What are Canford’s principal commercial聽activities?
We are very fortunate that is located in beautiful surroundings alongside the River Stour among 250 acres and boasts several fantastic facilities and stunning buildings.
Wherever possible, we try to open up the site to allow paying members of the public access to some of these. They include a number of sporting facilities, including a sport centre with a comprehensively equipped gym and 25m heated indoor pool, a 9-hole golf course, real tennis and squash courts.
Wherever possible, we try to open up the site to allow paying members of the public access.
There is also a climbing wall and assault course and a boathouse, as well as a large number of outdoor all-weather pitches and courts. We also run a swimming academy and several holiday courses led by our own sport coaches for the local community to develop their sporting skills
Alongside the array of sporting facilities, we have a range of spectacular buildings, including our Grade 1 listed manor house, allowing us to host weddings, events and conferences out of term time, as well as a modern theatre, assembly hall and music hall which we let out to schools and community groups. In school holidays, we also hire out our boarding houses alongside our sporting facilities and can provide full hospitality services to other educational and community groups.
What is the underlying rationale for Canford’s commercial enterprise operation?
Our rationale is two-fold. Financially, we want to generate income to support the school, diversify our income base and provide more staff with year-round jobs. Secondly, we have an amazing site that we want as many people as possible to enjoy and take advantage of.
How is it decided what commercial activities Canford should undertake?
We always try to look at a combination of what people are looking for locally and what facilities we have available. We are always open to try new activities and events and grow new partnerships with the local community.
We focus commercial activities in the holidays to limit risks around safeguarding and disruption to school life.
We are currently looking at a number of new options to generate income to help limit the fee rise that might be required now that VAT on fees is about to be introduced.
What is the business planning/cost evaluation process via which opportunities are assessed? Are there ROI/profit margins which must be satisfied?
Whilst we don鈥檛 have specific thresholds, we look at each opportunity on the basis of the likely revenue, profit and capital required alongside non-financial aspects, for example, will more people get to enjoy the site and how we could manage the associated logistics.
What are the constraints/risks which inform decisions about the school’s commercial activities?
The main “constraint” is that we must continue to deliver a first-class education to our pupils, so we largely focus our commercial activities in the holidays to limit the risks around safeguarding and disruption to school life. We have also been very careful which sponsorship partners we work with to avoid any reputational risk.
How are the funds generated by the school’s commercial activities used/reinvested?
The funds we generate from our commercial activities are ploughed back into the school and used, essentially, to help to limit school fee rises.
What benefits do the commercial activities deliver over and above revenues?
A large number of people are able to come and enjoy the Canford surroundings when they use our facilities or attend an event, like a wedding, theatre performance or summer fayre. In some cases, children visiting become familiar with a site they will be calling home for five years.
It must be clear from the onset how responsibilities are broken down between you and the third party partner.
We have also found that we generate interest from prospective pupils who wouldn鈥檛 necessarily have considered coming to Canford, especially those who might qualify for means-tested support.
What key pieces of advice would the Canford team offer their peers in other schools charged with generating commercial income?
As with all school activities, it is important to really understand your responsibilities for safeguarding, health and safety, etc. when you are opening up the site to the public and ensuring the correct balance between school and commercial activities is achieved. It is particularly important when using third parties and it needs to be made clear from the onset how responsibilities are broken down between you and the third party partner.
Also, be clear on your strengths so that you know what you can exploit commercially whilst understanding where you are better getting a third party to deliver. You make take a lower margin but it can be much easier to manage.
This article first appeared in the Winter 2025 edition of Independent 黑料福利网 magazine, out now.
