplus to requirements, asset valuations etc.
• Commission capital works on the education estate where these exceed the council minimal cost of £10,000.
• Seek funding opportunities, supporting the education community to identify funding or bid opportunities and support during the application / bids stage and delivery stage.
• Monitoring of schools’ management of projects in their role of custodianship of premises, including Health and Safety procedures.
• Work with schools to help them to become better informed and more confident in handling property issues.

Health and Safety

• To work in collaboration with the Corporate Health and Safety team to ensure schools are compliant with Statutory Health and Safety requirements and good practice with specific regard to Fire, Water Hygiene and Asbestos Management.
• The Health and Safety Team can provide training on a variety of compliance issues on request.  
• Working collaboratively with schools to ensure that the respective parties understand their roles and responsibilities.  
• Advise schools of any relevant statutory changes and disseminate information to schools as required.  
• Supporting the Property and Health and Safety Teams on setting standards and providing guidance on school’s maintenance, technical issues, health and safety and other property-related matters.  

Contact Details

Rob Miller - Head of Schools Delivery

Economic Growth and Housing Delivery – Capital Delivery, 1st-floor, Magistrates Building, 1 Farnan Avenue Walthamstow, London E17 4NX

Direct Line: 020 8496 8158 Mobile: 07528 382 853 

Angela Ferdinand-Sergeant - Schools Asset Manager

Economic Growth and Housing Delivery – Capital Delivery, 1st-floor, Magistrates Building, 1 Farnan Avenue Walthamstow, London E17 4NX

Direct Line: 0208 496 8081 Mobile: 07740 900541