SCHOOL SUPPLIERS rather than something considered only when contracts are renewed.
Are you supporting staff and pupils effectively? Every supplier relationship should ultimately contribute to improving outcomes for the whole school community.
That might mean recruitment services helping to attract high-quality staff, attendance systems supporting early intervention, wellbeing services promoting positive mental health, or professional development providers giving colleagues the confidence to adapt to new challenges. Take time to gather feedback from those using these services every day. Are they making teachers’ lives easier? Are they improving communication with families? Are they helping staff work more effectively and giving pupils the support they need?
The strongest supplier relationships are collaborative, evolving alongside the changing needs of the school rather than remaining static year after year.
Is your school fit for the future?
While immediate operational pressures often dominate decision-making, September also offers an opportunity to think ahead.
Schools are balancing a growing range of priorities, from sustainability and estate improvements to digital transformation and changing pupil needs. Reviewing your current suppliers can help identify whether your existing services continue to support those longer-term ambitions. Rather than asking whether you need to replace suppliers, consider whether your current mix of services still reflects where the school wants to be in the years ahead. Small changes made now can often put schools in a stronger position for the future.
Looking beyond the contract
Reviewing suppliers should never be seen simply as a procurement exercise. It is an opportunity to reflect on how well your school’s systems, services and partnerships are supporting your wider goals.
Sometimes the outcome will be renewing an existing partnership with greater confidence. Sometimes it may involve making better use of services you already have. And occasionally, it may highlight the need to explore new options.
Whatever the outcome, taking time to ask these questions before September will help ensure that every supplier relationship is delivering value for your school, supporting your staff and pupils, and contributing to a successful year ahead.
Classroom tech that ticks all the boxes
As schools prepare for the new academic year, it is worth looking closely at whether classroom technology is genuinely supporting teaching, learning and day-to-day school operations. The question should not simply be whether a device or platform works, but whether it reduces friction for teachers, supports IT teams, and remains secure and useful over the full life of the investment. A good starting point is compatibility. Technology should fit the school’s existing ecosystem, whether that is Google, Microsoft, Android, ChromeOS or a mix of platforms, rather than forcing staff into unfamiliar workflows. If teachers need several log-ins, workarounds or separate tools to complete everyday tasks, the supplier may be adding workload rather than saving time. Security also needs to be part of the conversation. Connected classroom devices are now part of the wider school network, so leaders should ask how long software will be supported, how updates are managed, and whether devices can be configured and monitored centrally. A low purchase price can quickly become poor value if a product cannot be patched, managed remotely or integrated safely with existing systems.
The same long-term lens should apply to cost and sustainability. Schools should look for evidence of total cost of ownership, energy use, warranty cover, training and after-sales support. It is also worth asking what happens when requirements change: can the technology be upgraded, adapted or redeployed?
The best suppliers will be able to demonstrate not just product features, but how their technology saves time, reduces risk and supports consistent teaching and learning in real classrooms.
Lance Solomon, Chief Product Officer at Promethean
More than a contract
Ahead of the reset point of September, summer is a natural point for reflection. Pressure on school leaders rarely eases and with budgets stretched, staffing demands high and operational priorities ranging from parent communications to payments, trips, clubs, catering and compliance, schools are being asked to deliver more with less time and resource. In that context, the value a supplier can bring is about so much more than just the product or service.
The best suppliers act as true partners. That means helping with preparation for the new term, simplifying processes and helping schools get maximum value from the systems they already use. End-of- year guidance, digital self-help resources, training sessions, or proactive support, particularly in those first few intense weeks of the new term, are all areas where suppliers can really be that true partner. As schools prepare for September, it is worth asking whether each supplier is simply fulfilling a contract or actively helping the school start the year smoothly. Are they making it easier for staff, families and pupils to engage? Are they providing practical insight before problems arise? Are they responsive when support is needed? Every supplier partnership should save schools time, support staff and contribute to the smooth running of the school. When suppliers do that well, school teams are freer to focus on what matters most: teaching, learning and the wider school community.
Tracie Ward, Chief Service Officer, ParentPay Group
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www.education-today.co.uk
July/August 2026
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