Procurement Pressures in Schools: Why Value for Money Matters More Than Ever

Introduction

With budgets tightening across education, procurement is under greater scrutiny than ever.

Schools and MATs are now expected to demonstrate clear value for money in every decision, from contracts to supplier selection.

Recent guidance continues to emphasise transparency and accountability in school spending.

Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-financial-value-standard-sfvs

The challenge for schools

Procurement isn’t just about finding the lowest price.

It’s about balancing:

• Cost 

• Quality 

• Reliability 

• Risk 

  
  

And for MATs managing multiple schools, this becomes significantly more complex.

Where things go wrong

Without clear oversight, schools risk:

• Duplicate contracts across schools 

• Overpaying for services 

• Limited visibility on supplier performance 

A smarter approach

Leading trusts are improving procurement by:

• Centralising supplier lists 

• Tracking contract performance 

• Standardising approval processes 

Final thought

In today’s climate, procurement isn’t just operational, it’s strategic.

Getting it right can unlock significant savings across a trust.