SCEMES' Services for Schools

SCEMES is the number one resource for educational purchasing and the definitive point of reference in education for those who need help in finding a range of suppliers of products and services.

Since schools have been granted control over their own budgetary spending, Headteachers and Bursars have gained a great deal of freedom in choosing how to allocate their funds and in deciding which companies should provide their key products and services.

In many ways, these changes to the educational marketplace have brought fantastic benefits to individual schools, allowing school purchasers to tailor spending to suit their individual schools’ needs and desires.

At the same time, however, it has thrown the marketplace wide open and created an environment in which thousands of suppliers compete for dominance, and purchasers often struggle to source suppliers that can really benefit their schools.

SCEMES was started in 1999, having identified the need schools had for a definitive point of reference for all buyers and decision makers within the education sector.

SCEMES’ mission over the last nine years has been to create a comprehensive directory of reliable and competitive suppliers in the procurement process and to make it easily accessible for all school purchasers.

To this end, we produce the Headteachers and Bursars Handbooks, which are produced bi-annually and circulated to over 32,000 schools and colleges nationwide, free of charge.

The Headteachers and Bursars Handbooks are the only buyers’ directories compiled for the educational marketplace and list suppliers of every product and service that may be required in running a school, from curriculum supplies to building maintenance services.

The Handbooks contain details of some 6,000 suppliers, usefully categorised by business-type and geographical region, and provide school purchasers with a single point of reference for all their buying needs.

SCEMES’ Headteachers and Bursars Handbooks are accompanied by a searchable online database, which lists roughly 6,000 suppliers, and can be searched via keywords or by searching within a chosen category or region.

In addition, school buyers can request a range of price quotes for the products and services that they need, using SCEMES’ E-Quote facility, a secure online service that allows schools to check suppliers’ prices and availability without disclosing their details or committing themselves to place an order.

All SCEMES’ services are free to schools, and we are proud to be widely accepted as the number one resource for educational purchasing in Britain.

Why Choose SCEMES for Purchasing?

• The Headteachers and Bursars Handbooks are the only buyer’s directories compiled exclusively for the educational marketplace.

• All SCEMES’ services are FREE to educational buyers and users

• The Headteachers and Bursars Handbooks are circulated free of charge to over 32,000 schools and colleges, and further copies are always available to schools on request.

• The Headteachers and Bursars Handbooks are divided into both regional and national sections, allowing you to find product and service providers from within your local communities as well as from a national marketplace.

• SCEMES Online contains a fully-searchable database of nearly 6,000 suppliers and is updated with new suppliers daily.

• SCEMES’ E-Quote facility means that we find you suppliers and obtain price-quotes for the products and services you need.

• SCEMES Online contains a range of interesting content including expert articles on procurement and sustainability, and resources for teachers.

• The Headteachers and Bursars Handbooks contain introductory sections that enlighten purchasers on up-to-date news in the filed of procurement, and are widely-accepted as a useful resource for all school decision-makers.

• The Handbooks are endorsed and used by a number of LEA’s, many of whom distribute them to schools in their area on our behalf.

What schools say about SCEMES…

“As a bursar at Bugbrooke Primary School, in Northamptonshire, I find the ‘Handbook of Procurement’ very useful. We often need access to local businesses to obtain their services and we have found the handbook a quick and easy way to locate necessary products and services, whether locally or from adjoining counties.”

Janet Braunston, Bugbrooke Primary School, Northamptonshire

“I would like to thank all at SCEMES for the laptop which arrived at the end of last week. It will be put to great use in the learning support department at Queens College. We will be using SCEMES whenever possible.”

Shirley Nickerson, Queens College Junior School, Taunton

“I was really impressed with the Handbook of Sustainable Procurement. It’s great to see a guide set out so well, containing so much information and offering practical guidance for schools on each of the sustainable schools doorways.

It’s very accessible and nicely laid-out, and the supplier directory is excellent too as it gives schools the opportunity to source things locally. A really excellent product!”

Katie Sutton, Carbon Management Officer at Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council