Explore how schools are tapping into unique resources and strategies to boost income while strengthening community ties.
This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on Fund Ed
Envisioning your school as a wellspring of community resources teeming with possibilities might appear ambitious, particularly in times of financial constraints. Yet, when it comes to leveraging your assets, ingenuity yields dividends.
Do you possess open green spaces that could accommodate event marquees or local sports clubs? Could your school hall be temporarily repurposed as a venue for parties, weddings, or conferences? Have you explored renting out your premises for filming or language school activities?
Delve into your unique expertise and facilities. Could your drama or dance studio be made available to local groups? Have you contemplated generating revenue by modernizing your in-school catering or leasing your kitchen to external caterers? Are there music or food tech rooms that could be utilized by others beyond school hours?
Consider your geographic location. Are you situated near a major event venue that might be interested in utilizing your school’s parking lot? Do you operate within a sizable city or town where wedding venue costs are exorbitant?
Presenting your school as a community-oriented solution could yield substantial annual revenue. Furthermore, opening your doors enhances local recognition, fostering positive publicity that could potentially lead to increased student enrollment and future partnerships with local entities.
“A school’s ability to generate income depends on what resources it has available,” asserts Hayley Dunn, a business leadership expert at the Association of School and College Leaders. “Many schools are exploring new income streams to help balance budgets that are under severe pressure.”
Dunn emphasizes that this shouldn’t be regarded as an obligation; rather, “it is worth reviewing the school site to identify potential opportunities.” She adds, “For example, the roof space may be suitable for solar panels, which generate feed-in tariff income. Another option is to provide services to other schools, such as school meals or letting out school buildings at weekends. Schools should look at what infrastructure is required and prepare a clear business case, ensuring that any planned activity doesn’t compromise the quality of education and the safety of pupils.”
Julia Green of Browne Jacobson, a specialist in education law, suggests that schools employ their sites for educational purposes only 55% of the year, leaving ample room to generate funds from rentals. “Schools should take legal advice and have one policy document that covers both lettings policy and procedure,” she advises. The advantage of hiring out premises is that the revenue is “unrestricted,” allowing you to allocate the funds according to your chosen priorities.
Can your facilities be rented out? For Sharon Noble, Development Manager at Chestnut Grove Academy in Wandsworth, rental income is not only crucial financially but also instils a sense of community goodwill. “We hire out our 3G and MUGA pitches, and our drama studio is used by local judo and Pilates clubs,” she explains. “We also extend outreach to local groups, such as the young children’s football team, and allocate some free and subsidized slots for local community groups, in alignment with our constitution. As an academy with impressive facilities, it’s imperative for our reputation and future success that the local populace regards us as a community hub.”
One reliable revenue stream is the recurring booking from an online sports club organizing social sports gatherings. Evening and weekend bookings, Sharon Noble notes, are accompanied by the challenge of premises staff costs. However, this issue is mitigated if the facilities are accessible independently of the main building.
More schools are embracing online booking systems to manage rentals. Non-profit organization Kajima Community’s BookingsPlus software, for instance, empowers schools to oversee bookings in-house (with a three per cent commission cap at £2,500 per year).
Adopting BookingsPlus has proven beneficial for Manor CofE Academy, located near York. The school generates over £120,000 annually by renting out its facilities beyond school hours. “Our spacious auditorium is in high demand and has hosted a range of events from roller discos to charity functions,” says Rachel Snowden, the lettings manager. “It took time to gain staff buy-in, but they now understand that the revenue contributes to the school and our aspiration to be a thriving community resource. We offer cost-effective options for local groups facing challenges in finding suitable spaces.”
The school even accommodates weddings at rates considerably lower than those charged by hotels. “We provide round tables and staging, and individuals can arrange their licensed bar and opt for our catering or bring their own,” adds Rachel Snowden.
Haverstock School, a PFI secondary academy in North London, has also embraced community access to its facilities. “By making our assets available for public use through Kajima’s fully managed lettings service, the school now plays a central role in the community, which has directly benefited our students and fostered a great sense of local cohesion,” explains Martin Hesketh, Director of Finance and Operations. “Our facilities are used by a wide range of groups, from sporting clubs to adult education classes. Community use has also helped generate additional funding opportunities. Powerleague – a user of our sports facilities – funded an upgrade of the all-weather pitch to support its five-a-side football league. The high-quality playing surface can now be enjoyed by both our pupils and local clubs.”
Can you explore innovative catering strategies? With many schools transitioning away from local authority or contractor catering, in-house catering services have the chance to diversify income streams, according to Liz Greene of Catering Management Consultants (CMC), which collaborates with approximately 120 schools. “We aid in-house caterers in revamping their services comprehensively – from enhanced presentation to shorter queue times and improved menus, all contributing to more students choosing to buy meals. We also explore avenues to generate supplementary income, such as birthday party lunch tables, take-home meals for families, or Friday treats.”
For Julie Smith, Headteacher at St Chad’s CofE (VC) Primary School in Staffordshire, partnering with CMC proved transformative. “Upon observing another primary school that revamped its catering service in-house with CMC’s guidance, I decided to follow suit. Our menus now feature higher-quality ingredients, and presentation has improved. Consequently, more students are opting for school meals, with the potential to generate an additional £6,000 annually. A revised break menu has also resulted in an extra £50 per week.”
Can you leverage your parking space? While the school car park might seem insufficient during the day, weekends and holidays often leave these spaces vacant. Why not capitalize on this? Some schools offer parking for local events on a per-car basis. PTAs also use car parks for hosting car boot sales. By promoting your car park online, you tap into a broader market
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