Stretch your school budget further: benefits of leasing explained

Upgrading your school’s technology used to mean one thing – a big upfront cost. However, with budgets under pressure, many school leaders are looking for smarter ways to invest in new IT equipment without draining precious resources.

That’s where leasing for schools comes in. Instead of buying devices outright, schools can spread costs over time, stay up to date with the latest tech, and reduce the strain on their finances, all while keeping students equipped for modern learning.

Let’s explore the real benefits of leasing for schools and why it’s becoming a more popular choice for schools across the UK.

  1. Protect your budget and cash flow
  • No massive upfront costs
    Leasing means you don’t have to pay huge sums up front. Instead, you spread the cost over regular payments, making it easier to protect your cash flow for other priorities like staffing, building repairs, or pupil support.
  • Predictable costs for easier planning
    With fixed payments over one to seven years, you can plan your budgets more confidently. No nasty surprises or sudden big spending.
  • Keep funds free for other needs
    Leasing allows you to keep money in the bank for emergencies or other investments. For many schools under financial pressure, flexibility is invaluable.
  • IFRS

With the recent changes in accounting, leasing is now much more appropriate and decisions can be made on the basis of the useful life of the equipment

  1. Stay up to date and avoid tech headaches
  • Up to date equipment
    Tech is moving fast! Leasing makes it simple to refresh your devices every few years, so you’re not stuck with aging laptops that can’t run the latest software and maximising warranties that are available and keeping the school current and competitive
  • Reduce IT headaches
    Many leases can now include warranties, support, and maintenance. That means fewer headaches for your IT staff and more peace of mind if things go wrong.
  • Consistent devices, less hassle
    Leasing helps you roll out the same devices across classrooms, making life easier for teaching staff and simplifying IT management.

 

  1. Stay compliant with education finance rules

State-funded schools face strict rules around buying and borrowing. Leasing offers a way to stay compliant:

  • New Accounting Standards – IFRS 16 changed how leases appear in accounts, but the Department for Education has provided “general consent” for many common assets, keeping things straightforward for schools. All Schools will now be able to make more appropriate informed decisions when considering the best way to purchase all IT assets. Where devices have been historically returned and replaced after 3 years to benefit from the most up to date kit, warranties etc, a residual based lease will still be the best option. With Items such as boards, infrastructure and wifi solutions now we can match the term with the warranties and lease for a longer period of time, matching the term with the actual useful life.

 

If you’re unsure how leasing fits into your finance rules, or you need help with how to account for them always get specialist advice, it’s worth it for peace of mind.

  1. Support for digital learning schemes

Many schools now run 1-to-1 device schemes, where each student gets their own device. Leasing can support these initiatives in several ways:

  • Parental Contribution schemes – Some leasing providers offer online portals for collecting parental payments, easing the admin burden on your team.
  • Insurance included – Leasing can bundle in accidental damage and theft cover, giving schools and parents extra peace of mind.
  • Admin tools to save time – Manage orders, payments, serial numbers and claims all in one place, making it much simpler for busy staff.

Why schools are moving to leasing

Schools across the UK are increasingly choosing leasing because it:

  • Keeps tech modern and reliable
  • Protects limited budgets
  • Reduces admin headaches
  • Helps schools stay compliant

 

If your school is looking at upgrading IT, leasing could be the flexible, future-proof option you’ve been searching for. Get in touch with our team today.

The benefits of leasing for schools are clear. From predictable costs and better budgeting to easier device management and access to expert support, leasing is a smart way to upgrade your school’s technology infrastructure.

If you’re exploring ways to fund new devices or any other acquisitions for the school, reduce pressure on your IT team, or launch a one-to-one device scheme, now is the time to explore your options.

Contact our team today to see how leasing could support your school’s budget requirements or digital goals.

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A Decade of Dedication: edde Education Turns 10

edde Education are proud to have been successfully working in the education sector for 10 years. Over the past decade, we have grown organically with a passion for education and a commitment to delivering the best solutions and services. We take great pride in the support we offer to schools, their families and the wider communities, helping to make digital learning more accessible, manageable and sustainable for all. 

Our digital learning support is underpinned by transparency and integrity. We believe it is vital that the solutions we offer are not only effective but also morally and ethically right for the education sector.  

At edde, we firmly believe in providing clear, honest information. This allows schools to fully understand how our schemes are structured and ensures complete confidence in the process. There are no hidden fees, just clear and concise financials and reports.  

Our independence allows us to offer choice and flexibility, designing bespoke schemes tailored to each school’s needs. We work in close partnership with leading education resellers to deliver the latest products and solutions. These are supported by a strong panel of funders, enabling schools to access the most competitive financial options available. 

We also collaborate with PRA-approved insurance providers, all of whom are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. This gives schools and families peace of mind, knowing that every policy is protected and secure. By working with these trusted partners, we help create schemes that are not only effective but built for long-term success and stability. 

Our market-leading software platform, Tedd, lies at the heart of what we do. Developed in response to direct feedback from schools, Tedd has been carefully built and is continuously improved to meet the real-world needs of school staff, students and parents. It provides a user-friendly interface, extensive reporting, and real-time access, which is all designed to simplify the scheme management process. 

In addition, our dedicated concierge team is on hand to support schools throughout the entire lifetime of the scheme. With years of experience in administration, insurance claims and day-to-day management, our team works closely with schools, parents and students to ensure everyone receives the support they need. 

Our sole focus on digital learning in education is what makes edde truly unique. We have made a conscious decision not to profit from our schemes, but instead to reinvest in our people and our software. This allows us to continuously improve and deliver a best-in-class service for schools.  

As we celebrate this important milestone, we want to thank the incredible schools and communities who have worked with us over the past decade. Your trust, collaboration and commitment to digital learning has helped shape edde into who we are today. We look forward to continuing this journey with you, supporting the next generation of learners together. 

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Leasing Accounting Standards In Schools

Where we were!

Schools have been accounted for under UK GAAP, the standard accounting practice in the UK. In 2008 the then chancellor Gordon Brown announced that ‘Schools are not allowed to borrow without permission of the Secretary of State for Education’. This meant that Schools could only enter into Operating Leases. There are several requirements for a lease to be deemed as an operating lease these include but are not limited to

1. Risk we resale of the asset sits with the funder there therefore has to be a residual investment. The easiest example of an operating lease is Contract Hire for a vehicle
2. You can’t lease for more than its useful life
3. It shouldn’t be of a specialised nature

Certain items that may have very long life or are high in intangible costs such as software or installation were either excluded or became economically unviable.

Costs for extension, indefinite use or third party buy out were unknown and varied massively often leading to unforeseen costs

Where we are!

The Public Sector has moved to International Financial Accounting Standard. Under these standard there is no differential between a lease with or without a residual investment so they are both accounted for in the same way.

The statement, Schools can’t borrow remains, however, specific consent has now been given by the DfE and certain items, including IT, can be leased without pre-approval. This therefore means that any lease whether it grants title at the end which can be documented or what we know as operating leases are now available to LA Schools from 1st April, with Trusts set to follow in September. As most items fall under the IRFS 16 low value assets exemption, these leases can still be classed as off balance sheet.

Trusts are not subject to IRFS as they are set up with Charitable status, but they were still not allowed to ‘borrow’, which they will be able to in September. They will still benefit from accounting for a lease as on balance sheet for finance leases or off balance sheet (a revenue expense) for operating leases.

The future

All Schools will now be able to make more appropriate informed decisions when considering the best way to purchase all IT assets. Where devices have been historically returned and replaced after 3 years to benefit from the most up to date kit, warranties etc, this will still be the best option. Items such as boards have been leased for many years, now we can match the term with the warranties and lease for a longer period of time, matching the term with the actually useful life. It may be simple that budget dictates a longer term is the most suitable option to enable the school to benefit from essential equipment now ensuring the best outcomes for the child and using their own IT resource more effectively.

For Trusts, they will have the benefits of the above, however they will still be able to place residual based leases off balance sheet, we can therefore help with capital and revenue budgets when deciding which is the best option.

With all options, we can request the banks future expectations there should therefore be no unforeseen costs. End of term options can be documented if required and appropriate.

With regards to 1:1 or BYOD devices that are backed by parental contribution we can again choose the most appropriate lease which will be easier to administer.

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