The Challenge For Independent Schools

Deciding whether services are best provided in house or outsourced to private contractors is a major decision for independent schools.  The benefits of outsourcing catering and IT services have long been recognised, but now schools are increasingly looking at outsourcing services from cleaning to facilities management, gardening to security, even payroll and fundraising.  

The rationale behind outsourcing is that a specialist service provider will provide the services more efficiently and cost effectively than the school's in-house alternative.  However, it does mean that control over service delivery is one step further away from the school's management with the associated risk of reputational damage if it all goes wrong.