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Shop the YPO range and find what you need for less
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Shop the cosy collection at YPO
We're excited to be working in partnership with Cosy, a renowned supplier of high quality and imaginative products. Shop the full collection!
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  • Cart with cleaning supplies Facilities Management

    Essential services to help keep your school running smoothly.

  • Students receiving food Food and Catering

    Everything you need for your school meals and catering requirements.

  • Students in class Furniture

    Helping you create inspiring spaces.

  • Students using a computer ICT

    Technology and communications to help you stay connected and current.

  • Person using a laptop Professional Services

    Supporting your people and professional services.

  • Bus Driver Transport

    Help get your students from A to B.

  • Technician fixing light fixture Utilities

    Review your energy contracts to help save money.

It's now even easier to choose your exercise books
Find your exercise books in no time with our new exercise book selector. Pick your size, ruling, colour, and number of pages, then simply add to basket!
Shop now
Always in stock essentials
Explore our large range of always available products and get what you need, when you need it.
Shop now
Making life easier for MATs across the country
Explore the benefits YPO can provide to Academies and Multi Academy Trusts across the country.
Find out more
Shop the YPO range and find what you need for less
Switch and save with our YPO range, with hundreds of products to choose from.
Shop now
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YPO's food waste management frameworks have been created to support local authorities on their journey of food waste separation to reduce landfill emissions. Find out more here.
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  • Construction worker Buildings and Construction

    Our expert team can help with building, construction, repairs and alterations. Browse our frameworks.

  • Meeting Corporate and Financial Services

    Help to increase efficiencies and provide better support to your people.

  • Energy frameworks YPO Energy

    Find ways to reduce your energy consumption with our energy team.

  • Cleaning equipment Facilities and Waste Management

    Providing safe and cost effective working environments.

  • Fleet of white vans Fleet

    Whether you're looking for fleet hire or purchase, speak to our specialist team.

  • food and catering worker cooking Food and Catering

    Ordering food and catering couldn't be simpler with our UK Food Deal.

  • food and catering worker cooking Furniture

    Create environments that are tailored to your unique needs.

  • fleet and highways worker Highways

    Providing specialist industry knowledge to help meet your needs.

  • Corporate meeting HR and People

    Our team are here to help with all of your recruitment and training.

  • Woman using technology Technology and Communication

    We can help you source cost-effective solutions with a range of frameworks.

Helping schools has always been at the forefront of what Ash does, especially when he can see the real difference it makes in such challenging times.

Name: Ash Cartwright

Role: Education Development Manager

How long have you been working at YPO? 11 years

What do you like most about working at YPO?

I love the responsibility of helping our customers in the public sector get the best results with their limited or restricted budgets. There are so many financial pitfalls to avoid and it’s great knowing that our help and advice really makes a difference.

What are your main responsibilities in the education procurement team?

It’s my responsibility as the education development manager to ensure that we’re constantly evolving and offering the best service to our customers. Through interviewing key decision makers across the education sector on how schools procure, we’ve gained some valuable insight that schools need end to end support on setting up procurement contracts. We’ve now created a team dedicated to helping schools be more efficient and effective with their procurement projects and it’s my responsibility that the team keep delivering success and providing that invaluable support.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

I love to offer help and advice to schools around their spend and see where YPO could offer impartial advice to maximise their savings and efficiencies. I recently helped a school make a large saving on their catering equipment and the budget was used to help purchase more front-line curriculum products for their teachers and pupils. It’s those type of scenarios which make it all worthwhile.

Describe your role in three words: Supportive, transforming, agile

How did you get involved in procurement?

I finished university and worked on a temporary contract in the purchasing office at steel manufacturer in Sheffield. I realised pretty quickly that the steel works industry wasn’t for me but being a traditional tight-fisted Yorkshireman, I really enjoyed purchasing and getting best value for money. I then moved on to working in retail buying and never looked back since. 

I’ve worked in procurement for over 16 years split between five years in the private sector working as a retail buyer, and 11 years in the public sector working in various roles. I initially started at YPO as a contracts officer, a great opportunity then became available to head up our national curriculum offering as a buyer. It was a huge challenge after the full transformation of then national curriculum in 2014, with whole new topics presented ranging from computing to the stone age and evolution; allowing no time for suppliers to react. I loved the opportunity to make a difference and worked strategically with key providers to offer brand new exciting teaching products and services. 

I was then ICT category manager for a couple of years before moving into my current role, where I get to help our customers with their framework and contracts requirements.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I am a keen musician and love to play the piano or guitar in my spare time, unfortunately I can’t sing. A statement my neighbours can also confirm! I am a huge fan of 80s movies, very strong coffee and gadgets!

If you enjoyed this read, you can find out more about our employee’s and how they found themselves at YPO, as well as their job responsibilities and progress throughout the business. Meet the YPO team now!