education viewpoint Holistic approach leads to successful tender outcome.
Clare Curchin
Business Manager, Bishop Stopford School.
Insight talks to Clare Curchin, Business Manager from Bishop Stopford School. The new UK guidance on uniform might seem like an examination for retailers, but before issuing their tender, one school set about asking a few questions of their own. The results were surprisingly helpful in reaching an outcome that met the needs of all concerned. ‘In many ways, the most important
deeper than first envisaged.
tender document at all,’ says Clare
purely on the price of garments was too
questions we asked were not on the Curchin, Business Manager at Bishop Stopford school. ‘And that’s because
we started our process by asking what
it was that we most wanted to achieve. We also thought carefully about the
impact on parents and pupils, and how any changes would fit with the ethos of our school.’
Taking this holistic approach meant
considering a range of factors that went
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‘It quickly became clear that focusing
simplistic,’ Clare explained. ‘We needed first to review the range of items were we asking parents to buy. We also
asked ourselves if we had the balance
right between uniform and sportswear, and whether our uniform policy fitted the principles we strive to live by?’
Bishop Stopford is a large secondary
comprehensive of 1,400 pupils. Drawing from a wide and varied catchment
