Seaham consultant pens guide for schools

An estates specialist has drawn on her unusual career journey to publish a practical new handbook for the education sector.

Seaham-based consultant Tracey Field has released Leading & Managing an Education Estate: A Practical Guide, designed to help schools, trusts and organisations navigate the complexities of managing buildings and facilities.

Tracey, who runs the eponymous Tracey Field Consulting Ltd, has worked across diverse estates – from safari parks to historic estates and stints working in the Falklands and Nigeria – before moving to the North East and into education management as an estates manager at a multi-academy trust.

She was inspired to write the guide after realising there was no single reference for estates teams working in schools.

Tracey, who has 25 years’ experience in the built environment and facilities management, spanning both public and private sectors, said: “I’ve been through many challenges, including an unexpected back surgery nearly two years ago, I’ve experienced heartbreak and last year was another really bad year that made me think differently.

“I loved my job in the education sector, but I realised I had more to give and after everything that had happened in my personal life, I needed more control in my life. 

“When I told my children that I was going to leave my job and start my own business, they were so supportive and said I should go for it.”

The book covers 19 chapters on essential topics including compliance, project management, energy, governance and funding. 

Alongside publishing, Tracey continues to deliver training, workshops and consultancy support for education providers, as well as being a trustee at Ascent Academies Trust.

She added: “In both my book and with my consulting business, I offer clear, no-nonsense support you can rely on.

“My mission is to empower organisations to achieve their goals through strategic planning and insightful analysis.”

Leading & Managing an Education Estate: A Practical Guide is available now via the company’s website.

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