Welcome to the first in our Smart Spend series – real stories sharing how our consultants have helped schools and Trusts achieve real savings and real outcomes. Each blog will show how practical decisions, expert support, and smart approaches to procurement and operations can make a tangible difference.
The first Smart Spend series instalment is shared by Mike Neales, Non-Executive Director here at Litmus Partnership, who specialises in education.
Growing Multi-Academy Trusts often inherit a patchwork of suppliers and contracts. That was the case for the Lighthouse Schools Partnership (LSP), which initially formed with six schools and now runs 30 schools with 13,500 students across the South West fringe of Bristol.
At one point, LSP had four outsourced catering providers plus in-house operations, each with different contracts and menus – making management complex and costs unclear.
Benchmarking revealed the opportunity
We started by benchmarking LSP’s catering across all sites. The results were clear: there was significant potential to reduce costs and simplify operations.
LSP decided to centralise their catering and invited their existing providers to compete for a single Trust-wide contract. Using benchmarking data and a structured tender, we helped the Trust create commercial tension and make informed decisions.
£200k saved, simpler operations
By centralising to one provider, the Trust achieved around £200,000 in savings. All 26 primary schools now follow the same menu, making the service more consistent for students and far easier to manage for staff.
When the contract term ended, we ran a full competitive tender, helping LSP appoint a partner aligned with their requirements, delivering both excellent service and strong commercial terms.
The takeaway
Many growing Multi-Academy Trusts face similar challenges. Reviewing spend, benchmarking contracts, and creating competition in the market can deliver real savings and a far simpler operation – exactly what LSP achieved.
Tim Monelle, Director of Trust Services, Lighthouse Schools Partnership, said: “Litmus have become a trusted and invaluable part of our team. They understand Multi-Academy Trusts and are always robust in their recommendations. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend working with Litmus.”
For a growing trust like LSP, a smart spend means more than cost savings – it’s about consistency, clarity, and better results for every pupil.
Read the full story on how we helped Lighthouse Partnership save £200k here.
The Litmus team
