Furniture and equipment in schools : a purchasing guide

The provision of furniture and equipment forms a major part of school expenditure and schools have increasing purchasing responsibilities.

This guide is aimed at heads, governors and bursars, and offers advice on the processes that should be followed when buying furniture and equipment to enable schools to set their own priorities and to make their own decisions.

The various sections discuss issues such as curriculum analysis and market exploration; the importance of a clear specification; and balancing budgets across categories and creating a whole school approach.

Selection of suppliers is dealt with in the final section.