Seven key takeaways from our webinar ‘Does your school need a digital asset register to keep up with compliance demands?’ hosted in partnership with Civica
With rising expectations across the education sector, schools and academies are under pressure to deliver better outcomes with fewer resources. And with the 2024 Academy Trust Handbook putting more emphasis than ever on financial stewardship and asset control, schools need systems that do more than simply ‘keep track.’
To explore how schools can modernise their asset management, PublicTechnology and Civica brought together ed-tech experts for the webinar: Does your school need a digital asset register to keep up with compliance demands? Their message was clear: digital tools can help schools move from reactive, manual asset tracking to proactive, strategic management. Here’s how.
1. Start with a clear picture of your estate
Before any transformation takes place, schools need to understand what they’re working with. That means mapping out every asset across your estate, including what it is, where it is, what condition it’s in, and whether it’s being maintained properly.
Charles Ainslie, Operations Director at Civica, advised leaders to physically walk their site: “From the front gate to the back door, identify everything that needs to be tested, cleaned, serviced or replaced.” To Ainslie, this isn’t just a data-gathering exercise but a step that will help uncover unknowns, spot compliance gaps and set a baseline for improvement.
Keep in mind: Many schools are surprised by how fragmented their asset data is, often spread across departments or reliant on one staff member’s memory. Creating a single, digital source of truth is the first and most critical step.
2. People first: Get buy-in early
Successful transformation doesn’t start with software but with people. The panel emphasised that engaging staff early, especially those who will use and maintain the system, is crucial. Whether it’s a site manager, IT technician or finance lead, their insights into daily workflows will shape how a system needs to function.
Nathan Waites, CFO and COO of the De Curci Trust, shared how involving end users in procurement and planning builds ownership and reduces resistance to change. “If the people using the tools help choose them, they’re more likely to adopt them,” he said.
Keep in mind: Change needs clear leadership. Assigning someone to oversee the transformation journey, from data gathering to implementation, keeps momentum going and makes the project feel structured and achievable.
3. Connect compliance to strategy
Compliance is often viewed as a burden, but it can become a source of strategic insight. A digital asset register helps schools link their day-to-day maintenance tasks to long-term planning, budgeting and risk management.
Many compliance requirements – gas safety checks, PAT testing, asbestos inspections, etc – are tied to physical assets. A digital system allows these tasks to be scheduled, logged and audited automatically. This reduces the risk of missed obligations and avoids last-minute scrambles before inspections or audits.
Keep in mind: Over time, compliance data becomes a rich resource. It can help identify aging infrastructure, support funding bids, and guide capital investment decisions. It’s as much about staying compliant as it’s about being proactive.
4. Free up time, reduce waste
Manual compliance processes drain time and attention. Staff spend hours chasing paperwork, updating spreadsheets, or trying to track down information that should be at their fingertips.
The panel highlighted how digital systems reduce this administrative burden, freeing up hours each week. “In some cases, we’ve seen schools gain the equivalent of a full-time role back through automation,” said Austin Earl of TechUK.
That time can be redirected towards teaching, student support, or simply running a more efficient operation. In parallel, better tracking also reduces waste: schools can monitor device usage, prevent over-ordering and ensure they’re getting full value from every asset before replacement.
Keep in mind: A digital asset register not only improves well-being among overstretched staff but also allows schools to reinvest time and budget into student-facing initiatives and enrichment programmes.
5. Review, reflect, reuse
Digital transformation doesn’t end when a system goes live. Schools need to revisit their tools and processes regularly to ensure they’re being used effectively and delivering value.
One key opportunity lies in software rationalisation. “We looked at all our subscriptions and found unused tools we were still paying for,” said Waites. By maintaining a register of software licences as well as physical assets, schools can spot duplication, end contracts on time and maximise the value of existing tools.
Keep in mind: Building in regular reviews also means your asset register stays current, thus it remains a reliable foundation for decision-making and compliance.
6. Plan for the future with AI and automation
While artificial intelligence (AI) is often associated with teaching tools, its potential in school operations is just beginning to emerge. From automating helpdesk triage to predicting equipment failure, AI can support smarter, faster decisions behind the scenes.
Austin Earl highlighted three areas of opportunity:
- Triage and support: AI can handle routine queries from staff or parents, freeing up time for more complex issues.
- Automated reporting: Compliance logs and performance data can be compiled automatically, reducing manual workload.
- Strategic planning: AI can analyse patterns in usage or maintenance to inform budgeting, procurement and infrastructure upgrades.
Keep in mind: Organisations should try not to rush in but to stay informed and open to gradual adoption, letting AI enhance rather than replace human expertise.
7. One system, many benefits
In this session, we learned that, ultimately, a digital asset register does more than meet regulatory requirements. It brings visibility, structure and control to an increasingly complex part of school life. It also supports long-term planning and helps school leaders use resources more strategically.
As Ainslie puts it: “It’s carrot and stick. Yes, there’s a compliance obligation, but the benefits go far beyond that. Better data. Better decisions. Better outcomes.”
For all the insight and advice, watch webinar on demand.
