Finnemore Consulting Ltd

10/09/2026

A good product strategy shouldn't slow you down.

It should help you move faster.

Without a clear strategy, product teams can spend huge amounts of time debating priorities, reacting to individual requests and trying to decide what to build next.

Strategy should make those decisions easier.

It gives you a framework for deciding what matters, what doesn't, and where your time and resources will have the most impact.

Our latest blog looks at the relationship between strategy and action, and why clarity can help edtech businesses make better product decisions and move with more confidence.

https://finnemoreconsulting.com/strategy-vs-action-why-good-product-strategy-should-help-you-move-faster/

Discover why good product strategy should enable faster action, better decisions and clearer priorities, rather than becoming a barrier to progress.

06/09/2026

The next big battle in the school MIS market might not be winning customers.

It might be keeping them.

The latest MIS figures make fascinating reading.

Arbor now has more than half of English schools.

Bromcom continues to grow.

SIMS has fallen from more than 85% of the market a decade ago to around 26% today.

But I think there's a much bigger question hiding behind those numbers:

**Where does the next wave of switching come from?**

For years, there was a large pool of SIMS schools willing to reconsider their MIS.

More than 4,000 schools switched MIS during 2025 alone.

But that pool is getting smaller.

And if more of the market is now sitting with suppliers experiencing much lower churn, the dynamics start to change.

Suddenly, retention matters even more.

So does product development.

Service.

Customer experience.

And finding ways to deliver more value to the schools you already have.

But that's only part of what's changing.

AI could completely change how schools interact with their data.

MIS providers are expanding beyond the traditional boundaries of MIS.

The DfE is becoming much more influential in how academy trusts procure these systems.

And smaller challengers still need to work out how they carve out space in an increasingly consolidated market.

Nick has taken a deep dive into the latest figures and what they could mean for the next phase of the UK school MIS market.

It's well worth a read if you work in MIS, edtech, a MAT – or you're simply interested in where school technology is heading.

**What do you think will define the next five years of the MIS market?**

Switching? Retention? AI? Procurement? Or something else entirely?

https://finnemoreconsulting.com/uk-school-mis-market-2026/

The UK school MIS market is changing fast. We look at Arbor, Bromcom, SIMS, emerging challengers, AI, DfE procurement and what comes next.

31/08/2026

When it comes to edtech, more features don't always mean a better product.

Schools need technology that makes their working day easier, not software that adds more clicks, menus and complexity.

Good user-focused design starts with understanding how people actually work, then removing the friction that gets in their way.

Our latest blog looks at why simplicity matters so much in edtech, and why creating something simple to use can be one of the hardest things to get right.

Read it here:
https://finnemoreconsulting.com/user-focused-design-why-simplicity-is-key-to-success-in-edtech/

Learn why simplicity is key to edtech success. Discover how user-friendly design, streamlined interfaces, and effective onboarding can drive adoption, improve outcomes, and create impactful solutions for schools and local authorities.

19/08/2026

We were privileged to speak with even more edtech and industry thought leaders last term, and the insight they provide us and our community is invaluable.

So thank you Stephen Bilboe, CEO at esenda, for chatting to us about the changing nature of fee collection, the need for modern infrastructure, and what smarter payments could look like in future.

Thanks to Utropolis founder Douglas Hanley for discussing with us the safeguarding challenges that persist in schools, and why many current filtering tools just aren’t up to the job.

It’s great to speak with experts from across the edtech industry so thank you Jodie Lopez (aka The Edtech Ninja) for your wisdom on building trust through honest communication and making sure the tools we create truly support the people who use them.

Thank you to Edtech entrepreneur and headhunter Jim Nicholls ⚡️ for your insight into investor expectations, founder pressures, and the challenge of building sustainable business models in a sector that doesn’t always scale neatly.

Our chat with marketing and strategy guru Chris Bradford, Strategy Director at Bee Digital Ltd, looks at why working in education feels different to other sectors, why purpose can both help and hinder commercial success, and takes a closer look at why many edtech products struggle to land, even when the features look strong on paper.

And finally, we were delighted to welcome teacher and founder of chalkd.ai, Tom Raithby and find out from him what it was really like building a platform without a background in software development, the lessons learned along the way, and the role emerging AI tools played in turning a concept that once felt impossible into a working product.

One of the best parts of producing the series is that every conversation leaves us with a new perspective. We hope you've enjoyed watching them as much as we've enjoyed recording them (you can watch them on our blog, link in the comments).

Thank you for following along, and we'll be back in the new term with more conversations from across the world of edtech.

Hope you're having a great summer 🌞

07/07/2026

Perfection can be one of the biggest barriers to innovation.

In edtech, it's tempting to keep refining a product before releasing it. Another feature. Another round of testing. Another delay.

But while you're waiting for perfection, schools' needs continue to evolve.

This article explores why successful edtech businesses focus on delivering value early, learning from real users, and improving continuously rather than chasing the "perfect" product.

Read more: https://finnemoreconsulting.com/the-pitfalls-of-perfectionism-in-edtech-how-to-avoid-procrastination-and-release-successful-software-products/

The pursuit of perfection can often be a double-edged sword. Perfectionism is just procrastination in disguise - and procrastination will kill a product release stone dead.You see this happen all the time in software, and unfortunately, Edtech is no exception. Companies aim to only release a 100% pe...

23/06/2026

What advice would you give someone launching an edtech business today?

It's a question Nick puts to Tom Raithby from chalkd.ai in our latest chat.

In this clip, his answer covers everything from understanding the problem you're solving, to talking to schools early, to how AI and "vibe coding" are changing what's possible for founders with a good idea.

Something that stood out: it's never been easier to build something . . . but building something schools genuinely need is still the hard part.

The full Q&A episode is available on our blog, link in the comments.

19/06/2026

This week, we had the pleasure of joining our friends at Bromcom for their annual event at Shangri-La The Shard, London, and what a fascinating day it was.

Beyond the discussions around MAT growth, data, MIS strategy and school improvement, it was also an opportunity to celebrate a remarkable milestone: 40 years of Bromcom.

Hearing founder Ali Guryel reflect on that journey was a reminder that building something that lasts takes vision, resilience and a relentless focus on customers. Four decades in education technology is no small achievement.

The day brought together school and trust leaders from across the sector to share practical insights on topics ranging from Ofsted readiness, data-driven decision making and trust growth, through to governance, mergers, MIS procurement, analytics and timetabling. What stood out was the balance between strategic thinking and real-world experience, with speakers openly sharing lessons learned, challenges faced and what has worked in practice.

There was plenty to take away, but perhaps the strongest theme running through the day was the importance of using data intelligently to support better decision-making across trusts, while never losing sight of the people and outcomes behind it.

Thank you to Ross Anderson, Richard Clutterbuck, Mem Kutlay and the wider Bromcom team for hosting such an engaging event.

And congratulations to Bromcom on reaching 40 years in business. A fantastic achievement and a testament to the impact you've had across the education sector.

06/06/2026

Thursday night was one of those evenings that remind you why this sector is such a great one to be part of.

Just one year after launching, Network for Education Excellence (nEdEx) brought together more than 270 school and trust leaders for an evening of celebration, recognition and connection.

We were delighted to be part of the judging panel and then join so many inspiring people at the awards ceremony itself.

What stood out wasn't just the scale of the event, but the atmosphere. A room full of people passionate about improving education, sharing ideas and celebrating success. That's not something to take for granted - huge credit to Jen Elliott, Matt McDermott, Andy Mackey and everyone involved in making the evening happen. And great to catch up with Baasit Siddiqui too who hosted and kept the evening flowing brilliantly.

Congratulations to all the nominees and winners. The quality of entries was incredibly high, and there are some fantastic things happening across schools, trusts and the wider education sector.

A fantastic night, great company, and plenty of reasons to feel positive about the future of education.

Already looking forward to seeing where nEdEx goes next!

18/05/2026

There’s an irony running through the edtech sector right now: we’re building AI-powered products, pitching adaptive learning platforms and intelligent tutoring systems to schools – yet when it comes to using AI in our own businesses, many are barely scratching the surface.

A lot of people are still using AI like an answer machine: quick prompts, quick outputs, and quick summaries.

The proper value starts when you use it as a thinking tool instead - everything changes. You get:

- better strategy conversations

- sharper positioning

- stronger product thinking

- clearer sales messaging

- more useful market analysis
. . the list goes on.

I’ve written a new piece exploring the difference and why it matters so much for edtech businesses right now.

It also includes 6 prompt examples that show how AI can be used for:

1. product thinking
2. sales enablement
3. market positioning
4. strategic challenge
5. customer understanding
6. decision support

Not generic “write me a blog post” prompts . . . real examples that encourage better thinking.

Worth a read if you’re trying to move beyond surface-level AI use.

👉 https://finnemoreconsulting.com/ai-in-edtech-businesses-are-you-using-an-answer-machine-or-a-thinking-tool/

Most edtech businesses use AI as an answer machine. Discover why the smartest companies are using it as a thinking tool to sharpen strategy, positioning and decision-making.

07/05/2026

Your value proposition is probably too complicated.

Try this: explain what you do to someone outside education. If they don't get it immediately, simplify.

"We help schools identify at-risk pupils before they fall behind" works.

"AI-powered predictive analytics leveraging adaptive learning frameworks" doesn't.

If you need jargon to explain your value, you don't understand it yet.

What's the best (and worst) value proposition you've ever seen?