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 reinforced why the subscription model for educational technology is so beneficial for all involved.

A year of many milestones

This year marked Classroom as a Service (ClaaS)’s first full calendar year of operation since our launch in April 2024. What started as an innovative response to schools’ capital budget constraints has evolved into a fundamental shift in how educational institutions think about technology acquisition. We’ve helped hundreds of schools across the UK equip their classrooms with everything from iPads and laptops to interactive screens and VR headsets – all through manageable, affordable subscriptions that preserve their precious capital budgets for other priorities.

Perhaps even more significantly, 2nd December 2025 marked the 40th anniversary of the founding of our parent company, The Longriver Group. Four decades of expertise in compliant leasing, coupled with our Feefo Platinum customer service awards spanning seven consecutive years, means we were able to launch ClaaS with the reliability and track record that both schools and suppliers can trust. Being a direct funder backed by this heritage allows us to make lending decisions quickly, offer market-leading rates without broker fees, and guarantee prompt payment to suppliers.

The Windows 10 turning point

If there was a single event that crystallised the importance of leasing EdTech over buying it in 2025, it was Microsoft’s withdrawal of support for Windows 10 on 14th October. This was a watershed moment that exposed the hidden costs and risks of ownership.

Schools that had invested heavily in purchasing Windows 10-compatible devices just a few years earlier suddenly faced a stark choice: continue using unsupported equipment with mounting security vulnerabilities, or find thousands of pounds to replace entire fleets of devices. For many institutions already stretched to breaking point, neither option was acceptable.

The schools working with ClaaS, however, experienced this transition very differently. Because their devices were leased rather than owned, they weren’t locked into obsolete technology. They simply upgraded to Windows 11-compatible equipment as part of their ongoing subscription, maintaining security, compatibility, and peace of mind without the financial shock of a forced replacement cycle. 

During the last quarter of the year, we also saw many new schools turn to ClaaS to provide them with the up-to-date technology they needed, safe in the knowledge that they’d be supported throughout the duration of the contract.

The rise of renting in EdTech

The Windows 10 situation highlighted several key advantages of the subscription model that we’ve championed throughout 2025 (and, in fact, over the last 40 years!):

Enhanced security and support
When schools own their devices, they’re entirely dependent on manufacturers continuing to support that specific hardware and software combination. The moment that support ends – whether for commercial reasons or simply the march of technological progress – schools are left vulnerable to security breaches, ransomware attacks, and data compliance issues. According to the UK government’s 2024 cyber security breaches survey, 50% of organisations reported being targeted by cyberattacks. Schools can’t afford to be part of that statistic because they’re stuck with unsupported equipment.

With a ClaaS subscription, schools are guaranteed access to devices supported by the latest operating systems and security updates throughout the contract term. When it’s time to upgrade, they simply transition to newer models – often with improved specifications that directly benefit students and their teachers.

Device consistency
One challenge schools face when purchasing equipment piecemeal over several years is the inevitable mish-mash of different makes, models, and generations. This creates headaches for IT departments trying to maintain, manage, and ensure software compatibility across varied hardware. Leasing an entire fleet of identical devices simplifies everything from initial setup to ongoing maintenance and troubleshooting.

Preserved capital budgets
“We have too much money” is not a phrase uttered by any UK state school in the last few decades. Capital budgets in education are under constant pressure, with competing demands from building maintenance to curriculum resources. Funding technology through regular affordable payments enables schools to reserve their capital funds for projects that genuinely require upfront investment while still equipping every classroom with the technology students need today.

Predictable, manageable costs
Leasing transforms technology acquisition from an unpredictable capital expense into a fixed, budgetable operational cost. Schools know exactly what they’ll pay each month, making financial planning significantly easier. There are no surprise bills for urgent replacements when devices fail, and no scrambling to find funds when technology becomes obsolete.

The supplier advantage

Throughout 2025, we’ve also seen the powerful benefits that partnering with ClaaS brings to technology suppliers. The education sector is an attractive market: it’s stable, it has ongoing needs, and schools genuinely want to provide the best possible resources for their students. But the perennial challenge for suppliers has been schools’ limited capital budgets.

Our innovative subscription model solves this problem. Instead of quoting schools a price they struggle to pay upfront, suppliers can now offer their products through ClaaS on an affordable payment schedule. The school gets the technology they need, the supplier makes the sale, and ClaaS handles all the financial and contractual arrangements.

Our proprietary quoting tool has been a game-changer for our supplier partners. It transforms a traditional quote into a co-branded leasing proposal in seconds, complete with a simple response form that makes it easy for schools to say yes. Because all UK state schools and colleges are pre-approved for our finance through our inclusion on the Everything ICT framework, there’s no waiting for funding applications or credit checks. The school simply e-signs a straightforward one-page agreement, and we guarantee to pay suppliers within 72 hours of project completion.

The volume impact is significant too. On average, schools using ClaaS subscriptions can acquire three times more equipment than they could afford to purchase outright. That school with nine classrooms that could only budget for three interactive screens? Through ClaaS, they can equip all nine classrooms immediately, with manageable monthly payments. The supplier triples their deal size, and every classroom benefits right away rather than waiting years for full deployment.

Looking ahead

As we move into 2026, the lessons of 2025 are clear. EdTech continues to evolve at a rapid pace and schools can’t afford to be left behind with obsolete equipment. The subscription model makes technology affordable, sustainable and strategically smart.

Schools that lease their high-ticket technology through ClaaS benefit from device consistency, preserved capital budgets, enhanced security, and the ability to upgrade to the latest models when their contracts conclude. Suppliers benefit from increased deal sizes, faster payment, and ongoing relationships as schools return for upgrades. And we all benefit from an education sector that’s equipped with modern, secure technology that enhances learning rather than hindering it.

The first full year of ClaaS has proven that there’s a better way forward for educational technology procurement: one that serves schools, suppliers, and most importantly, students. Here’s to another year of helping schools afford the technology their students deserve.

If you’re a supplier interested in exploring how to offer your products to schools through our subscription model, visit our supplier’s guide or get in touch to see how our quoting tool can transform your proposals. 

If you’re a school looking for a smarter way to acquire technology, let’s talk about how leasing can help you afford to kit out your classrooms with the latest equipment.

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• Leasing school equipment