Trust-wide ICT refreshes, interactive displays, modular classrooms, HVAC and catering, funded over fixed terms and structured to sit within DfE leasing rules, with documentation your governors and auditors can follow.
School budgets are stretched and capital allocations rarely arrive when the need does. Laptops age out, displays fail, heating systems struggle and enrolment shifts faster than funding rounds. Waiting for next year's budget, a grant or the PTA means another year of making do.
Leasing spreads the cost of essential equipment across the years it is used, keeps reserves for staffing and curriculum, and turns a large one-off decision into a predictable line in the budget.
Clear documents, explained upfront. No surprises at the end of term.
Laptops, Chromebooks, tablets, desktops, servers, networking and Wi-Fi.
Interactive flat panels, projection, PA and hall audio-visual systems.
Temporary and modular buildings to meet changing pupil numbers.
Air conditioning, heat pumps, LED lighting and energy-saving upgrades.
CCTV, door entry and access control across sites.
Kitchen equipment, dishwashers, floor cleaners and laundry.
Classroom, library and office furniture and fit-outs.
Pianos, gym and fitness equipment, grounds machinery.
Vehicles for trips, fixtures and SEND transport.
Oak Leasing is at its strongest on projects of £100,000 to £10 million: trust-wide device refreshes, estate-wide HVAC or LED programmes, new-build fit-outs and multi-site roll-outs. One agreement structure across your schools gives the central finance team a single view of commitments and end dates.
Individual schools buying smaller items are usually best served through their supplier's leasing programme. If your supplier works with Oak Leasing, the finance is already built into their quote.
Oak Leasing is not a direct lender. We arrange funding through our panel of funders, who typically pay our fees on activation.
The right structure depends on the type of school and the asset. We work through this with your business manager or CFO before anything is signed, and set out the agreement so its classification is clear to your auditors.
| School type (England) | Operating lease | Finance lease |
|---|---|---|
| Academy trusts | Permitted, except land and buildings | Permitted without separate consent where the asset is on the DfE pre-approved list; otherwise Secretary of State consent is needed |
| Maintained schools | Subject to the local authority's scheme for financing schools | Treated as borrowing; follow local authority and DfE requirements |
| Independent schools | Set by the school's own governance and financial policies; all structures, including hire purchase, available | |
Hire purchase is a form of borrowing and is not covered by the academy finance lease pre-approval. Rules differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This is a summary, not advice; always check against the current Academy Trust Handbook and your auditor's view.
If you supply IT, AV, furniture, modular buildings, HVAC or catering to schools, a vendor leasing programme lets your team quote a termly or annual payment alongside the price. Schools say yes sooner, procurement moves faster and you are paid on installation. Within a programme we also support smaller tickets, from £10,000.
Payment illustrations your reps can present to bursars and business managers, with education-appropriate structures.
Fast approvals so finance is agreed before term ends and installs happen when classrooms are empty.
One partner for international schools and education customers in 30+ countries, in pounds or euros.
Tell us what you need, the sites involved and your timetable.
We confirm the right lease type for your school and asset.
A clear proposal for governors, with costs and end-of-term options set out.
Equipment goes in; the supplier is paid; your payments begin.
“We have been in business for over twenty years and throughout that time have always used Oak Leasing, we simply tell them what we require and they provide the product quickly with no problems.”
John O'Neil, MD, Security & Control Scotland
“We have worked with Oak Leasing for over 5 years now and we have always been impressed by the efficiency and professionalism of the service when dealing with ourselves and directly with our clients.”
Jason Cooper, Head of Sales, Yee Group of Companies
Ranked second in an independent 2026 comparison of UK equipment leasing companies.
Yes. Academy trusts in England can take out operating leases for equipment, and since 1 September 2024 can take out finance leases without separate consent where the asset type is on the DfE's pre-approved list. Finance leases for assets not on the list need Secretary of State consent.
Yes, within the rules set by their local authority's scheme for financing schools. Finance leases are treated as borrowing, so the structure needs to be agreed with the local authority. We help schools work through this before committing.
Most equipment a school relies on: laptops and ICT, interactive displays and AV, modular classrooms, HVAC and energy-saving equipment, security systems, catering and cleaning equipment, furniture, musical instruments, sports equipment and minibuses.
Direct projects typically range from £100,000 to £10 million, such as trust-wide device refreshes and estate upgrades. Smaller purchases from £10,000 are supported through suppliers' vendor leasing programmes.
Terms are typically one to five years, matched to the working life of the equipment. ICT is often on shorter cycles so devices can be refreshed; infrastructure such as HVAC can run longer.
No. Oak Leasing is a bespoke pan-European funding facilitator, established in 1992. We arrange finance through a panel of over 40 funders, who typically pay our fees when an agreement is activated.
Yes. We set up vendor leasing programmes so your sales team can quote payments alongside prices, for schools in the UK and education customers across Europe.
Talk to Oak Leasing about a trust-wide project, a school upgrade or a leasing programme for the schools you supply.
Oak Leasing Ltd · Lynx House, Ferndown, Northwood Hills, Middlesex HA6 1PQ · Founding member of the Guild of Business Finance Professionals