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Expert guidance on school leasing, DfE compliance, and equipment finance for UK education institutions — from the team that's been doing this since 1985.

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Technology

Every child deserves a working laptop: How subscription finance is closing the EdTech gap

Walk into a secondary school in an affluent area, and you'll likely find a well-stocked IT suite, a one-to-one device programme, and an interactive screen in every classroom. These are the schools where the PTA raises tens of thousands of pounds each year to plug any gaps in government funding – and it shows. Walk into a school in a more deprived area, however – often one with a leaky roof, a stretched support staff team, and a bare bones budget – and the picture can be very different.

18 May 2026

Technology

The school of the future: 4 predictions for AI-powered education in 2050

Imagine it’s September 2050. A twelve-year-old arrives at school, settles into her seat, and picks up the iPad that’s waiting on her desk. She loads up an AI-created Maths lesson calibrated entirely to her. The AI has drawn on everything it knows about her learning pace, her strengths, and the gaps in her understanding from last term to create a completely bespoke lesson. Meanwhile, her teacher circulates the room, coaching the students who need a human touch. This scenario may sound speculative, but research suggests it’s not far-fetched...

14 April 2026

EdTech

Better EdTech, better outcomes: how children ultimately benefit when schools can access your equipment

When we talk about EdTech procurement, the conversation usually centres on budgets, lease rates, and payment cycles. This is understandable: the commercial mechanics matter, and without them, your equipment wouldn’t make its way into schools at all. But it’s worth occasionally stepping back...

23 March 2026

EdTech

Why renting EdTech makes sense for schools (and what that means for you as a supplier)

When it comes to EdTech, schools across the UK face a familiar challenge: ambition often outpaces available capital. Teachers want to provide students with up-to-date devices, interactive learning tools, and flexible learning environments, but large upfront purchases can quickly exhaust already s...

6 March 2026

Leasing school equipment

The direct funder advantage: for schools and their EdTech suppliers

If you’ve been supplying equipment to schools for any length of time, you’ve probably been involved in helping your customers access finance to pay for your equipment. The most obvious route is to contact a lease broker who will search the market for a suitable funder to provide the n...

26 January 2026

Leasing school equipment

Leasing with Utility Rentals and ClaaS: 2025 in review

As we approach the end of 2025, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what’s been an extraordinary year for our company, our schools, and our supplier partners. From milestone anniversaries to industry shifts that reshaped how schools approach technology procurement, this year has reinf...

18 December 2025

Leasing school equipment

5 lessons from 40 years in education leasing

This year marks a significant milestone for us. On 2nd December 2025, our parent company, the Longriver Group, will celebrate its 40th birthday! The technology in classrooms today would be unrecognisable to someone from 1985. We’ve seen EdTech evolve from monolithic desktop computers to slick AI-...

18 November 2025

compliant leases

The schools’ guide to operating and finance leases

When it comes to equipping classrooms with the latest technology and facilities, most schools face the same challenge: limited capital budgets. Leasing offers a practical solution, allowing schools to spread the cost of essential equipment over time and allocate precious capital funds to other pr...

28 October 2025

Canopies

How to finance a canopy for your school

If your school wants to make more of its outdoor space, a canopy could be the answer. Shelters and covers might be the last thing on anyone’s mind during the peak of summer, but at all other times of the year, they can make all the difference. Schools with strategically placed canopies are ...

18 September 2025

EdTech

EdTech: Should your school buy it or rent it?

Let’s start with the obvious disclaimer: we’re a company that provides rental finance for schools, so we love to sing the praises of renting. That said, we recognise there are scenarios where schools might want to opt to buy their equipment outright, so we wanted to write this piece to help your ...

29 August 2025

iPads

Obsolescence: The hidden risk of buying iPads for schools

Buying iPads for your school sounds like a great idea. They’re the gold standard of EdTech: expertly made, aesthetically pleasing and highly intuitive to use. Schools figure that by owning iPads, they’re making a long-term investment into something that will continue to benefit generation after g...

24 July 2025

Interactive Screens

Utility Rentals at the National Education Show 2025

Friday 13th of this month was certainly no unlucky day for Team Utility Rentals. In fact, we had an absolutely brilliant time exhibiting at the National Education Show in Wales. As the guests of our partner, Newline, our team spent the day explaining the benefits and logistics of leasing to...

30 June 2025

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