Before You Buy

Choosing, changing or reviewing school systems can quickly become overwhelming.  Schools and trusts are often asked to compare products, features and promises before they have clearly mapped what they actually need, what is not working, and what success should look like.

This session explores the value of creating a clear blueprint before making decisions about a school MIS, communication tools or wider digital systems.  Drawing on the IDEAL framework developed by specialist education IT consultants hi-impact, the session will explore how schools and trusts can assess whether a purchase, system change or new initiative is genuinely worth investing in and aligns with DFE standards.

The framework encourages leaders to consider whether a decisions will improve what is already working, develop or deepen learning, enhance efficiency, align and advance strategic priorities, lower workload and stress. Rather than focusing on a specific product or service, the session will help delegates think more strategically about how they assess systems and suppliers.  It will offer a practical structure they can use to sense-check whether a system, service or platform is the right fit before committing budget, time and capacity.

In this session we explore

• Why schools should define the problem before reviewing the product

• How to map current processes, gaps and pressure points

• The key questions to ask before choosing or changing a system

• How to involve staff, leaders and stakeholders in a structured way

• How a clear blueprint can support better procurement, implementation and adoption

Take home points

• A blueprint approach for system decisions

• Key questions to use with suppliers and internal teams

• A clearer way to compare options

• Practical prompts for reviewing existing systems

• A more structured approach to change, procurement and implementation

This session is for

School business managers, CFOs, COOs,  operations and procurement leads, IT leads and those involved in reviewing, selecting or implementing school systems.

Alan Thompson