Introduction to procurement for school staff
This course deals with the basic principles for staff to follow when preparing for a procurement. Use it to make sure staff understand their responsibilities when getting ready to buy goods and/or services for your school.
Who it's for
Staff involved in buying decisions (not including school business professionals)
This training covers how to prepare for a procurement.
It doesn’t cover how to identify the right buying route, once you know what you’re buying. You can find more support with this in our article on how to buy goods, works or services.
This course is aimed at school staff with responsibility for managing a budget (known as a ‘budget holder’), and/or who have influence over buying decisions. This might include:
- Headteachers, also deputy and assistant headteachers
- Department heads and subject leads
- Senior administrative staff and operational staff
- Site managers
It will also be useful to teachers, or any other members of staff who occasionally make requests for purchases.
This course is not aimed at school business managers (SBMs), who need more in-depth knowledge of procurement processes and financial procedures.
In this course, you’ll learn about:
● What procurement is and why it matters for your school's budget and outcomes
● The basic principles of effective procurement
● Your role in buying things your school needs, at a good price
● The steps you’ll need to follow when preparing to make procurement decisions
We recommend that you have a copy of your school’s procurement rules to refer to while you take this course. These might be set out in your staff handbook or other document, such as a procurement policy. They should also be accessible on a shared drive. Ask your SBM (or headteacher/other senior leader) if you’re not sure where to find them.