Delivering sustainable value in the Education Sector
Overview
The UK government has announced it will spend £650m on an education “catch-up plan”, with a large chunk of the cash going directly to schools.
State Primary and Secondary Schools will split the £650 million (equivalent to £91 per pupil) in additional funding for the 2020-21 academic year to help their pupils catch up on education missed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
On the surface, this is fantastic news but will place a strain on schools – there is no mention of any additional support for the increased operational costs to achieve this plan. Education cost optimization will be crucial as school social distancing measures, additional cleaning, and safe provision of school meals, to name but a few, will all need to be considered and implemented.
Private schools in the UK are facing a different battle for survival in the face of the coronavirus crisis as parents who have lost their income cancel direct debits and overseas pupils who have gone home may decide not to return.
It is a crucial time for the education sector across Europe to review their overhead costs, a release of funds could make a huge difference and help meet the additional costs that are sure to hit hard.
An Introduction to ERA Group Education Cost Optimization Solutions
Colleges, Universities and MATs are under increasing pressure to achieve budget reduction whilst having to operate with a lack of funding. ERA Group provide a wide range of industry solutions, including education. Here, Nick Clement, one of our leading Education and Not for Profit specialists, discusses the common challenges faced by organisations within the education industry and explores how ERA Group Education Solutions can help. To learn more about how we can help you, download our Education white paper which provides detailed information about how we can help.
"Disruptive technology, like so many industries, requires organisations to adapt and those that fail to do so will fall behind. This is a crucial area where external experts can provide significant value."
Industry Challenges
Lack of Funding
Having worked extensively within the Education sector over the past two decades, ERA have seen at first hand the detrimental impact that lack of funding has on teaching and learning in schools, MAT’s and colleges, particularly on staffing levels, reduced curriculum provision and extracurricular activities to an extent where teachers have been forced to pay for teaching materials out of their own pockets.
Lack of Resource and Expertise
The roles of CEO, COO, CFO, Bursar, Business or Finance Manager within this sector are vitally important.
Unfortunately, incumbents in these roles often do not have the time, resources or expertise to manage each and every cost area, with the added challenges of statutory constraints and demands faced by those in public sector education.
Public Sector Frameworks
Purchasing via a Public Sector Framework (or Procurement Framework) can help with these challenges. Whilst frameworks are useful, do you know if they are really delivering best value? They are restricted by the specific suppliers who are accepted on to them and there are many frameworks to choose from, offering different pricing and service levels.
As an approved supplier on a procurement consultancy framework ourselves, we work together with our clients to help them optimise the use of frameworks, offering alternatives where a particular framework may be outdated or where the best value suppliers are not included.
Download the ERA Group Education Cost Optimization guide today and examine how your organisation can overcome these challenges and others to gain a competitive advantage.
"The Institute for Fiscal Studies analysis says since 2009, spending has fallen by 8% per pupil once rising costs such as pay and pension contributions are taken into account."
Education Industry Case Study
St Michael's School Case Study
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"Ours in not just a ’money saving crusade’ but also a mission to embed a smarter spending culture throughout for our educational clients and demonstrate that a pound saved elsewhere really is a pound that can then be put to use in the classroom."