For schools, colleges and universities, refurbishment is an unavoidable priority. Ageing estates, rising compliance demands and the push toward net zero are driving investment in upgrades, but unlike many other sectors, education buildings are rarely ’empty enough’ to make works straightforward. As such, the challenge for FM and estates leaders at the FM Forum is clear: how do you deliver essential refurbishment while campuses remain operational, safe and focused on learning?
Education estates: high occupancy, low tolerance for disruption
Occupied refurbishment in education comes with unique constraints. Timetabled teaching, safeguarding requirements, exam periods and student wellbeing create environments where noise, access restrictions and unexpected downtime have immediate consequences.
Best practice starts with recognising that education refurbishments are not just construction projects: they are operational change programmes. Works must be planned around the academic calendar, with clear escalation routes and contingency planning built in from the outset.
Phasing and scheduling: align works to the rhythm of the year
The most effective refurbishment programmes are delivered through careful phasing. Summer and half-term windows remain valuable, but many projects now extend beyond holiday periods due to funding cycles and project scale.
Leading estates teams break works into zones, scheduling high-impact tasks (plant shutdowns, noisy demolition, major access changes) during low-occupancy periods, while lower-disruption activities (finishes, testing, soft upgrades) continue during term time with strict controls.
For universities and FE campuses, this often involves aligning works with student movement patterns, thus avoiding peak transition times and prioritising critical teaching spaces.
Safety, safeguarding and contractor control
Of course, safety is paramount in live education environments. Contractor management is one of the key differentiators between successful projects and reputational risk.
Best practice includes:
- segregated work zones with secure barriers
- controlled access and sign-in processes
- enhanced DBS and safeguarding awareness where required
- clear noise, dust and movement protocols
- daily coordination between contractors and site teams
Education settings demand a higher standard of behavioural and operational discipline than many commercial refurbishments.
Communication: protecting confidence and continuity
Refurbishment can unsettle staff, students and parents if poorly communicated. Leading organisations run structured comms plans: what is happening, when, why it matters, and how disruption will be managed.
Clear wayfinding, rapid issue resolution and visible site leadership help maintain trust. Schools and colleges also benefit from involving senior leadership teams early so operational adjustments (room moves, timetable changes) are properly supported.
Minimising downtime through smart planning
Refurbishment often intersects with critical systems, such as heating, ventilation, lighting and fire safety. Estates leaders are increasingly using detailed shutdown planning, temporary plant solutions and out-of-hours commissioning to prevent loss of service.
Where compliance upgrades are involved, early engagement with regulators and fire risk stakeholders helps avoid late-stage delays.
Refurbishment as an education enabler
Ultimately, refurbishment is about more than buildings. Done well, it improves comfort, safety, sustainability and learning outcomes. The most successful education estates teams will be those who deliver upgrades with minimal disruption, treating occupied refurbishment as a core operational discipline, not an exception.
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