Academy Trust Handbook 2026: DfE mandates use of MIS Framework – but where is the Framework?

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The publication of the Academy Trust Handbook 2026 has introduced a significant new requirement for academy trusts procuring Management Information Systems (MIS). Academy trust handbook 2026: effective from 1 October 2026 – GOV.UK

Buried within the updated guidance is a new expectation that trusts align their future MIS procurements with the Department for Education’s forthcoming MIS Framework, with all trusts expected to transition by 1 September 2027.

The Handbook states that:

• Where an MIS contract expires before 1 September 2027, any extension or replacement should normally be for no more than 12 months as a transitional arrangement.
• Where a contract extends beyond 1 September 2027, trusts should not exercise extension options that delay transition.
• Trusts must use the DfE MIS Framework when awarding their next full-term MIS contract.
• Where a trust cannot reasonably procure a contract of 12 months or less, it may only proceed if the supplier agrees to the DfE’s latest MIS contractual principles.

On the face of it, this appears to provide a clear direction of travel. However, it also raises an obvious question.

How can the DfE require trusts to use a framework that doesn’t yet exist?

As regular readers will know, WhichMIS? has been following the development of the proposed MIS Framework closely. In June, we highlighted the publication of the DfE’s draft contractual principles and questioned whether they would genuinely improve procurement or simply reduce schools’ flexibility. We returned to the subject again in July, following publication of the Core Principles, examining what the proposals could mean for schools, trusts and suppliers.

Those articles explored a number of concerns, including:

• whether the framework could unintentionally reduce competition;
• whether trusts would lose the flexibility to procure through other compliant routes;
• how suppliers would be selected for inclusion;
• the practical implications for existing contracts and migration planning.

The new Academy Trust Handbook now appears to move the conversation from proposal to policy, despite many of the operational details still remaining unclear.

Procurement uncertainty

For many trusts, this creates an uncomfortable position.

Trusts are now being asked to plan procurements around a framework that has yet to be formally launched. Details including supplier participation, procurement processes, implementation timescales and the final contractual arrangements have still to be confirmed.

Many trusts will already be reviewing their existing MIS contracts and planning procurement activity over the next 12-18 months. They now face difficult decisions:

• Should they extend existing arrangements?
• Should they undertake a short-term procurement?
• Should they wait for the framework?
• Or should they proceed using one of the existing procurement routes available today?

Without the framework itself being available, these decisions become considerably more difficult.

What happens next?

The requirement within the Academy Trust Handbook suggests that the DfE intends the new framework to become the primary route for MIS procurement.

Whether that ultimately delivers greater consistency, improved contractual protections and better value for trusts remains to be seen.

However, one thing is already clear: the sector needs clarity—and quickly.

If academy trusts are expected to align their procurement strategies with the new framework, they need sufficient detail to make informed decisions. Suppliers equally need certainty in order to plan investment, product development and customer support.

We hope the DfE will publish further information on the framework, its implementation timetable and the transition arrangements as soon as possible.

In the meantime, WhichMIS? will continue to monitor developments and provide independent analysis as more information becomes available.

Related WhichMIS? coverage:

• 16 July: DfE’s New MIS Framework – What the Core Principles Mean for Schools and Trusts
• 15 June: The DfE’s Proposed MIS Framework – What Schools Need to Know

DfE’s New MIS Framework:

Why Schools Should Use a Procurement Framework for MIS Purchasing

Changing your MIS is both a complex procurement process and also a full change management project and expert advice from the very beginning can ensure that your procurement goes smoothly and compliantly without the burden of additional work for your staff. Why not arrange a free advice session to understand your procurement options, the things you need to consider and the best way to manage the change.

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Our aim is simple: to empower schools to make confident, well-informed MIS choices that support their strategic and operational goals.

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