Across the education sector, the challenge of doing more with less is all too familiar. Every school in the UK is feeling the pinch so, for school leaders tasked with financial responsibility, it’s crucial to find innovative ways to save money without compromising educational quality.

Fortunately, while spending on technology is necessary each year in schools, there are strategies that can help. Here are four ideas for schools to trim their technology budgets and make every pound count.

1. Refurbished Technology

When it comes to technology, staying current can be costly. However, schools can significantly cut costs without sacrificing quality by embracing and refurbished technology. It’s often at a fraction of the price of brand-new versions and, ensuring they have long warranties, these devices provide a cost-effective solution that stands the test of time. It’s a smart way to keep your technology up to date without breaking the bank.

2. Strategic Procurement: Partner for Savings

Schools can unlock significant savings by forming partnerships with trusted technology providers. For example, the Scomis school support team has created their own ScoStore which uses a network of partners who are committed to delivering the best value options, ensuring that schools receive the highest quality products at the best prices. Collaborating with these partners can lead to bulk purchase discounts and exclusive offers, driving down technology acquisition costs.

3. Software Licensing Optimisation: Pay for what you use

Schools often find themselves overpaying for software licenses they don’t fully utilise. Conduct a thorough audit of your software licenses to identify unused or redundant subscriptions. Take a look at all the solutions you do use and evaluate if there is a need for separate licences, or could they be rationalised and a single solution be used for everything instead? By optimising your software usage, you can reduce licensing costs, allowing you to allocate resources more efficiently.

4. Energy efficiency = lower operational costs

Embracing energy-efficient technology not only reduces your school’s environmental footprint but also trims operational expenses. Consider switching to energy-efficient LED lighting, upgrading to ENERGY STAR-rated appliances, and implementing automated heating and cooling systems. These changes can result in substantial savings on your energy bills over time.

In the face of tightening budgets, school leaders must be resourceful in managing technology spending. From refurbished technology and strategic procurement to software optimisation and energy efficiency, these strategies empower schools to reduce costs while focusing on delivering for learners. By adopting approaches such as these, you can ensure that every pound spent is going towards a brighter, more cost-efficient future for your school.

Did you know that schools in England collectively spend a staggering £10+ billion annually on non-staffing costs?

It’s one of the reasons why effective procurement is absolutely critical, but the idea of going to tender for edtech and school management software can feel pretty daunting. However, there’s no reason why it should be complicated and there are actually some brilliant benefits to testing the market and running a formal procurement for the solutions used by your school.

Here are our top three reasons why running a procurement is a good thing:

1. Savings and Efficiency

Going out to procurement means you can benefit from economies of scale which might not be currently available to you with an existing supplier or arrangement. For example, if you’re part of a Trust, engaging with the same supplier as other academies in your MAT but doing it separately isn’t the most efficient approach. By consolidating your spending as a Trust you immediately gain better buying power and secure better deals.

Similarly, aggregating your purchasing decision as a group of schools within an LA means you can also benefit from acting as a group. In many cases, your LA support team will be able to help negotiate a discount for the group of schools while still allowing you all to purchase your own licences (Support Teams are also brilliant at helping schools manage implementations, migrate data and co-ordinate training so we’d recommend asking your local Support team for advice when planning any move or procurement).

It’s also important to remember that efficiency is key. Going out to procurement and then using a Dynamic Purchasing System or Framework offers access to pre-vetted supply chains and can significantly reduce timescales compared to traditional procurement processes.

For software and infrastructure, good options include:

• Crown Commercial Services (CCS)/G-cloud https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM1557.13#products
• Everything ICT https://www.everythingict.org/

When it comes to school management information systems (MIS), there are more options available, many created by or in conjunction with school support teams. For example:

• NYES Digital (North Yorks framework) https://nyes.digital/mis/mis-framework/
• The ICT Service https://theictservice.org.uk/management-information-services/

For devices, especially climate-friendly and budget-friendly options such as reconditioned laptops, etc. ScoStore is a brilliant tool https://portal.getech.co.uk/ScoStore

For more general school purchasing try ESPO https://www.espo.org/ and YPO (Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation) https://www.ypo.co.uk/

2. Compliance

Compliance essentially involves following internal financial rules and statutory requirements when spending public money (and, in the case of MATs, the Academy Trust handbook). Failing to ensure fairness, transparency, and equal treatment of all suppliers—especially if you’re engaging with existing suppliers—can inadvertently lead to legal challenges. We’ve seen legal action taken in the MIS sector (for example, Bromcom recently won its case against ULT re. fair and best practice in education procurement) so really can’t emphasise enough the importance of avoiding such pitfalls. The risks include costs, time burdens, reputational damage, and potential fines and legal action in serious cases.

Compliance involves adhering to the legal framework known as Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR2015) but it shouldn’t be something to fear. You can mitigate these risks by adopting a robust approach to your procurement exercise, and being able to make use of frameworks helps a great deal. Frameworks and DPS provide compliant pathways to procure goods and services so they should always be considered as an option.

3. Improving Outcomes

A procurement exercise is not solely about getting the best price. It’s about understanding your requirements and identifying the best solutions that meet your needs while balancing price, and ultimately delivering greater outcomes for your school or MAT. A well-thought-out procurement process can make a huge difference—both financially, by releasing cashable savings, and by maximizing social benefits for your school, Trust, and the wider community.

When looking at new solutions or replacing an existing legacy system, also ask yourself the following:

• How does the contract benefit your staff, students, and community through service delivery and by accessing the knowledge and expertise of suppliers?
• What are you hoping to achieve and what would truly benefit your schools or MAT?
• Will this add value and make a remarkable impact?
• How will this partnership support the SIP (School Improvement Plan) or the MAT’s overall strategies? For example sustainability, pupil safeguarding, pupil progress, financial security

Summary

While the prospect of engaging in tender processes for edtech and school management software might seem daunting, the benefits far outweigh the challenges. By exploring the market and running a formal procurement, schools can unlock a world of opportunities that lead to significant savings and enhanced compliance.