Unlocking the Power of School Lettings

Many schools across the country are joining the community lettings space as it’s an excellent opportunity to generate additional income whilst fostering stronger ties with the local community. 

In this post, we’ll explore the 4 key benefits of school lettings and how you can create a more intentional approach to encouraging community usage of your facilities to become a central hub of engaging, educational and inclusive activities outside of school hours. 

1. Income Generation to Reinvest in Your School

With the majority of schools set to be in a budget deficit for this academic year, the need for schools to seek additional revenue sources is crucial. This is where lettings can really help make a difference. Having a steady income stream that allows for reinvestment into various aspects of school life, ensures that schools can achieve their goals to deliver the best possible education and support for their students. 

How funds from school lettings can be reinvested in your school:

• Educational Resources: Purchase new learning materials, technology, and specialised equipment to enhance the quality of education for students.
• Additional Staff: With public sector wages ever on the increase, the additional lettings income can support the hiring of more teachers or teaching assistants.
• Facility Enhancement: Complete major maintenance works that you’ve had to put off or improve school facilities, ensuring that the environment remains safe and conducive to learning.
• Support for Disadvantaged Families: The added income helps schools start initiatives like subsidised school meals, breakfast provisions, and hardship funds.

Additionally, a strong community usage programme can position your school to attract grants for major projects, such as building new sports facilities or upgrading existing spaces.

2. Opportunities For Existing Students

Beyond benefitting schools financially, lettings offer students unique personal and academic growth opportunities. As shown in the 2024 EPI Report, students who participate in extracurricular activities have a 56% higher chance of progressing into higher education. These community-led programmes often provide additional support for students outside the curriculum, having a significant impact on academic attainment.

Opportunities to develop skills like leadership, teamwork, and communication can also help young people develop the essential life skills that will serve them in their academic and professional careers. Creative arts, competitive sports, and other collaborative activities are all great for enhancing skills that they can go on to apply in various real-world contexts. Think theatre groups, roller-skating classes, martial arts training, cultural and language classes, or even coding workshops—the possibilities to boost engagement are endless

As said by Louisa Seymour, Principal at Uxbridge High School:
“Lettings have given local young people and our students opportunities outside of what we can offer during school hours and it’s great because they feel safe coming to the school they already go to. Some of our young people want to get involved in things outside of school but might not necessarily do that if they feel they don’t have somewhere to go that they are comfortable with. So actually, having lettings in our own school for them is really, really valuable.”

3. Boosting School Reputation

Inviting members of the community to use your school spaces is an effective strategy to boost your school’s reputation and make you the top choice for potential new students.

Schools can build connections with local families by hosting events, sports leagues, or summer camps for younger children. For secondaries in particular, this helps establish a relationship with primary school-aged children, attracting them as future students.

In addition to fostering early engagement, a well-rounded school lettings approach that includes opportunities for local adults can allow parents to experience the school first-hand, strengthening trust and enhancing the school’s reputation as a community-focused institution.

4. Increasing Diversity in Community Connections

By boosting visibility across local networks, social media groups, forums, newsletters, and listing websites, you can raise awareness about the wide range of events and activities your facilities are available for. The more you showcase the diversity of potential uses for your spaces and highlight accessibility, the more varied and impactful the enquiries you receive will be.

Reaching out to local initiatives that serve underrepresented groups or challenge stereotypes will strengthen wider community bonds. Consider connecting with LGBTQ+ support networks, faith-based organisations, disability-friendly programmes, or gender-inclusive sports clubs to help your school become a platform for celebrating diversity. 

Ultimately, school lettings give you the chance to reflect the needs and interests of your local community, creating opportunities where every individual feels welcomed, valued, and empowered. The more inclusive your lettings programme, the more your school will become a true hub for positive social change.

The author

School Space

Lauren is a Marketing Manager in the Ed Tech space, passionate about driving meaningful change in the education sector. Currently working with School Space: Social Enterprise and Lettings Provider, helping schools generate vital additional funding while strengthening their role as diverse community hubs.

http://www.discover.school-space.org