School Photographer

[phl666]

Who decides on which company does school photographs within a school? Is it the LEA or the school themselves? Or is it the governors or PTA?

I just wonder because my own children's school photographs are really old-fashioned and generally a bit rubbish, and I know a company who could do a much better job!

[saxy_jag]

Most local authorities will have a list of 'approved vendors' from whom goods and services have to be bought. Sometimes they will have tendered for this status, sometimes not. Supposedly it prevents dodgy dealing and backhanders, but I'm not so sure. Certainly in our council, there seems to be little logic as to how procurement operates.

If a school or department wants to use a different supplier, then they have to fill in loads of forms to make a business case, and it's not guaranteed even then (they tried to tell us that what 'their' supplier offered - twelve inch high school hall podia - was suitable staging for a major rock festival. They really hadn't a clue!).

[Buenchico]

(2-part post);

It's quite a few years since I was in teaching but I doubt that Saxy_Jag's comments are relevant. There are two reasons for this:

Firstly, schools were (and, to the best of my knowledge, still are) generally able to choose their own suppliers without any interference from the local authority. (Although local authorities provide the funding, schools are run, on a day to day basis, by governing bodies and not by LEAs). I used to order everything from textbooks to sports equipment and, as long as the supplier was happy to accept the LEA's official order form, I could use any supplier I liked.

Secondly, school photographs don't form part of the national curriculum or of a council's policy for schools. They are simply an optional 'add on' in the same way that things like school fetes are. There is no obligation on schools to have any photographs taken by any firm. Further, schools don't have to use any order forms for the service because they don't pay for it (which means that the local authority's ordering process is not involved).

[Buenchico]

So, why do schools invite firms onto their premises to take photographs of their children? It would be nice to think that they do so because they want to record all of those wonderful happy faces for posterity or to provide a useful service for parents. In reality, there's only one reason why schools agree to the disruption caused by photographers. (The disruption isn't too bad in primary schools but it can be a nightmare for teachers in secondary schools, where classes can be disrupted for several days). That reason is, quite simply, money. All schools are constantly looking for ways of making more money. If several firms offer their services, the contract won't go to the firm with the highest photographic standards; it will go to the one which offers the school the highest commission on sales.

If you know a firm which you believe could do a better job, you could ask them to contact the school and put forward their business proposals. However, you should be aware that many general photography firms (who don't normally do this type of work) would probably be unwilling to take on the work for just one school because of the hassle of getting their photographer(s) through the 'enhanced level' Criminal Records Bureau checks which the school would almost certainly insist upon.

Chris

[saxy_jag]

Buenchico, I work for a local authority and my job involves buying goods and services on behalf of that authority. Before that, I was directly involved in the administration of school funding, and before that, I worked in schools directly. The system of purchasing power you describe was certainly the case in our authority back then. But things have changed a hell of a lot in the past few years, and it's how these things are these days. It I can assure you what I've said is totally relevant, and I wouldn't think ours is the only authority that works in this way.

[Buenchico]

Saxy_Jag:

I'm happy to accept that things may have changed with regard to payment for services. However, a school doesn't pay a photographic company for their services; it's the company which (through commission) pays the school. Therefore, the local authority's purchasing policy is irrelevant.

Chris

(PS: I used to be the regional secretary for one of the teaching unions. I frequently had to write to the chairman of the Education Committee to remind him that, while LEAs may fund schools, they most certainly don't run them and that they would meet with considerable opposition if they ever tried to do so).

[saxy_jag]

Funny, I've been responsible for paying school photographers before now. They charge the school for their services and the school takes a commission on all orders from parents. The profit works two ways.

And yes, schools do manage their own finances, but they still have to justify what they spend and how they spend it. The reason local authorities have this 'approved vendors' system is supposedly to prevent dodgy dealings - like the one that happened here a few years where a headmaster was buying goods from his son's company at vastly inflated prices and then taking a cut off the top. He was also buying other goods and services from other companies on behalf of the school that were really for son's business - VAT free, of course. You'll be pleased to know he was sacked.

We have a list of about half a dozen photographers that schools and other departments can use. If anyone wants to use a different one, then they have to show that the company is the only one that can provide that exact service at the cheapest price. A four-sided, A4 form has to be filled in to provide a business case for it. Depending on the size of the contract, it may have to go to tender, but I doubt this would be the case for a few hundred quid for a school photographer.

It's fair to say that rules are bent. If I have a small amount to pay to a one-off vendor who isn't listed, then I'll write a cheque from our current account rather than send the invoice to finance. It'll still show at audit, but I find auditors tend to be a little more realistic than finance and procurement officers.

It's worth putting your case forward to the school, though, because if your photographer is suitable then the school should be able to use him/her and it could be worth someone filling in a few forms - if they're not too busy, that is!