The Educator Magazine U.K. May-August issue - Magazine - Page 48
Are MATs really saving money,
or just paying the price later?
Why smart investment, not blanket savings,
should guide your procurement strategy!
With education budgets tighter than
ever, Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) are
under increasing pressure to make
every pound go further. Centralisation,
economies of scale, and streamlined
systems have become the go-to
strategies for Trust leaders trying
todeliver more for less. It’s
understandable. But in the race to
cut costs, are MATs at risk of making
choices that could ultimately harm
the very thing they’re trying to
protect – the quality of education and
the outcomes for children?
The trouble with ticking every box
On paper, standardising systems across
all schools in a MAT, particularly things
like MIS and assessment tools, seems
like a sensible, cost-effective decision.
Fewer suppliers, better deals, and
consistent use across the Trust.
But this approach can often come
with unintended consequences.
A “one size fits all” MIS might promise
to do everything and more, but these
generic platforms frequently fall short
when it comes to the realities of
teaching, learning, and assessment.
Schools end up working around the
system, staff feel frustrated, and data
quality suffers. Most worryingly,
children’s learning can be impacted
when educators don’t have the right
tools to understand and respond to
pupil progress in meaningful ways.
Why cheaper doesn’t always mean
better
It’s no secret that education has been
chronically underfunded. MAT leaders
are, understandably, drawn to solutions
that promise the biggest savings – and
many procurement decisions are now
driven by budget constraints more than
educational outcomes. But good
procurement isn’t just about cutting
costs; it’s about delivering real,
measurable value.
Making smarter purchasing decisions
can:
• Ensure every pound contributes to
positive outcomes for learners.
• Reduce admin burdens and
duplication across schools.
• Give teachers back valuable time.
• Avoid being locked into expensive,
rigid systems that don’t evolve with
your Trust’s needs.
On the flip side, investing in an ill-fitting
system – even one that looks “
affordable” at first – can be a false
economy. If it doesn’t support good
data practices, align with how your
teachers work, or meet the needs of
each school in your Trust, it can lead
to poor adoption, extra workload, and
missed insights.
Centralisation doesn’t mean
compromise
That’s not to say centralisation is the
problem. In fact, centralising
procurement decisions is often the
best way to simplify processes,
negotiate better deals, and support
staff consistently across a Trust.
The key is to do it with flexibility.
Every school in a MAT has different
contexts – staffing, demographics,
budgets, and priorities. A central
solution should acknowledge that,
offering a core system that supports
consistency and collaboration, while
allowing room for local variation where
it matters.
Smarter buying starts with smarter
questions
Before signing on the dotted line,
Trust leaders should ask:
• Will this solution improve teaching
and learning outcomes?
• Does it align with our long-term
strategy and school improvement
plan?
• What functionality am I compromising
on?
• Is it adaptable enough to support the
different needs within our MAT?
• Are we paying for features we’ll never
use?
Involving end users – teachers, school
leaders, and support staff who will
use the systems every day – is just as
important as engaging your procurement team. If the people on the ground
don’t see the value, they won’t use
the system in the way it was intended,
reducing your return on investment.
A joined-up approach for MATs
Juniper’s 'JoinUp' approach gives Trusts
the people, services, and software they
need – all tailored to their specific goals
and challenges. It’s a smarter, more
joined-up way to support strategic
decision-making across your Trust.
JoinUp gives MATs the flexibility to
choose trusted, best-in-breed tools –
like CPOMS, or Sonar Tracker –
alongside people-led services that fit
each school’s needs, all within a
consistent structure that supports
collaboration, training, and shared
insight. It’s not about ticking a
procurement box; it’s about smarter
choices that save time, improve data,
and lead to better outcomes for pupils.
Make your money work harder
MATs don’t need to spend less – they
need to spend smarter. That means
thinking beyond upfront costs and
considering the long-term value
a solution brings to your Trust.
By choosing adaptable, connected
systems and people-first services that
genuinely support school improvement, you’re not just buying software –
you’re investing in your pupils’ success
and staff well-being.
Want to take a smarter approach to
procurement?
Download our free guide:
A MAT Leader’s Guide to Better Buying
– full of practical advice to help you
make informed, cost-effective decisions
that actually work for your schools…
…and, book a discovery call to find out
how Juniper Education can simplify
systems across your Trust while giving
each school what it really needs.
