Our next #FinnemoreFireside is with Ben McGowan, Head of IT and Digital at Ted Wragg Multi Academy Trust and Simon Denham, a Procurement & Strategic Sourcing Specialist they worked with on their recent procurement of an MIS for the Trust.

I’ve known Ben for many years from his time at Scomis, and I was lucky enough to work with him at Capita for a short period. A couple of years ago he took up his current role leading the IT and digital strategy at Ted Wragg Trust so when the Trust was looking at MIS options back in 2022, I was delighted to be asked to give my thoughts on “the art of the possible” when it comes to planning for the future needs of the Trust and what MIS can help you achieve. It was there I met Simon Denham as Ted Wragg MAT had engaged him to advise on the procurement process to ensure it was thorough, compliant, and achieved the very best for the Trust and academies.

This fireside chat aims to share insights on procurement in the education sector, particularly regarding Management Information Systems (MIS), so if MIS procurement is your thing, or is on the horizon for your school(s), Trust or academies, then this conversation is for you.

In it, we discuss, amongst other things:

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Working with MIS

We’ve been lucky enough to have worked with most of the maintained MIS suppliers including SIMS (then owned by Capita), Arbor, IRIS Ed:gen, Pupil Asset, and, at the time of writing, working with Bromcom as they grow their user base across the UK.

We’ve recorded tons more #FinnemoreFireside chats on the topic of MIS with MATs, school leaders, support teams, suppliers and independent consultants which you can find here or subscribe to our You Tube channel for regular updates.

Other brilliant free, independent resources we’d recommend you take a look at include WhichMIS and BringMoreData. We also run a LinkedIn group ‘The Future of MIS’ which seeks to understand the new role of MIS in schools and explore what it will look like in the future – come and join the conversation 🙂

In the education sector where every pound spent should contribute to the holistic development of students, the procurement process plays a crucial role. However, it’s not just about finding the lowest price; it’s about identifying the best value solutions that align with the specific needs of the school. And the quest for the best value goes beyond the price tag. 

The Challenge 

Many schools and trusts in the UK find themselves navigating the complex landscape of procurement without the guidance of a specialist. Often, that role must be covered in-house and staff often wear multiple hats, so the responsibility of buying high-cost and high-risk goods and services can feel risky and resource-intensive. Schools are also inundated with marketing materials, sales calls, and emails which can further complicate decision-making, leading many schools to stick with incumbent suppliers for a sense of security, even if it doesn’t always translate to the best value. 

Other things need to be taken into consideration: 

Diverse Procurement Landscape: Schools should recognise the diversity within the procurement landscape. Not all suppliers are created equal, and exploring alternative options can be the key to unlocking better value. A dedicated procurement specialist can help schools navigate this landscape efficiently. 

Time and Resource Constraints: Understanding the time and resource constraints that school staff face is crucial. Procurement processes need to be streamlined and straightforward, allowing staff to focus on their primary responsibilities. This includes minimising the administrative burden associated with purchasing decisions. 

Breaking the Incumbency Bias: The inclination to stick with incumbent suppliers can be a common challenge. Schools should evaluate whether the existing partnerships genuinely provide the best value or if exploring alternatives could lead to cost savings, improved services, or both. 

Supplier Relationships: Building and maintaining relationships with trusted partners is essential. Schools should prioritise suppliers who not only offer competitive pricing but also understand the unique needs of the education sector and are committed to providing quality services. 

So what is the best way to tackle procurement to get the best value and return on investment? 

Invest in Procurement Expertise: Consider allocating resources to a dedicated procurement specialist or look to your Support Team for help and ideas. This investment can significantly streamline the procurement process, ensuring that the school gets the best value for its money. 

Implement Technology Solutions: Explore technology solutions that can simplify the procurement journey. E-procurement platforms (e.g. G-cloud,  ScoStore) can centralise information, provide insights into supplier performance, and facilitate a more transparent and efficient process. 

Regularly Review Supplier Relationships: Conduct regular reviews of supplier relationships to ensure they align with the school’s evolving needs. This practice can help identify opportunities for improvement, renegotiation, or exploration of alternative options. 

Encourage Competition: Foster an environment that encourages healthy competition among suppliers. This can lead to more competitive pricing and innovative solutions, ultimately benefiting the school. 

Educate Staff on Procurement Best Practices: Provide training for staff involved in the procurement process. Educating them on best practices, including how to assess value beyond price, can empower them to make informed decisions. 

By understanding the complexities of the procurement landscape, acknowledging the challenges faced by staff, and implementing strategic recommendations, schools can get the best value for their investments. Ultimately school leaders and those with procurement and finance responsibilities want to ensure that every pound spent contributes to the success and well-being of the students they serve, so arming yourself with knowledge and support beforehand and exploring all the options out there is a great first step. 

Our first #FinnemoreFireside of this academic year is with Lyndon Stickley (CEO) and Sam Curtis (Customer Service Director) from iplicit where they discuss, amongst other things, their company’s growth in the education sector.

iplicit offers a cloud-based finance and management software solution, tailored for frustrated on-premise legacy software users and establishments that have outgrown entry-level software. It’s a really insightful discussion and we cover topics including:

• The importance of change in the education sector, and the need for flexibility and adaptability in finance and management systems.
• The evolution of MATs and whether they should be expanding on their requirements when going out to tender for a Finance system – or any system – to include areas of their strategy
• 3 pillars of change
• The challenges of moving from on-premise systems to cloud-based solutions and the importance of post-implementation support.
• How systems need to continue to disrupt, innovate and develop to stay ahead of the game, and how this can be difficult for large or incumbent companies
• Maintaining partnerships with customers and reducing any friction to ensure the customer has the best experience.
• The significance of listening to the market and customers’ needs for successful change and growth in the education sector.

Enjoy!

Next in our series of edtech thought leaders is this chat with barrister and entrepreneur, Priya Lakhani.

Priya founded CENTURY Tech in 2013 after being struck by underachievement rates in schools. The company has combined the latest research in learning science, artificial intelligence and neuroscience to ensure CENTURY is underpinned by evidence-based scientific and pedagogical techniques.  In this Q&A session we discuss:

• Approaches to personalisation
• The importance of data and AI in education
• The driving force behind CENTURY Tech, and how it benefits schools and learners
• Why being curious drives innovation
• How edtech companies and educationalists can work together to practically achieve learning goals

We’ve split the interview into three parts to make it easier to digest. Enjoy!

Capita will look to sell its education software solutions (ESS) unit for at least £500 million as the listed business services provider’s board this week prepares to approve an auction (as exclusively revealed by EducationInvestor Global this week and reported on Capita’s website)

This includes SIMS, and after the recent acquisition of Pupil Asset by Juniper Education, looks like more change is afoot in the UK MIS sector.

But what will this actually mean?

Capita SIMS has by far the largest market share across England, Wales and Northern Ireland with 75% market share across the board. This means whoever ends up acquiring SIMS are going to pick up a LOT of school and academy customers – over 21,000 in total. Tons of opportunity to use it as a platform to sell additional services and solutions.

From the SIMS users point of view, most will see the idea of new owners and fresh investment as a good thing. Many are frustrated with waiting for a cloud solution to materialise when all other suppliers are SaaS.

That frustration is often echoed by the LA MIS Support Teams based around the country who support schools and academies in using SIMS on a day-to-day basis

Ultimately, we hope the downstream effect will be greater and faster innovation so teachers and leaders can benefit from less siloed data, manage daily school life more efficiently, and improve in learner outcomes.