Breaking into the education market can be an exciting opportunity for EdTech companies. Schools, after all, are places where innovation, once it takes root, can spread in deep and lasting ways. Yet the realities of working with schools demand a more subtle, more human approach than many anticipate.

Drawing on years of leadership in schools and consultancy work with educators and organisations, I offer these reflections on how EdTech companies might bridge the gap between innovation and meaningful educational partnership.

1. Understand the Terrain, Respect the Mission

Schools aren’t just buying products — they’re helping shape the future of young people. As a result, their purchasing decisions aren’t just shaped by safeguarding duties and regulatory frameworks; they’re more often than not guided by a deep sense of mission and linked to strategic planning.

Approaching schools with sweeping criticisms of a “victorian system” or evangelising the obsolescence of traditional schooling rarely endears. Educators are deeply aware of education’s imperfections—they live them daily—but they are rightly resistant to those who appear more interested in condemnation than collaboration.

Frame your work as an ally, not an adversary. Solutions should respect, not replace, the unseen and, frankly, often heroic labour of schools.

2. Evidence Over Evangelism

A compelling story might open a door, but evidence keeps it open.

Schools today, pressured by accountability measures and inspection frameworks, are increasingly data- and evidence driven. They will look for proof that your initiative delivers tangible value and improvement to teaching and learning.

Pilot studies, real-world case studies, and both quantitative and qualitative evidence will always speak louder than promises of disruption and 21st century glitter.

Transformation in education is not claimed; it is earned, quietly, through trust. Let that be the first thing you establish and sell evolution, not revolution.

3. Pricing that Meets Reality

While EdTech often views education as a vast, untapped market, school budgets are tight and competition for discretionary spend is fierce.

Flexible pricing models—tiered subscriptions, group licences, modular programmes—allow schools to test your offer without overcommitting. Pricing modestly signals that you understand the financial realities of schools, and that you are a partner, not a profiteer.

4. Start Small, Think Big

Many entrepreneurs dream of wholesale change. Schools, however, tend to prefer modest, clearly defined interventions.

Pilot small. Embed carefully. Respect the evolutionary nature of school improvement. True change is not imposed; it grows from seeds of trust, relevance, and responsiveness.

5. Blend the Best of Both Worlds

Post-pandemic, the virtual is now a normal part of educational life—but it is not a panacea. Schools are consciously rebuilding human, in-person connections among students and staff.

Solutions that complement rather than replace in-person learning—blended models that respect the relational fabric of schools—will find a warmer welcome.

6. Speak Education’s Language

Schools must often advocate internally for any new investment—to governors, trustees, and parents.

Align your solution with what schools already value: personal development goals, safeguarding obligations, curriculum frameworks. Position your offer not as an add-on but as an enhancer of the work already underway.

Respect the existing narrative before seeking to write a new one.

7. Timing Is Everything

Understand the rhythms of the school year. Launching initiatives in exam season or budget finalisation periods is unlikely to succeed—conversely the starts of term tend to be good times. Respect the seasonal cadences of school life—the peaks and troughs that are invisible from the outside but govern every decision within.

When to Engage Schools: A Quick Guide

Month	Best Approach?	Notes
September	✅ Excellent	Start of academic year; energy and openness.
October	✅ Good	Planning is still active.
November	⚠️ Risky	Approaching end-of-term reporting pressures.
December	❌ Avoid	High fatigue, Christmas events, little focus.
January	✅ Good	Fresh momentum after holidays.
February	✅ Good	Stable, strategic time before exam focus.
March	⚠️ Mixed	Depends on internal deadlines, assessments.
April	✅ Good (Post-Easter)	Review and planning for next year.
May	❌ Avoid	Exams dominate, little headspace available.
June	❌ Avoid	Exams, end-of-year reports, transition chaos.
July	⚠️ Mixed (Early July)	Some openness early, but closes quickly.
August	❌ Avoid	Schools are closed or in skeleton mode.

8. Focus on Professional Development, Not Just Pupil Outcomes

Many EdTech companies fixate on student impact—and rightly so. But schools are also hungry for solutions that build staff capacity, develop leadership, and embed reflective practice.

Offer professional development alongside your product. Strengthen not just the outcomes, but the people who deliver them.

9. Plan for Sustainability

Short-term projects rarely gain traction. Schools prefer partners who will journey with them, adapting and evolving as needs change.

How will your product grow with the school? How will you support renewal, adaptation, and longevity? Helping schools think five years ahead—not just five weeks—builds credibility and trust.

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In Closing

In this delicate ecosystem, respect is everything.

Entering the education market is not about selling to schools; it is about serving them. Those who approach with humility, flexibility, evidence, and deep alignment to the educational mission will find not just customers, but true partners.

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If you’re an EdTech company or organisation looking to deepen your understanding of what schools truly value, we’ve created a free resource to help.

The EdTech Self-Assessment Framework is designed to support reflective, school-centred innovation. It won’t pretend to address every technical or commercial factor, but it will help you view your product through the eyes of a school—its needs, its realities, and its aspirations.

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