SMART PROCUREMENT STRATEGIES
Future spending: smarter school purchasing
Amy Shelley, Strategic Procurement Manager at YPO, shares what schools can do to make every pound count.
Schools and trusts are increasingly balancing limited budgets with growing demands on staff time. While online marketplaces offer an abundance of choice, comparing hundreds of products that appear almost identical in both specification and price can be overwhelming. Managing multiple suppliers and websites can be time-consuming, often leading to rushed purchasing decisions.
However, not every attractive deal delivers genuine value. Prices on some online platforms can fluctuate based on demand and automated pricing systems, so discounts do not always reflect a product’s true cost or value.
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s the new academic year begins, schools and trusts are once again looking ahead to future budgets. With financial pressures expected to mount throughout 2026/27, making every pound count remains a key priority for education leaders.
This is where a publicly owned organisation like YPO is invaluable. Based in Wakefield, with more than 50 years’ experience, YPO offers expertise, value, and clarity, helping to unravel and demystify public procurement. A vital part of effective financial planning is understanding the procurement landscape, which can appear both daunting and confusing. While legislation cannot solve every challenge facing education, a better understanding of procurement principles can help schools access services more effectively, structure spending strategically, and secure greater value for money.
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www.education-today.co.uk
For education leaders, smarter purchasing is not simply about finding the lowest price. It means considering the wider value, risk and impact of every decision. Is the product fit for purpose? Is there credible evidence to confirm its safety and compliance? Can the supplier deliver consistently? Does the purchase support longer-term educational, environmental or community outcomes?
Understanding the true cost of procurement
More than one year on from the rollout of the Procurement Act 2023, many leaders have understandably moved beyond the technical details of legislation and are focusing instead on how procurement can support better outcomes for pupils.
A key principle of the Act is the emphasis on transparency and delivering public benefit. For schools, this means looking beyond headline prices and considering factors such as quality, safety and supplier reliability. This is particularly important when purchasing products that pupils use every day. Product recalls may occur, and when one item is identified as unsafe, similar products may still remain available elsewhere. Online marketplaces face significant challenges in
September 2026
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