Balancing budgets, meeting stakeholder expectations, ensuring compliance and managing suppliers often requires significant time and resource. As pressure grows to achieve more with limited budgets, this blog looks at how smarter procurement solutions can support estates managers in delivering successful projects.

Artificial intelligence is moving rapidly into UK schools. Not as a distant concept, but as practical tools for safeguarding, admin automation, workload reduction and personalised learning. MAT leaders are already exploring AI.

Multi-Academy Trusts are facing a combination of resource and SME shortages, which often forces teams to operate reactively rather than proactively. Budget constraints and competing priorities further add to the pressure, creating a constant need to balance limited funds across multiple demands.

The next two years will bring some of the most significant employment law reforms in over a decade. For public sector organisations and education institutions, these changes will reshape how you manage staff, structure contracts, and respond to workplace issues.

Martyn’s Law – officially the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 – was passed last year. While it won’t be enforceable until 2027, schools and multi-academy trusts (MATs) are already in scope. This new duty makes any site with more than 100 people responsible for proportionate security and emergency planning.

Clarion’s Refurbished ICT Program for Education enables you to improve and expand your school’s IT hardware in a budget-friendly and eco-friendly manner. Their catalogue of Grade A condition refurbished computers, laptops and IT technology are backed by generous guarantees and quality assurances that are almost impossible to tell apart from new.

UK universities are seeing a sharp rise in formal complaints and legal threats from students, with many now arriving in the form of Letters Before Action (LBAs). In 2024, the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) received 3,613 complaints from students in England and Wales, a 15% increase on the previous year and the largest annual jump in a decade.

With international recruitment under pressure and funding falling behind inflation, HE needs a new approach. Building resilience means maximising the funding you have and uncovering the opportunities you’re missing.

Refurbishing an office, whether carrying out a full Cat B fit-out or simply updating your furniture, can significantly impact the environment. However, with well-informed choices, you can greatly reduce that impact and create a workspace that is both functional and environmentally responsible.

Exciting news! We’ve just launched the new Flooring Supplies & Services Framework. It connects education and public sector organisations with vetted suppliers, covering everything from everyday carpets to specialist sprung sports hall floors. It’s the smart, stress free way to manage your assets and budget.

Running a Multi-Academy Trust is about more than schools; it’s a complex business operation. This article explores how MATs can turn procurement into a strategic driver, harness digital tools, and embed sustainability to build resilience, support communities, and deliver better outcomes for pupils.

Public sector organisations face enough challenges without having to juggle multiple print suppliers, legacy processes, and complicated procurement routes. That’s why Dukefield Procurement has launched a new national framework specifically designed to streamline print and associated services, and it’s ready to use now.

Thinking about bringing your catering service in-house? Dukefield Foodservice can support you every step of the way. From compliant frameworks and menu planning to training, audits, and ongoing support, we’ll help you achieve cost savings, maintain compliance, and ensure best practice in your kitchen.

We’re excited to share that the brand-new Communications Solutions Framework is ready to use. Built specifically for public sector buyers, this framework offers smarter procurement, reliable suppliers, and future-ready communications technology.

Social value means looking beyond the price tag to the wider economic, environmental, and social benefits of the services and partnerships you invest in.

In this guide, we explore practical steps aligned with the UK Department for Education’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy. With actionable insights, MATs can build greener schools, foster environmentally responsible communities, and inspire students to become champions of change.

Sustainability is at the heart of modern education, with schools and public sector organisations seeking responsible ways to reduce waste and improve procurement practices. Launched in 2025, the Furniture & Related Services Framework provides a flexible, environmentally conscious approach to sourcing high-quality furniture.

Technology moves fast. As organisations upgrade their IT infrastructure, the challenge of responsibly managing old hardware grows. Right Digital Solutions (RDS), a supplier on the Multifunctional Devices and Digital Transformation Solutions Framework, provide a sustainable and secure solution for recycling, refurbishing, and remarketing used technology. Helping education providers and public sector organisations reduce waste, recover value, and support a circular economy.