Eco school ideas: how to make your primary school more sustainable
The Eco-Schools seven-step programme is the UK's most widely used sustainability framework for schools, with more than 19,000 registered settings. Primary schools can begin by forming an eco committee, completing an environmental review, creating an action plan and linking projects to learning. Themes include energy, waste, biodiversity, water and transport, with Green Flag accreditation often achievable within one to two academic years.
Natalie McMunn
MAT procurement: how to simplify ordering across multiple schools
MAT procurement becomes easier when trusts standardise core supplies, keep local school input visible and use ordering tools that reduce duplication, chasing and manual admin. For MAT finance directors, the goal is not to centralise everything for the sake of it. It is to create a system that gives the trust better control while helping individual schools get what they need, when they need it.
Rachel Pangburn
How to save water at school: ideas and resources for primary schools
Saving water at school is one of the simplest ways primary schools can reduce environmental impact while helping pupils develop lifelong sustainability habits. Small changes to daily routines, classroom activities and site management can significantly reduce water use over the course of an academic year, while also supporting the sustainability goals outlined in the Department for Education's Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy.
Chris Leonard
How to create cost and time efficiencies in procurement
School procurement is about more than finding the lowest price. By improving processes, strengthening supplier relationships and using digital procurement tools, schools can reduce administrative workload, improve financial visibility and create both cost and time efficiencies. This guide explores practical ways for School Business Managers to streamline procurement while maintaining strong governance and value for money.
Natalie McMunn
Practical Tools for Busy School Business Managers
School Business Managers are under increasing pressure to balance procurement, budgets, compliance and operational responsibilities. This guide explores practical ways to reduce administration, streamline purchasing processes and create more time for strategic leadership through smarter systems and digital procurement tools.
Natalie McMunn
School framework agreements: what they are and how schools use them
Framework agreements help schools purchase goods and services through pre-approved procurement routes, reducing administrative burden while supporting compliance and value for money. For school business managers, frameworks can provide confidence that purchasing decisions follow recognised procurement processes without requiring every procurement exercise to start from scratch.
Natalie McMunn
What Writing Resources Does Every School Need to Support Successful Writing?
Every school needs a combination of reliable classroom essentials (like pens, pencils, and exercise books) and targeted literacy resources (such as writing prompts, writing frames, and educational literacy games). Blending these tools helps structure pupils' thoughts, reduce cognitive load, and systematically build confidence and independence across all subject areas.
Jack Clarke
School procurement checklist for SBMs: what to review every term
School procurement works best when it is reviewed regularly, not only when budgets are under pressure or supplies run out. For school business managers, a termly procurement checklist helps control spend, reduce waste, evidence value for money and ensure classrooms, offices and support teams have what they need before small issues become bigger problems.
Natalie McMunn
School procurement calendar: what to order each term
The most successful schools rarely leave procurement to chance. By aligning purchasing decisions with the rhythm of the academic year, school business managers can reduce emergency orders, improve budget control, support curriculum delivery and ensure staff have the resources they need before pressures arise. A structured procurement calendar transforms purchasing from a reactive task into a strategic advantage.
Carla Bonner
How to choose a school supplies partner: what to look for beyond price
The best school supplies partner is not always the cheapest supplier. For school business managers, long-term value comes from reliability, service, product quality, ordering efficiency and educational expertise. A lower price on paper can quickly become more expensive if it creates additional workload, delivery issues or classroom disruption.
Carla Bonner
SEND reform 2025-26: what it means for school resource planning
SEND reform in 2025-26 means schools should plan resources around inclusion, early support, evidence of need and long-term sustainability. For SBMs and SENCOs, the priority is not simply preparing for new policy language, but making sure budgets, classroom resources, interventions and staff support are aligned to a system moving towards earlier, more consistent SEND provision.
Jack Clarke
KS2 Maths Resources: What Teachers and Schools Actually Need
Effective KS2 maths teaching depends on more than worksheets and textbooks. The DfE Key Stage 2 Mathematics National Curriculum requires pupils to develop fluency, reasoning and problem-solving skills across number, geometry, measurement and statistics. The most effective resources help pupils visualise mathematical concepts, explain their thinking and apply learning in different contexts. Choosing the right mix of practical, visual and classroom resources can significantly strengthen mathematical understanding and confidence.
Natalie McMunn