School budgets have rarely been under more pressure. With rising staffing costs, increasing operational demands and tighter funding, every pound matters. Yet many schools and Multi-Academy Trusts are unknowingly spending more than they need to on ICT.
It's rarely the result of poor financial management. More often, it's the cumulative effect of contracts that have quietly renewed, software licences that are no longer being used, or procurement decisions that haven't been reviewed for several years.
The good news? Many of these costs can be identified (and often reduced) without compromising the quality of your technology provision.
Why ICT Costs Often Go Unnoticed
Technology procurement has become increasingly complex. Schools rely on a growing mix of cloud services, software subscriptions, security platforms, devices and infrastructure, each with their own contract terms and renewal dates.
Over time, this can lead to unnecessary expenditure in areas such as:
- Microsoft 365 licensing
- Google Workspace licences
- Printing and managed print services
- Servers and network infrastructure
- Antivirus and cyber security software
- Backup and disaster recovery services
- Hardware leasing agreements
- Software subscriptions and renewals
Even well-managed schools can find themselves paying for licences that are no longer needed, duplicate services across departments, or contracts that no longer represent the best value.
Common Areas Where Schools Overspend
A procurement review often uncovers issues such as:
Automatic contract renewals
Many ICT contracts include auto-renewal clauses with lengthy notice periods. Missing these dates can lock schools into another year, or longer, of unnecessary expenditure.
Unused software licences
As staff change roles or leave the organisation, licences are not always reassigned or cancelled. Schools may continue paying for users who no longer require access.
Duplicate subscriptions
Different departments or individual schools within a MAT may purchase similar software independently, creating unnecessary duplication.
Legacy contracts
Technology evolves quickly. A contract agreed three or four years ago may no longer reflect current market pricing or service levels.
Missed MAT purchasing opportunities
Multi-Academy Trusts often have greater buying power than individual schools. Consolidating contracts across the trust can deliver significant savings while simplifying management.
Procurement Isn't Just About Cutting Costs
Reducing expenditure is important, but procurement reviews also provide reassurance that your ICT estate remains compliant, secure and fit for purpose.
Regular reviews can help schools:
- Avoid expensive automatic renewals
- Renegotiate pricing before contracts expire
- Remove unnecessary software licences
- Identify consolidation opportunities
- Improve contract visibility across the organisation
- Ensure technology spending aligns with current needs
In many cases, schools can make savings without reducing services or impacting teaching and learning.
Benchmarking Against Similar Schools
One of the most valuable parts of a procurement review is benchmarking.
Comparing your ICT contracts, licensing arrangements and infrastructure costs against similar schools helps answer important questions:
- Are you paying above market rates?
- Is your licensing model still appropriate?
- Could your MAT achieve better value through consolidated purchasing?
- Are there services that comparable schools have already streamlined?
Without this context, it's difficult to know whether your current spend represents good value.
What Does an ICT Procurement Health Check Include?
A procurement health check provides an independent review of your existing arrangements and highlights potential opportunities to improve value.
This typically includes:
- A procurement audit
- Review of ICT contracts and renewal dates
- Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace licensing review
- Assessment of software subscriptions and licence utilisation
- Benchmarking against comparable schools or trusts
- Identification of potential cost-saving opportunities
- Recommendations for future procurement planning
The review is designed to provide clear, practical insights, allowing school leaders to make informed decisions about future ICT investment.
Small Reviews Can Deliver Significant Savings
For many schools, ICT procurement isn't something that's reviewed every year. As technology estates grow, so too does the potential for hidden costs to accumulate.
Taking the time to review contracts, licences and procurement arrangements can uncover opportunities to reduce unnecessary expenditure, improve compliance and make budgets work harder.
In a climate where every budget decision counts, understanding exactly where your ICT spend is going could be one of the simplest ways to identify savings without affecting frontline education.
Could Your School be Overspending on ICT?
A complimentary ICT Procurement Health Check carried out by SBS can help identify hidden costs and provide reassurance that your contracts, licences and technology procurement are delivering the best possible value.
The review includes:
- Procurement audit
- Contract and renewal review
- Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace licensing review
- Benchmarking against similar schools
- Identification of potential savings and consolidation opportunities
There's no obligation - just an opportunity to understand whether your ICT budget is working as efficiently as it could.
Click here for more information on our ICT services, or get in touch to book your complimentary ICT Procurement Health Check.
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