The Department for Education (DfE) will launch the first School Estate Management Standards (SEMS) Annual Return on 22 September 2026. Responsible Bodies will be required to complete and submit their return through Manage Your Education Estate (MYEE) by 23 November 2026.
The annual return forms part of the DfE’s wider Education Estates Strategy. It is designed to help Responsible Bodies assess how closely their estate management arrangements align with the School Estate Management Standards and identify where further improvement may be needed.
The School Estate Management Standards assess estate management maturity across six key areas:
- Strategic estate management
- Planning and organising your estate resources
- Understanding and managing your land and buildings
- Health and safety and also statutory compliance
- Maintaining your estate
- Sustainability and digital technology
Responsible Bodies will be assessed against a four-level maturity model, from Baseline (Level 1) to Advanced (Level 4). The DfE expects all organisations to achieve at least Level 1 and work towards Fully Effective (Level 3) over time, while Level 4 represents an aspirational standard for organisations with more advanced, strategic estate management practices.
The annual return has been designed to be straightforward and proportionate. It consists primarily of multiple-choice questions, requires no supporting evidence to be uploaded and typically takes between one and one-and-a-half hours to complete. Importantly, the DfE has confirmed that responses will not affect capital funding allocations, and there are no penalties for organisations that are not yet meeting all aspects of the standards. Instead, the information collected will help inform future guidance and support for the sector.
The return must be completed at Responsible Body level, rather than by individual schools. While schools may need to provide information, the final submission should be undertaken by a senior leader, estates professional or other appropriate individual with oversight of the organisation’s estate management arrangements.
To complete the return, users must have access to Manage Your Education Estate (MYEE) through DfE Sign-in. The Department for Education is encouraging responsible bodies to log in now, check that all schools are linked correctly and ensure relevant colleagues have access well in advance of the submission deadline.
For schools and trusts, the annual return is a valuable opportunity to benchmark current estate management arrangements against the new standards, identify strengths and development areas, and prioritise future improvements. Organisations with established estate strategies, condition data, asset management plans and compliance processes are likely to find the exercise particularly useful for demonstrating progress and identifying remaining gaps.
At Synergy, we help schools and trusts understand and implement the School Estate Management Standards with confidence. From estate strategies and asset management plans to condition surveys, planned maintenance programmes and climate resilience planning, our team can help you assess your current position and identify practical next steps. If you would like support strengthening estate management maturity across your organisation, please get in touch.
Further guidance and resources:
