Matt Isherwood

Associate Partner, Barker Associates

Matt Isherwood is an Associate Partner at Barker following 14 years at Brooke Weston Trust as Director of Estates. He has been a long-standing and strong advocate for best practice on good estates management, energy, sustainability, and use of data-driven decision making. Matt has enormous knowledge and experience of estates management from the client side and is now working with Barker to promote this knowledge to the wider education sector.

Hall 6

1 Series four

Flourishing environments: Analysing DfE’s school estate management standards

The DfE’s new standards embody a shift in the government’s approach to improving the condition, safety, suitability, and sustainability of school estates across England. This session will provide an expert analysis of the new guidance and the implications for school trusts. We’ll hear how trusts align standards with broader policy goals and funding expectations to create a successful and resilient estates strategy. Most importantly, we’ll translate policy into practice. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of what the new standards require, practical tools for assessing current compliance, and strategic advice on aligning estate management with educational outcomes, financial planning, and sustainability goals.

1 Workshop series two

Leading and Managing an Education Estate: Taking Strategic Action

When funding is neither guaranteed nor sufficient and when data is never perfect, how can trust and estates leaders take strategic action whilst dealing with the day-to-day pressures of keeping our school buildings open and safe? This interactive session explores the realities of strategic estates leadership — balancing long-term planning with the courage to act when the conditions are less than ideal. Our speakers will draw on case studies to share lessons on how effective estate strategy isn’t just about buildings and budgets — it’s about leadership, influence, and culture. We’ll debate how the most effective leaders take the long view by acting strategically, not reactively. Participants will be invited reflect on what their organisation is currently “waiting on” — and how to move from caution to confident, evidence-informed action.