Matt Isherwood

Associates 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.