Frequently asked questions

"Why is HSS expensive?"

It isn't! (But then we would say that wouldn’t we...?)

This can often be the first reaction because HSS is a totally different technical and operating solution to the ones schools have used before.

The total cost of ownership

Most schools are used to buying IT on a piecemeal basis and never see the true total cost of ownership (TCO) over, say, five years. We also often find that the cost of managing IT is hidden in the salary of staff employed to do other tasks, such as teach or manage the finances.

Understanding the TCO is essential when considering a sustainable approach to IT. The TCO of any IT solution includes hardware, software, development, maintenance, consumables and the time spent on support (both from suppliers and school staff).

In the schools which have chosen HSS so far, these costs amount to an annual per pupil spend of £128 in a secondary and £97 in a primary school.

The support provided by school staff can be hard to quantify as it is often hidden in the salary costs of a teacher or admin officer. The time spent adding a new user, installing software or maintaining backups is often lost amongst other tasks. Reclaiming this lost time can free up significant amounts of staff time for other tasks, which can contribute to improved outcomes for learners.

When you take the total cost of IT into consideration, HSS is generally able to offer savings of 10-15% over a five-year period.

And in addition, you are receiving an IT solution that is consistently delivered, with a known cost for the next five years.

A unique solution

We are very confident that on a like-for-like basis the Hosted School Service proves cost effective and is the best solution to support teaching and learning within your school. The difficulty is finding a comparison quote for HSS: there aren't many out there as they tend to be offered by the large national IT suppliers.

We appreciate that the switch from a more traditional approach to IT can expose costs that hadn’t been so visible before, but we know that when you consider your next investment in IT you will find that the Hosted School Service is a surprisingly cost effective solution.