February 2014

The know zone

  • Help in testing times
    In the event of illness or worse, what pension benefits can you or your family draw on? David Binnie explains. More
  • A question of balance
    Sam Ellis has been worrying about even-handedness in school since he was a lad. Instead of concerns about being kept behind in class, he’s now anxious about education funding being reasonable and just or, at least, fairer than it was. More
  • Are you ready?
    The new National Curriculum (NC) becomes statutory in September with further reforms in the pipeline to GCSE, post-16 qualifications and performance measures. Sue Kirkham looks at the detail. More
  • Strength in numbers
    The focus in this Leader is on ASCL Council’s Funding Committee, which has a wide-ranging remit that includes all aspects of school and college funding. More
  • ASCL PD events
    Legal Issues, Managing Challenging Pupils: Duties and Powers, Online Safety: Equipping Your School to Avoid Risk, and An Introduction to School Financial Management More
  • Managing change
    ASCL Professional Development (PD) offers high-quality, relevant, up-to-date and competitively priced courses (see left). Our training is delivered by a team of skilled trainers and consultants, almost all of whom have been headteachers or senior school leaders. More
  • What a relief!
    Sport Relief is back on Friday 21 March and schools and colleges up and down the country will be getting active and raising money to help change lives, both here in the UK and across the world. More
  • Adding value
    The Energy vs. Minibus Debate! More
  • New dimension?
    What is the number one issue affecting education that all political parties should agree on? Is it curriculum, funding, accountability or something else? And why? Here, ASCL members share their views. More
  • Leaders' surgery
    The antidote to common leadership conundrums.. More
  • The holy grail...
    Finding the right riposte to a cheeky – or worse – student is never easy, so it helps if you can call on divine inspiration, even if it’s lost on the audience. More
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Adding value

The Energy vs. Minibus Debate!

In 2013 wholesale power costs, while in general remaining steady, continued their journey northwards, being massively helped along their way by the recently highlighted, but continuing, increase in both Renewables Obligation (RO) and Feed-in Tariff (FIT) levies. Perhaps these may change during 2014 if the government continues to receive challenges and hence prices may drop?

So why not use 2014 to challenge your current providers on how they supply your energy contracts? Normally this would be a local authority (LA)-style flexible contract; but would you ever accept a proposal from your minibus provider well over six months in advance of the renewal date? And what if the provider was to say:

I know your contract doesn’t renew until next year but we need to know this week if you want to buy your minibus from us, and we are not going to tell you:

  • the cost
  • what colour you can have
  • how many students it holds
  • its miles per gallon (mpg)

Would you then still agree to their proposal? No? So why do it with energy? Exactly the same principles apply. Remember to challenge your LA, as the quality of your questions will determine the quality of your procurement, and not just for energy. ASCL’s preferred supplier for utilities brokerage is Zenergi. To see if they can get a better deal for your school or college visit the website at www.zenergi.co.uk or telephone 023 8028 6300.

Use PROMO code ASCL/Feb14 for the chance to win a FREE Display Energy Certificate for your school/college.

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