The Department for Education (DfE) recently published updated guidance for governing boards on “Getting the best value from schools’ non-staff spend”. While it covers a broad range of procurement considerations, a few stand-out messages echo what many in the sector already know: when it comes to procurement, expert advice and targeted strategy make a measurable difference.
What the DfE guidance says
Several key themes in the guidance are worth highlighting for school leaders and MAT decision-makers:
- Use procurement experts: When budgets are tight and complexity is high, schools should seek professional procurement support to avoid waste and unlock value.
- Invest in procurement infrastructure: That means investing in benchmarking, robust systems, and people who know how to get the best out of the market.
- Use procurement for social impact: Procurement decisions can, and should, consider environmental and community outcomes, not just cost. We’re proud to be a Social Value Pioneer and are committed to creating positive social impact.
- Stay compliant: Adhering to the Procurement Act 2023 (which came into effect in February 2025) is an opportunity to achieve better outcomes and brings benefits such as being more inclusive for small businesses and suppliers entering the market.
These points reinforce what we’ve seen across hundreds of school and trust projects: a generic, one-size-fits-all route often can’t deliver the same impact as targeted consultancy built around your school’s specific goals and constraints.
The benefits of direct consultancy
Frameworks absolutely have their place – they offer structured access and some degree of compliance assurance. However, many schools are discovering that direct procurement consultancy offers:
- Greater flexibility and customisation
- Deeper cost and quality benchmarking
- Access to sector specialists who understand educational environments
- Stronger alignment with long-term trust strategies
- Support for building internal procurement capability (not just outsourcing it)
- Be reassured that you are staying compliant and adhering to the Procurement Act 2023
What this means in practice
The new guidance offers schools and MATs a chance to pause, reflect, and explore smarter options for getting the best value; not just the fastest route. Whether you’re reviewing catering contracts, energy spend, cleaning, or other core services, it’s worth asking: Are we using procurement as a strategic lever? Do we have access to true market intelligence? Could we be investing in a more tailored procurement approach?
We work closely with trusts and schools to deliver transparent, expert-led procurement solutions, fully aligned with DfE expectations and your local needs. Whether you’re exploring a new contract or just want to benchmark your current provision, we’re here to help. To contact us click here.
The Litmus team