Guidance

Getting the best value from schools non-staff spend

Published 2 June 2025

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2025

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-advice-for-governing-boards/getting-the-best-value-from-schools-non-staff-spend

Refer to this information early in the annual budget planning cycle, or when:

  • reviewing your 3-to-5-year plan
  • considering a substantial purchase of goods, services or works

You should also consult your:

  • school business professional (business manager, finance director, procurement manager or equivalent)
  • headteacher or chief executive officer (CEO)

Any reports received by the governing body or finance and resources committee should contain comparative information and analysis. These tools can help you do this:

Understand your reasons for purchasing

Know the value and implications of your procurement.

Determine the outcomes you want from the purchases you are considering. Procurement is not just about compliance or savings. It’s also about delivering value and impact. For education, this could mean:

  • better learning environments
  • improved student outcomes
  • stronger community engagement

Consider whether the procurement is aligned with your school’s mission and strategic objectives. For example, you might prioritise projects that enhance inclusion or help underpin educational achievement.

Know the current situation

Make sure you understand the current situation and interests in your setting.

Governors may ask people doing procurement whether they have:

  • policies to protect the school and its staff against procurement fraud
  • an up-to-date contracts register giving an overview of all the commercial activity across the school or trust, which could be a simple spreadsheet or a bespoke system
  • given the latest information to all the people responsible for procurement and contract management and that these people are competent, trained and supported
  • the latest SFVS or SRMSAC return accurately reflects how procurement is carried out

Embed procurement expertise

Use procurement experts and increase procurement expertise in your governing board and the workforce.

Boards benefit from having members with procurement skills. These skills can improve decision-making, financial and strategic insight and effectiveness. You could conduct a skills analysis and consider targeted recruitment of this expertise onto your board if there is a gap.

Procurement expertise can bring considerable value to a school or trust, not just in terms of cost savings and better value for money, but also as an enabler of innovation, social value, sustainability and positive transformation.

If you do not have procurement expertise within the board or school, consider:

  • finding suitable development opportunities so board members can be trained to understand procurement principles, opportunities and compliance, and are kept up-to-date with regulation changes
  • seeking external professional advice
  • contacting the Department for Education (DfE) for free help from procurement specialists

Challenge assumptions

Make sure you have the correct information. Ask thoughtful questions about procurement processes, contracts and habitual practices that could be improved.

For example, governors might ask:

  • Why are we doing it this way?
  • Could we use a suitable framework?
  • Could we achieve better outcomes with a different approach?
  • How does this align with our strategic goals?
  • Are we compliant with regulations?
  • How could we get better value?

Challenge assumptions and, where appropriate, encourage a focus on long-term value over short-term outputs.

View procurement as a strategic enabler

Procurement can encourage innovation and transformation. It can directly and positively impact teaching and learning.

Procurement teams in larger trusts should benchmark against the best procurement practices to:

  • create a roadmap for success
  • embed procurement into strategic planning
  • achieve savings while maintaining compliance

Benchmarking against relevant organisational excellence frameworks increases the value of procurement within organisations, and leads to savings and innovation.

Examples of frameworks include:

Use procurement for social impact 

Procurement can drive broader organisational goals, such as social value or sustainability. Many public sector frameworks help you select more sustainable products. When running your own procurements, use specifications that clarify what is important to your setting, such as creating local employment opportunities.

Ask those responsible for procurement to:

  • consider including social value criteria that align with the government’s opportunity missions in suitable tenders
  • encourage suppliers to align with school or trust values and community needs

Share organisational goals with suppliers and stakeholders

Consider suppliers as partners in achieving your organisational goals.

Ensure that the school or trust is engaging with staff, pupils, communities and all stakeholders to understand their needs and priorities. For example:

  • What does the school, students and local community need from a particular procurement?
  • How can procurement meet their needs?
  • What other benefits could the procurement provide?

Appropriately trained staff should engage with suppliers and share your vision and challenges to invite tailored solutions.

Innovate while staying compliant

Do not let the need for compliance stifle creativity. Treat the Procurement Act 2023 (PA23) as an opportunity to achieve better outcomes, not as a barrier.

Questions governors should consider include:

  • How can we remove barriers to working with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)?
  • Could buying locally be more effective?
  • How could we engage with the market to improve supplier relationships and outcomes?

The school could explore the procurement methods enabled by PA23, such as calling off from dynamic markets or open frameworks and engaging suppliers early, innovatively and compliantly. DfE approved frameworks are available for schools.

Always refer to your internal governance arrangements in the first instance. The requirement to follow the rules of PA23 depends on the circumstances of your school or trust, such as:

  • how much you are spending
  • whether you are requesting 3 quotes, or calling off a suitable public sector framework

Invest in procurement infrastructure

Only the largest multi-academy trusts are likely to need a dedicated procurement team.

Governors should consider: 

  • whether procurement and contract management policies, processes, and systems are robust, scalable, and well-documented to ensure continuity and resilience if key individuals leave
  • how to benchmark against excellence frameworks to identify and address any gaps in infrastructure and governance

Focus on outcomes

Evaluate whether procurement projects deliver the best possible outcomes.

For example:

  • Does a catering tender include social value elements such as cooking lessons for parents and children?
  • Are capital projects designed to:
    • be sustainable
    • maximise inclusivity
    • increase pupil engagement
    • deliver educational outcomes
    • provide long-term value for money

Further resources

National Governance Association’s Procurement in schools and trusts guidance for governing boards

National Procurement Policy Statement

Buying procedures and procurement law for schools

Local Government Association (LGA) National Procurement Strategy Toolkit

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