Best Value

What is Best Value in the Public Sector?

 

Best Value is about continuously improving locally provided services. From a schools point of view this means the delivery of services it provides to its pupils and other users within the local community.

 

Almost any aspect of running a school could be subject to the principles of Best Value from deciding whether to use mixed year groups to refurbishing a classroom. Its not just about getting value for money its about challenging the status quo.

 

Most schools probably apply the principles of Best Value already but the processes should be more transparent and formal. OFSTED included the inspection of Best Value in schools as part of its inspection framework.

 

Governing bodies are already required to set targets to raise standards, provide good quality education, use resources effectively and achieve a balance between cost and effectiveness.

 

The following links will give you more information on:

 

 

Further information is also available at the Department for Childrens, Schools and Families (DCSF) website

 

 

The four main principles of Best Value – commonly known as the 4C’s – should be applied throughout the leadership and management of the school. Not all four have to be applied at once or in the same order. In certain circumstances not all of them will apply.

 

The 4C’s are detailed below along with some of the questions schools should be asking themselves:

 

 

This is about how and why the school provides the services it does and whether the school should be doing more to improve its effectiveness.

 

Challenge involves self–evaluation and can be quite difficult as it often involves being self-critical. However, this can be advantageous as it often leads to ownership of a problem area and a commitment to resolving or improving it.

 

In some cases it may be beneficial to involve someone who is not involved in the area being challenged to help with the process.

 

Schools should be asking themselves:

 

 

 

This is about comparing or benchmarking a schools performance with national indicators and that of other similar schools including those that are doing better. In a larger school it can also mean comparing one department against another. This then gives an opportunity to set targets to achieve continuous improvement.

 

Compare also involves comparing suppliers’ prices for goods and services. But beware best price doesn’t always mean best value!

 

Schools should be asking themselves:

 

 

 

This is about consulting with people who are affected by any major changes or spending decisions the school undertakes. Schools are complex organisations and the views of staff, pupils, parents, governors and many other stakeholders are important for it to run efficiently.

 

Schools should be asking themselves:

 

 

 

This is about ensuring schools are providing or receiving the best possible service or goods at the best possible price.

 

Schools should be asking themselves:

 

 

 

 

A Best Value statement should show how the Best Value principles are applied in the running of the school in order to achieve continuous improvement.

 

It should include which areas the school are to focus on in the coming year. These could include:

 

 

To help schools we have incorporated the Best Value Statement in the template for the Statement of Internal Controls.

 

 

 

The following is an example of a Best Value statement that you can use to help write your own statement.

 

 

The Governing Body of (insert school name) is committed to achieving Best Value in the decisions it makes. We use the principles of Best Value, as they apply, to secure continuous improvement.

 

We will:

 

 

 

 

 

The Governing Body will strive to ensure that the school uses its resources effectively to meet the needs of its pupils.

 

This year the school will select the following areas that will be subjected to a specific Best Value review:

 

(Insert areas to be reviewed)

 

 

 

Although Best Value is about continuously improving all services, on a practical note it is recommended that certain areas be specifically chosen, each year, to be the subject of a thorough and more rigorous Best Value review. This could involve any aspect of the running of the school or the services it delivers for example:

 

 

 

 

From a financial point of view, however, at least one or two areas of the school’s budget should be identified and selected, by the governors and senior management team, for a Best Value review.

 

Using the example above of assessing the phone system, the school could apply the 4 C’s to the review as follows:

 

 

Does the existing system suit the schools needs?

 

Is it outdated – has technology moved on?

 

Could it be upgraded?

 

Should it be replaced?

 

Which would be most cost effective?

 

Which would cause minimum disruption?

 

 

With users of the phone system – both school employees and other stakeholders who access the phone system e.g. parents; other schools; other departments of the local authority about their needs

 

With other schools of a similar size and layout about their phone system

 

With Corporate Contracts for advice

 

With suppliers of phone systems

 

With maintenance companies

 

 

The telephone system with that of other schools of a similar size and layout

 

Prices and service agreements for brand new systems and/or upgrades

 

 

Secure the best deal by selecting the company with the best price, service agreement etc for a brand new systems and/or upgrade.

 

 

 

The following is an example of how the principles of Best Value could be applied in school.

 

Happy Valley Primary School introduced a school uniform for pupils to wear. They applied the principles of Best Value as follows:

 

 

We asked ourselves “why do we want our pupils to wear a uniform?” We thought that it would:

 

 

 

 

 

We compared ourselves to other schools in the area that had a uniform policy and after discussions found that:

 

 

 

 

 

 

We consulted with the major stakeholders that would be affected by any decision we made as follows:

 

 

 

 

We asked other schools in the area which suppliers they used and if they were happy with the quality of the clothes. We also contacted other suppliers of school uniform.

 

We decided that one of the suppliers that another school in the local area used was most suitable as we felt that the price was reasonable and they had a reputation for good quality clothing.