Sweating your assets


Schools’ facilities lie empty for an estimated 55 per cent of the time. How can you make the most of your assets, while navigating legal issues and keeping admin to a minimum? by Suzanna Drew-Edwards


O


nce upon a time, the only person to be seen in a school after hours was the caretaker. Today,


however, in our present economy of reduced budgets and stretched funds, schools are adopting a needs-must mentality, with many schools throwing open their doors to the local community as a way of boosting their funds. Not only can hiring out sports


facilities, classrooms, halls and theatres generate potential revenue,


Letting better


it also has a multitude of other   will help to create a positive image of an establishment and can also increase pupil numbers as parents will often opt to send their children to a school they know. Having a good number of people coming and going also acts as a deterrent against vandalism and break-ins. Being seen as a community hub


can foster wider school links too – such as forging valuable bonds with local youth services, leisure centres and community clubs. Julia Green,


a partner at leading education and law specialist Browne Jacobson, says: ‘When you think that the buildings and grounds of a school may only be used for mainstream education for up to 55 per cent of the year, making good use of the downtime is a sensible idea.’


Audit your assets The size of your school, along with its location and the facilities you have available all impact on how your school can operate when opening up for community use. Bear in mind that each school and


FundEd SUMMER 2017 15


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