As providers of lettings software and services to hundreds of schools across the UK, we’re often asked about the benefits MAT schools and their Trusts can realise from centralising lettings.

Across many Trusts, school lettings are still managed in silos. Individual schools handle bookings via various third-parties, or in-house via spreadsheets, email threads, or legacy systems – often with different processes, pricing models, and levels of oversight.

The result?

• Missed income opportunities
• Inconsistent user experience for hirers
• Limited visibility at trust level
• Admin-heavy processes for already stretched staff

The challenge is to be able to grow lettings, without growing the workload of those who manage or oversee them. Centralised lettings or standardised lettings are often proposed as solutions – but what’s the difference? And which approach is right for your MAT?

Centralised Lettings: one team, full control

A centralised model involves transferring responsibility for lettings to the MAT’s central team.

This typically includes:

• A team or individual managing bookings for all schools
• Centralised handling of bookings, invoicing, and communication
• Pricing and availability set centrally

Who it appeals to:

• MATs with a strong, central operations function
• Trusts aiming for tight control and uniform delivery
• MATs wishing to eradicate inconsistent and repetitive processes, at school-level

With a dedicated resource in the central team, this approach can deliver consistency and clear oversight.

Standardised Lettings: consistency, without central workload

Understandably, a “fully centralised” model raises concerns with some MATs, not wishing to add workload or remove autonomy from schools. For many, a standardised approach offers a different, but equally effective, option.

1. Schools can still manage their own lettings

• Approving bookings
• Managing availability
• Communicating with hirers

They continue to operate with local knowledge and autonomy.

2. Processes are standardised across the trust

• Consistent booking workflows
• Unified pricing structures (where appropriate)
• Standardised policies and compliance documents recorded and kept up to date in one system

This reduces confusion and ensures a professional, trust-wide approach.

3. Administration is automated and simplified

• Online bookings replace back-and-forth emails
• Automated invoicing and online payment options
• Calendars that reduce clashes and manual tracking

So rather than adding work, a standardised system removes avoidable, repetitive admin.

The standardised model gives MATs consistency and oversight, without adding pressure to the central team or removing autonomy from schools.

The Common Benefit: Trust-wide Visibility

Centralised and Standardised lettings lead to the same, powerful outcomes.

When all schools use the same platform, MAT leaders gain access to real-time, comparable data across every site.

For example, using BookingsPlus reporting tools, you can:

• See which schools are generating the most lettings income
• Identify underutilised facilities
• Compare performance across similar sites
• Track trends over time

The Bookings Value report is particularly valuable – it highlights:

• Revenue by site
• Revenue by facility type (e.g. sports halls vs classrooms)
• Opportunities to optimise pricing or availability

This kind of insight is almost impossible to achieve when schools operate in isolation.

A smarter way to grow lettings

Improving lettings doesn’t have to mean restructuring your organisation or creating new roles.

With the right approach and the right tools, MATs can:

• Increase revenue
• Reduce administrative burden
• Gain clear, trust-wide insight

Contact Us

If you’d like to know more about the support BookingsPlus could offer your Trust, we’d be delighted to hear from you – Contact Us.