Who Buys Products and Services in UK Schools? A Guide for Suppliers

Schools buy almost everything a complex organisation needs: software, furniture, teaching resources, professional services, catering, cleaning, transport, staff training, IT support, playground equipment, safeguarding services, building work and much more.

Yet selling to a school can be confusing because the person who needs a product is not always the person who controls the budget. The person who controls the budget may not have authority to approve the purchase, and the person who signs the contract may never use the product at all.

A teacher might first recognise the problem. A subject leader may research possible solutions. A school business manager might examine the cost and contractual terms. An IT manager may assess technical compatibility. A designated safeguarding lead could review risks. The headteacher may give final operational approval, while a multi-academy trust’s central team could determine whether the school is allowed to buy from that supplier in the first place.

This means there is rarely one universal “school decision-maker”. The real buying group depends on what is being purchased, how much it costs, how much risk it creates and whether purchasing decisions are made by the individual school or by a wider trust.

For suppliers, understanding this structure is one of the most important parts of learning how to sell to schools in the UK. Contacting the wrong person does not necessarily mean the offer is poor. It may simply mean the message has entered the organisation through the wrong door.

There is usually more than one school buyer

When suppliers ask who buys products and services in schools, they often expect a job title: headteacher, school business manager or procurement manager.

A more useful answer is that school purchases usually involve several different roles.

The first is the user. This is the person who will use the product or experience the service. It might be a teacher using classroom software, a premises team working with a maintenance contractor or a SENCO coordinating support from an external specialist.

The second is the problem owner. This person feels the operational consequences of the problem and is motivated to solve it. The problem owner and the user may be the same person, but not always. For example, teachers may use a behaviour-management platform, while a deputy headteacher owns the wider problem of behaviour monitoring and consistency.

The third is the internal champion. This is the person willing to investigate the offer, discuss it with colleagues and help it move through the school. A good internal champion understands the need, has credibility with colleagues and can explain how decisions are actually made.

The fourth is the budget holder. This person controls or oversees the budget from which the purchase would be made. However, controlling a budget does not necessarily mean having unrestricted authority to spend it.

The fifth is the approver. Depending on the value and nature of the purchase, approval might come from a headteacher, executive headteacher, trust director, finance committee, governing body or board of trustees.

The sixth is the technical or compliance gatekeeper. This could be an IT manager, data protection lead, designated safeguarding lead, premises manager, finance officer or trust procurement team. A gatekeeper may not want or use the product, but can prevent a purchase from proceeding if important requirements have not been met.

Finally, there may be a contract signatory. This is the person authorised to enter into the agreement on behalf of the school or trust. It is dangerous to assume that a supportive teacher, department head or even senior leader has authority to sign a contract.

Small and routine purchases may pass through these stages informally. Larger, higher-risk or multi-year contracts are more likely to involve a structured process. Department for Education guidance tells schools to consider their own procurement rules and the value of the proposed purchase when choosing the correct buying route. Suppliers should therefore expect the process to become more formal as cost, complexity and risk increase.

This is why successful school selling is rarely about finding one influential person and persuading them. It is about understanding the group of people whose support is needed and giving each of them the information required to say yes.

The headteacher’s role in buying decisions

The headteacher is the most visible leader in an individual school, so suppliers frequently assume that every proposal should be sent directly to them.

Sometimes that is appropriate. Often it is not.

In maintained schools, the governing body is accountable for strategic decisions while the headteacher is generally responsible for operational matters within the authority delegated to them. The Department for Education’s maintained schools governance guidance explains this distinction, although the exact scheme of delegation and financial limits will vary between schools and local authorities.

Headteachers are likely to become directly involved when a purchase:

has a significant effect on the school’s educational priorities;
requires substantial or recurring expenditure;
affects large numbers of pupils or staff;
creates reputational, safeguarding or operational risk;
requires a major change in working practices;
needs support across several departments;
will be visible to parents, governors or inspectors;
falls outside an existing approved budget.

A headteacher may therefore lead or approve decisions about major curriculum programmes, whole-school software, behaviour systems, staff wellbeing provision, school improvement consultancy, substantial building projects or new long-term service contracts.

However, a headteacher is unlikely to personally research every stationery provider, classroom resource, minor repair contractor or subject-specific subscription. Their time is limited, and many purchasing decisions will be delegated to senior leaders, school business professionals, department heads or operational staff.

Suppliers should also distinguish between needing the headteacher’s approval and needing the headteacher to conduct the entire buying process. A deputy headteacher, curriculum lead or business manager may do most of the investigation and prepare the recommendation. The headteacher may then review the business case, challenge assumptions and authorise the final decision.

This has an important consequence for outreach. An email addressed to the headteacher should not simply describe a product and request a meeting. It should quickly explain why the issue deserves senior attention.

A message about a whole-school attendance solution, for example, should connect the offer to leadership concerns such as persistent absence, staff workload, reporting and implementation. A long list of product features gives the headteacher more work. A concise explanation of the strategic problem makes it easier for them to forward the enquiry to the appropriate colleague.

For small or narrowly focused products, contacting the relevant operational or curriculum lead first may be far more effective than treating the headteacher as the universal entrance to the school.

Why school business managers are central to school purchasing

School business professionals are among the most important people for suppliers to understand.

The job title varies. You may encounter a school business manager, business director, finance and operations manager, bursar, operations manager, resources manager, chief operating officer or school administrator with significant financial responsibilities.

The scope of the role also varies enormously. In one school, the business manager may oversee finance, HR, estates, procurement, contracts and compliance. In another, several specialists may divide those responsibilities. Smaller primary schools may have a compact administrative team, while large secondary schools and academy trusts may have dedicated finance, procurement, estates and IT functions.

A school business manager is often involved in questions such as:

Is there an identified budget for this purchase?
Does the school need additional quotations?
Is the proposed supplier already approved?
Are the contract terms acceptable?
Does the price include implementation, support, delivery and VAT?
Will the supplier accept a purchase order?
What insurance, safeguarding or compliance evidence is required?
Is the agreement compatible with the school’s financial procedures?
Could the school obtain better value through an existing framework?
Will the service renew automatically?
What happens if the school needs to terminate the contract?

This does not mean the business manager decides whether a teaching product is educationally appropriate. A curriculum leader or senior leader may own that judgement. The business professional helps determine whether the proposed purchase is financially sustainable, procedurally compliant and practical to administer.

The Department for Education’s Buying for Schools guidance provides schools with approved buying options and procurement support. It specifically addresses areas such as ICT, energy, catering, cleaning, legal services, transport and furniture—the kinds of complex or significant purchases commonly involving business and operations teams.

Suppliers sometimes make the mistake of treating the school business manager as an obstacle standing between them and the headteacher. This is usually counterproductive. A capable business manager may be the person who turns an interested conversation into an approvable purchase.

Make their work easier. Present clear prices, state what is and is not included, provide contractual documents promptly and avoid vague claims about cost savings. Explain the implementation burden, payment schedule and likely internal resources required. Suppliers should also understand when schools set and use their budgets, rather than assuming that an enthusiastic response means money can be released immediately.

Curriculum leaders, teachers and specialist staff often start the purchase

Many school purchases begin far away from the finance office.

A science leader may identify a need for new laboratory equipment. A SENCO may look for specialist assessment or intervention support. A head of computing might investigate coding resources. A PE lead may need new equipment. A literacy coordinator could research reading programmes. A designated teacher may seek tutoring or mentoring support for a particular group of pupils.

These subject and specialist leaders are often the closest to the problem. They understand how pupils and staff are affected, what has already been tried and which practical constraints a solution must accommodate.

For curriculum products and pupil-facing services, this group may be more important at the beginning of the buying journey than the headteacher or finance team.

However, their influence has limits.

A teacher might love a product but lack the budget or authority to purchase it. A subject leader may control a departmental budget but still require approval for a multi-year subscription. A SENCO might strongly support an external intervention, but the school may need to confirm funding, safeguarding, data protection and staff capacity before proceeding.

Suppliers should therefore help specialist staff build an internal case rather than placing the entire burden on them.

Useful material might include:

a clear summary of the problem being addressed;
the intended pupils, year groups or staff users;
curriculum or operational relevance;
evidence and realistic expected outcomes;
the amount of staff time required;
implementation and training arrangements;
a transparent price;
answers to likely safeguarding or data questions;
a concise document that can be shared with senior leaders.

The language should also change according to the audience. A teacher may want to know how a resource works in a real lesson. A curriculum leader may be interested in consistency across a department. A deputy headteacher may ask how implementation will be monitored. A business manager will want the full cost. An IT manager will focus on integration, security and support.

Using one generic brochure for all of them makes each audience search for the information relevant to their role. A better supplier anticipates those questions and provides role-specific answers without producing an unnecessarily complicated sales pack.

Operational, technical and safeguarding teams can determine whether a purchase proceeds

Some people involved in school purchasing do not control the relevant budget and may not select the preferred product. Even so, their assessment can determine whether the school is able to proceed.

IT managers and network teams

Technology purchases frequently require technical review. An IT manager, network manager, trust IT director or external managed-service provider may assess:

compatibility with existing devices and systems;
user authentication and account management;
data storage and transfer;
cybersecurity;
integrations;
bandwidth or hardware requirements;
technical support;
implementation workload;
contract exit and data-export arrangements.

A teacher may want the software and a headteacher may support the concept, but the purchase can still stall when technical questions are addressed too late.

This is particularly important for EdTech suppliers. Educational value and technical suitability are separate questions, and both must be answered.

Data protection leads

Where a supplier processes pupil, parent or staff information, the school or trust may require a data protection review. Questions may concern the categories of data collected, the lawful basis for processing, security, retention, subprocessors, international transfers, breach procedures and what happens to data when the contract ends.

A supplier that cannot provide clear documentation may lose a purchase even when the end users favour the product.

Designated safeguarding leads

Services involving contact with children may require input from the designated safeguarding lead. The school may review supervision arrangements, staff suitability, reporting procedures, safeguarding policies, recruitment checks and how concerns will be escalated.

The exact requirements depend on the activity and context. A supplier should not make sweeping claims that every visitor or contractor needs the same type of DBS check. The existing AllSchools guide to DBS checks, insurance and safeguarding requirements for businesses working with schools explains why providers need to understand their actual role and working arrangements.

Premises and estates teams

Site-related purchases may involve a premises manager, site manager, facilities lead, caretaker, trust estates director or external property adviser.

These colleagues may assess access, safety, installation, maintenance, warranties, disruption, statutory compliance, lifecycle costs and compatibility with existing buildings or equipment.

A school furniture supplier, for example, may initially speak to a headteacher or classroom lead, but delivery logistics, room measurements, durability, fire safety and installation could be reviewed by operational staff.

Finance and accounts teams

Finance staff may administer supplier onboarding, purchase orders, invoices, payment terms and tax information. They may not decide whether the school wants the product, but incomplete documentation can delay the order or payment.

Suppliers should ask how the school needs to place the order rather than insisting on a consumer-style checkout or immediate card payment. Many schools and trusts operate through purchase orders and established financial controls.

Governors and trustees are strategic decision-makers, not general sales contacts

Governors and trustees have important responsibilities, but they are usually misunderstood by suppliers.

In a maintained school, the governing body is responsible for strategic decisions and holds overall accountability even where responsibilities are delegated. Governors oversee areas including strategic direction, educational performance and the effective use of financial resources.

In an academy trust, the board of trustees carries the trust’s legal responsibilities. The current Academy Trust Handbook sets out financial management and governance requirements for academy trusts, trustees, accounting officers, chief financial officers and others involved in managing trust resources.

That does not mean a supplier should routinely email individual governors or trustees with sales messages.

Boards generally operate strategically. They are not the purchasing department, and individual board members normally have no personal authority to commit the school or trust to a contract. Contacting them directly can also create awkwardness where declarations of interest, procurement fairness or governance boundaries need to be respected.

Governors or trustees are more likely to be involved where a purchase:

is strategically significant;
requires board approval under the scheme of delegation;
creates a material financial commitment;
involves substantial risk;
falls outside an agreed budget;
relates to major estates, restructuring or professional advice;
needs formal scrutiny because of a conflict of interest;
is part of a wider trust strategy.

Even in these cases, the supplier’s route will usually be through the headteacher, executive team, business leadership or central trust team. Those officers prepare the recommendation and provide the board with the information needed to make or scrutinise the decision.

Suppliers should therefore prepare material that works at board level without treating board members as sales prospects. Senior decision-makers may need a concise explanation of strategic fit, affordability, major risks, procurement route, expected benefits and alternatives considered.

A glossy marketing presentation is rarely enough. The internal sponsor needs evidence that can survive scrutiny from people who were not present during the original sales conversation.

Buying decisions work differently in multi-academy trusts

Multi-academy trusts can make the buying structure significantly more complex, but they can also create larger opportunities for suppliers able to meet trust-wide needs.

A trust may centralise some categories while leaving others to individual academies. It might procure finance systems, payroll, HR, insurance, cybersecurity and major estates contracts centrally, while allowing schools discretion over smaller curriculum resources or local services.

There is no universal model.

One trust may give its academies substantial purchasing autonomy. Another may require most contracts to pass through a central team. A third may use a hybrid structure in which schools identify their needs but the trust controls supplier selection, contracting or final approval.

The trust’s scheme of delegation is critical. It sets out how authority is distributed between members, trustees, executives, committees, local governing bodies and academy leaders. Suppliers do not always have access to every internal financial procedure, but they can ask practical questions:

Is this category purchased centrally or by each academy?
Can an individual school appoint a new supplier?
Does the trust maintain an approved or preferred supplier list?
Would the contract be held by the academy or the trust?
Which central function needs to review the proposal?
Are academies required to use an existing framework or contract?
What level of expenditure can the school approve locally?
Would a pilot at one academy be permitted?
Who would evaluate a possible trust-wide rollout?

Relevant central roles may include:

chief executive officer;
chief operating officer;
chief financial officer or finance director;
procurement manager;
estates director;
IT director;
HR director;
director of education;
trust safeguarding lead;
category or project specialists.

Suppliers commonly make one of two mistakes.

The first is approaching every academy in a centrally controlled trust with the same message. This can create duplicated communication and signal that the supplier has not researched the organisation.

The second is approaching only the trust’s chief executive with a relatively small or specialist product that should have been discussed with an academy-level or departmental lead first.

Before beginning outreach, establish whether it makes more sense to target MATs or individual schools. The answer depends on the offer, delivery capacity, evidence, contract size and whether the problem is local or trust-wide.

Suppliers should also understand that being listed as an approved supplier does not automatically generate work. As explained in What “Approved Supplier” Status Actually Means in a MAT, approval may simply mean that the trust has completed certain checks or permits schools to use the supplier. Demand still needs to be created among the relevant schools and teams.

How the product, price and risk change the decision-making group

The identity of the buyer cannot be understood from the school’s organisation chart alone. It also depends on the proposed purchase.

A low-cost classroom resource

A teacher or subject leader might identify and select the resource. Payment may come from a department budget or require a straightforward internal request. Senior leaders may have little direct involvement unless the purchase is repeated across the school.

A whole-school software platform

The initial interest might come from a senior leader, subject team or operational department. The buying group could expand to include IT, data protection, finance, the school business manager, headteacher and possibly a central trust team.

An external pupil-facing service

A SENCO, pastoral leader, designated safeguarding lead or deputy headteacher may initiate the discussion. The school could then review safeguarding, evidence, staffing, data handling, funding, outcomes and how the provider will work alongside school staff.

A building or facilities contract

The premises manager or estates lead may define the requirement. Finance and procurement teams could manage quotations or tendering, while senior leaders and governors or trustees may approve significant expenditure.

A trust-wide professional service

A central trust director may own the requirement, with involvement from the chief financial officer, chief operating officer, executive leadership and trustees. Individual academies may be consulted as users, but the contract could be negotiated and signed centrally.

As a general principle, the buying group tends to expand when a purchase is:

more expensive;
longer term;
harder to reverse;
used across several departments or schools;
dependent on staff training or behaviour change;
connected to pupil or staff data;
delivered directly to children;
technically complicated;
operationally disruptive;
likely to attract scrutiny.

This is one reason a school may appear enthusiastic but take months to make a decision. Interest is only the beginning. The proposal may still need to pass through budget approval, technical review, due diligence, procurement and contracting.

Suppliers should ask about the decision process early, but without sounding as though they are trying to bypass it.

A useful question is:

“Apart from you, who else would normally need to review or approve something like this?”

How to approach the right person without alienating everyone else

Finding the right contact is not merely a data-gathering exercise. It requires a sensible theory about who owns the problem.

Begin with the use case.

A provider of literacy interventions may start with the literacy lead, SENCO, deputy headteacher or head of English, depending on the pupils and school phase involved. A cleaning company is more likely to need the business manager, premises manager or trust estates team. A cybersecurity provider may need the network manager or trust IT director, but finance and executive leadership will probably become involved later.

Next, consider the scale of the proposed purchase. A low-cost departmental resource is likely to begin close to the user. A high-value whole-school contract may require earlier engagement with senior and operational leadership.

Then consider how the school is organised. Review its website, leadership structure, trust membership and published contact information. AllSchools profiles can help suppliers build a school outreach list that matches their offer, but the list should still be segmented according to the likely buyer.

When the correct contact is unclear, it is often better to ask the school office a simple routing question than to send identical messages to five members of staff:

“Could you tell me who is responsible for reviewing external attendance-support services?”

This is easier to answer than a vague request for “the person in charge of purchasing”. Schools do not necessarily have one person responsible for every category.

Avoid copying numerous senior staff into the first email. This may feel efficient to the supplier but can look indiscriminate to the school. It also creates uncertainty over who is expected to respond.

Once the conversation begins, do not rely on one contact indefinitely. A supportive internal champion is valuable, but the sale becomes fragile when no one else understands the offer. Staff absence, role changes or competing priorities can bring progress to a halt.

Instead, help the champion widen the conversation appropriately:

“Would it be useful for us to include your business manager in the next discussion so we can answer the pricing and contract questions directly?”

That is different from going around the original contact. It recognises their role while making the decision easier for the wider team.

Your materials should also be easy to forward. A long sales email that only makes sense to the original recipient is less useful than a concise summary containing the problem, intended outcome, cost, implementation requirements, evidence and proposed next step.

The goal is not merely to get a reply. It is to make the supplier’s offer understandable and credible as it moves through the school.

What each school decision-maker needs from a supplier

Different buyers evaluate different kinds of risk. The best supplier communication gives each participant enough information without forcing them to read an enormous generic proposal.

Teachers and end users need practicality

They need to understand what the product does during a normal school day. They will care about ease of use, pupil suitability, preparation time, workload, accessibility and whether the promised benefits are realistic.

Subject and specialist leaders need fit and evidence

They need to see how the offer aligns with their objectives, curriculum, pupil groups or operational responsibilities. They may need evidence, examples, implementation detail and a way to evaluate impact.

Senior leaders need strategic relevance

They will look at whole-school priorities, capacity, expected outcomes, reputational risk and whether the proposal is worth organisational attention.

Business and finance teams need clarity

They need the complete price, contractual commitment, payment terms, renewal arrangements, procurement route, financial implications and evidence of value for money.

IT and data teams need assurance

They need accurate technical documentation, security information, integration requirements, support processes, data flows and credible answers—not statements that everything is “fully compliant” without evidence.

Safeguarding leads need safe operating arrangements

They need to know who will interact with pupils, how staff are recruited and supervised, how concerns are reported, what checks apply and how the provider will follow the school’s procedures.

Governors and trustees need an approvable case

Where board involvement is required, they need a clear account of strategic purpose, affordability, risk, procurement, expected benefit and accountability.

This does not mean creating seven separate brochures. A well-organised proposal or digital sales pack can provide a concise overview followed by clearly labelled sections for education, implementation, technical requirements, safeguarding, evidence, pricing and contractual information.

The supplier should also be honest about limitations. Schools are cautious about exaggerated promises, particularly where claims concern pupil outcomes, staff workload or financial savings. Credibility is built by explaining what the offer can achieve, what it requires from the school and how success will be assessed.

Before approaching schools, suppliers should prepare the answers to the questions covered in What Schools Ask Before Approving a New Supplier. A strong first conversation can quickly lose momentum when basic pricing, insurance, safeguarding, data or implementation information is unavailable.

A practical way to map the buying group before making contact

For each product or service, suppliers should create a simple buying-group map before launching outreach.

Start by writing down the problem in school language. Avoid beginning with your own product category. “Schools need our AI-powered platform” is a supplier statement. “Attendance teams need a faster way to identify and follow up patterns of absence” is closer to a school problem.

Next, identify the likely roles:

Buying role	Question to answer
Primary user	Who will use or receive the product or service?
Problem owner	Who is accountable for improving this area?
Internal champion	Who is most likely to investigate and advocate for a solution?
Budget holder	Which team or leader controls the relevant budget?
Operational reviewer	Who will assess implementation, staffing or site requirements?
Technical reviewer	Does IT, data protection or another specialist need to approve it?
Safeguarding reviewer	Does the service involve pupils, sensitive information or site access?
Procurement reviewer	Who checks quotations, frameworks and purchasing procedures?
Final approver	Who has authority to approve the commitment?
Contract signatory	Who can legally enter into the agreement?

Not every sale will have ten different individuals. In a small school, one person may perform several roles. In a large trust, each function may be handled by a separate team.

Then prepare the minimum information each role will need. For example, a school software supplier might create:

a classroom or operational overview for users;
an outcomes and implementation summary for senior leaders;
a pricing and contract sheet for finance;
a technical and security document for IT;
a data-processing pack for the data protection review;
a concise internal business case the champion can forward.

Finally, decide the most sensible entry point. This should usually be the role that both understands the problem and has enough influence to move the conversation forward.

Do not confuse seniority with relevance. The highest-ranking person is not automatically the best first contact.

The strongest outreach message demonstrates that the supplier understands the recipient’s responsibility. It explains the problem, shows why the offer may be relevant and proposes a proportionate next step. The AllSchools guide to writing a school outreach email that gets a reply provides examples of how to do this without sending a long, generic sales pitch.

Frequently asked questions

Who is responsible for purchasing in a UK school?

There is no single role responsible for every purchase. Responsibility may be shared between teachers, subject leaders, senior leaders, school business managers, finance staff, operational teams, headteachers and governing bodies. In academy trusts, central finance, procurement, IT, HR or estates teams may also be involved. The correct contact depends on the product, value, risk and the school’s delegation arrangements.

Should suppliers contact the headteacher first?

Only when the offer is sufficiently strategic, whole-school or relevant to the headteacher’s direct priorities. For subject-specific, technical or operational purchases, a curriculum leader, SENCO, business manager, IT manager or premises lead may be a better first contact. A relevant message to the right operational owner is usually more effective than a generic email to the most senior person.

Is the school business manager the main buyer?

The school business manager is frequently central to budgeting, procurement, contracts and compliance, but may not decide whether a product is educationally or operationally suitable. Many purchases require collaboration between a problem owner, business professional and senior approver.

Can a teacher approve a school purchase?

A teacher or department leader may be able to make small purchases within a delegated budget, but authority varies. Larger, recurring or contractual purchases generally require additional financial or senior approval. Suppliers should never assume that enthusiasm from an end user amounts to permission to enter a contract.

Who buys SEND services in schools?

The SENCO or inclusion leader will often identify the need and assess the suitability of a service. Depending on the provision, the headteacher, deputy headteacher, designated safeguarding lead, business manager, finance team or trust inclusion lead may also participate. Funding source, safeguarding, pupil data, evidence and integration with existing support are likely to matter.

Who buys EdTech and school software?

The initial need may come from teachers, curriculum leaders, administrators or senior leaders. IT, data protection and finance teams are then likely to review technical compatibility, security, data processing, cost and contractual terms. Whole-school or trust-wide systems usually require senior or central approval.

Who chooses school contractors?

Premises managers, business managers or trust estates teams commonly define and evaluate requirements for maintenance, cleaning, construction and facilities services. Finance or procurement teams may manage quotations or tenders. Significant projects may require approval from senior leaders, governors or trustees.

Who signs contracts for a school?

The authorised signatory depends on the school or trust’s governance documents, financial procedures and scheme of delegation. It may be a headteacher, executive leader, trust officer or another delegated individual. Suppliers should ask explicitly who is authorised to sign rather than relying on the seniority of their main contact.

Do governors choose school suppliers?

Governors generally focus on strategy, oversight and accountability rather than routine supplier selection. They may approve or scrutinise significant commitments, but the research and recommendation will usually be led by school staff. Individual governors should not normally be treated as ordinary sales contacts.

Should suppliers contact an individual academy or its MAT?

It depends on whether the purchasing category is controlled locally or centrally. Suppliers should establish the trust’s structure before beginning outreach. A curriculum resource may be selected by an academy, while payroll, IT infrastructure or estates contracts may be managed centrally. When uncertain, ask whether the relevant decision sits with the school or trust team.

Why does a school purchase involve so many people?

Schools must balance educational need, public-money responsibilities, operational capacity, safeguarding, data protection, technical compatibility and contractual risk. Different staff members hold expertise and accountability in each area. More expensive, complex or high-risk purchases therefore tend to involve larger buying groups.

What is the most important question to ask a school contact?

One of the most useful questions is: “Apart from you, who else would normally need to review or approve something like this?” It identifies the wider buying group without challenging the authority of the person already engaged.

How can suppliers make the approval process easier?

Provide clear prices, realistic evidence, implementation details, compliance documents, technical information and concise material that can be forwarded internally. Ask about budget ownership, procurement requirements and approval stages early. Most importantly, tailor the information to the needs of users, business teams, specialists and senior approvers rather than expecting one generic sales message to persuade everyone.