Schools across the land are feeling the financial pressure - from energy and catering costs to unfunded pay rises, there is no escaping the current financial storm. The government’s Autumn Statement on Thursday will be unlikely to immediately remedy the situation either.
It is a tough time, but we are an adaptable, resilient and determined sector, so we should not lose sight of our ability to find solutions to the problems we face - in the short, medium and long term.
That is easy to say, of course, but how can we actually do it?
At The Primary First Trust, comprising eight schools across Bexley, Gravesham and Medway, we have several efforts underway to help save money and build economic efficiencies into our operations that we hope will serve us well long into the future, too.
Short-term solutions
Small changes may seem futile in the face of huge bills but combined together, over multiple schools and long time periods, they can really add up - and become long-term cash savers.
For us, quick wins have come from advising our schools on simple measures to reduce bills, including:
- Dialling back thermostats a notch
By lowering our thermostats by just one degree, we have saved as much as 8 per cent on our heating costs without compromising the comfort of our colleagues and pupils. We have implemented this through our Building Management System (BMS) and protected the settings with a passcode to ensure they are maintained.
- Turning the heat off earlier to use residual heat
When radiators switch off, they continue to give off heat as they cool. Across the trust, we have, using our BMS, switched off our heating at 2.30pm so the last hour of the school day uses the residual heat effectively. We then have our system on frost protection only during the evenings and weekends.
- Ensure heat sources are adequality placed
Ensure radiators are not obstructed by classroom objects to maximise their impact. Where possible, we have moved objects blocking radiators and if we have been unable to, we have turned off individual radiators, so heat is not wasted.
- Reducing energy waste
We are also gradually installing movement sensors for both our lights and taps as part of our wider refurbishment programme to reap further benefits.
- Mobile device management
Reducing the charge times on our IT equipment such as one-to-one devices. For example, by turning off our charging stations over the weekends and when they are not needed in school time, we have seen a 40 per cent reduction in costs, saving us £5,000 a year.
Medium-term solutions
For the medium term, we are implementing further solutions that will not only safeguard the trust now but in the months to come, too. These include:
- Renegotiating Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
Reviewing our SLAs, such as heating, groundworks, IT and utilities, and assessing their value for money is helping to protect precious funds. We are doing this by going out to tender when they are due for renewal, testing the market to ensure we are contextually aware and know what we can expect, and negotiating hard with suppliers.
- Sharpening up our procurement strategy
We are looking to enhance our procurement strategy, potentially with external expertise, to ensure we are acting as effectively and efficiently as possible and achieving maximum buying power as a group of schools.
- Reviewing recruitment policies
We are exploring our current recruitment model to ensure that we recruit more cost-effectively. This includes assessing every post we are recruiting for and asking ourselves “Do we need this role?”, “Can we delay the appointment until next year?” or “Can we use this as an opportunity to look at our staffing structure to ensure it’s as effective and efficient as possible?” Other tactics that have helped save precious pounds include advertising multiple jobs within one advert, utilising social media and the DfE’s platform for free exposure of our vacancies, and using word of mouth as well.
Long-term solutions
While both short- and medium-term changes can help us to navigate the current crisis, the financial pressures on the education sector are unlikely to be relieved in the foreseeable future. Therefore, it is the long-term ideas that will generate the biggest benefits.
Developing our own energy resilience is a key strategy for us and we are exploring whether we can invest in alternative energy sources across our schools. This includes installing solar panels, wind turbines and ground-source heat pumps.
We are also looking at the possibility of battery storage such as Tesla’s power walls so that we can preserve our energy during weekends and holidays. We are doing this with the help of external experts who are assessing what is possible from an infrastructure perspective as well as what grants are available, such as the Condition Improvement Fund.
If feasible, these measures would build in more financial resilience and energy security as well as sustainability and satisfy our pupils’ thirst for the green agenda.
Another vital aspect we must consider is the role of our reserves. All costs we can save on our energy bills will allow us to continue to build our reserves and help us to continue to build financial resilience.
While there is no one quick fix, we must work together and do what we can to protect our education provision for our young people.
By implementing a range of short, medium- and long-term solutions we can not only weather the storm but come out the other side stronger.
Andrew Moorhouse is CEO of The Primary First Trust
