THE EDUCATION COMPANY LIMITED

CRM and Data Management Services

Data management, website and marketing agency that helps public and private organisations to communicate more effectively with the education sector. We implement systems that enable clients to make data-driven decisions and improve performance. Our database of educational organisations and contacts provides unique advantages for sales and marketing teams.

Features

• Customer contact and account management
• Pipeline management, and lead and opportunity tracking
• Real time reporting and dashboards
• Business intelligence and insights
• Integrations with complementary systems
• Workflow automation
• Custom configuration
• User role and access management
• Remote access
• Scalable cloud based solution

Benefits

• A single view of existing and prospective customer base
• Clear visibility and tracking of opportunities through defined sales process
• Live and reliable insights on activity and performance
• Deep understanding of market and customer base to inform strategy
• Reduces duplication of effort by passing data seamlessly between systems
• Reduce workload and improve consistency by automating routine tasks
• Ability to tailor the solution to your unique business requirements
• Control permissions based on user role to enhance security
• Secure and easy access from anywhere supporting flexible working
• Scalable solution that can grow without disruption

• Education pricing available

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at sarah.allsopp@educationcompany.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 15

Service ID

800953353880306

Contact

Sarah Allsopp
01634 766920
sarah.allsopp@educationcompany.co.uk

About your service

• Service categories:

  Application Development and Deployment

  Data management

  Database administration and development

  • Database Administration
  • Database Development and Optimization
• Multi cloud support: Yes

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model: Hybrid cloud
• Service constraints: Planned maintenance\Upgrades can require downtime; End user requires access to the internet
• System requirements:
  • Per user license required
  • Must be using tls 1.2 or above in a browser

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes
• Support response times: Between 2 hours (Critical) and 2 Days (Minor); All fault logging and performance times are based on the standard working times of Monday to Friday 09:00 to 17:30 UK time.
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: No
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support: No
• Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: Support Levels are dependent on customer contract agreements.; An Account Manager is assigned to all customer accounts
• Support available to third parties: No

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: We provide a structured onboarding process to help users start using the service quickly, confidently, and with minimal disruption.; ; We begin with a kick-off session to confirm objectives, users, timelines, and success measures. During this stage, we set up user access, permissions, and any required configurations. We plan, support and deliver data migration, integrations, and the setup of staging and live environments.; ; Training is tailored to user roles and needs. This is delivered by our Account Management and Project teams and typically includes remote or face-to-face training sessions for administrators and day-to-day users. Training focuses on practical tasks and real-world client scenarios to ensure users can operate Spirit independently and self-serve where appropriate.; ; Users are supported with clear documentation, including step-by-step user guides, video guides, FAQs, and role-specific instructions. All documentation is written in plain English and designed for non-technical users.; ; During and after onboarding, users have access to our Client Services team for support. We provide named contacts, clear escalation routes, and follow-up sessions to review usage and address any gaps. Each client is assigned a dedicated Account Manager who provides ongoing operational and strategic support through structured account planning and regular communication.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: All customer data stored or processed as part of the services will remain the property of the customer. At contract end, users can extract their data through a structured and agreed exit process designed to ensure data integrity, security, and accessibility. Prior to termination, we will work with the customer to confirm the scope of data to be extracted, preferred formats, and delivery method. Data can typically be provided in industry-standard, open formats to support reuse and migration to alternative systems.; Data will be validated prior to transfer to ensure completeness and consistency. Secure transfer methods will be used, such as encrypted file delivery or secure cloud-based storage, depending on customer requirements and security constraints.; We will provide reasonable technical assistance during the extraction period, including guidance on data structures, field definitions, and dependencies, to support effective onward use. Any extraction activities will be carried out in accordance with applicable data protection legislation and security policies.; Once the customer has confirmed successful receipt of the data, and subject to contractual and legal obligations, the extraction process will be formally closed and the service prepared for decommissioning.
• End-of-contract process: At the end of the contract, services will be concluded in a controlled and transparent manner to minimise disruption and support a smooth transition. An exit plan will be agreed with the customer, setting out responsibilities, timelines, and any required knowledge transfer.; ; Upon request, customer data will be securely returned or transferred to a replacement supplier in an agreed format, in line with contractual and regulatory requirements. Reasonable support for standard exit activities is included in the contract cost.; ; Service access will remain available until the contract end date to allow final operational use and completion of agreed tasks. We will work with the customer and any incoming supplier to maintain continuity, providing standard documentation and handover support at no extra cost.; ; Any additional or non-standard exit requirements—such as extended support, bespoke data transformations, accelerated timelines, or on-site activities—may incur additional charges, agreed in advance and billed transparently.; ; Once all contractual obligations are met, customer data will be securely deleted according to our data retention policies. No proprietary lock-in applies, ensuring the customer retains full control of their data, systems, and future service arrangements.
• Documentation accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AA

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Chrome
  • Safari
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: No
• Service interface: No
• User support accessibility: None or don’t know
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: Data management and interaction; ; API Keys are required
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats: Other
• API sandbox or test environment: Yes
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: Reporting and data endpoint fields can be managed via an administration menu. This is limited to admin groups

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Code written based on nolocks.; Web servers also have monitors and use load balancing.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: Bespoke reports can be created for use in the application to show user usage.
• Reporting types:
  • Real-time dashboards
  • Regular reports
  • Reports on request
• Resource tagging: Yes
• FOCUS resource tagging: No

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Other security clearance
• Government security clearance: Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)

Asset protection

• Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Data storage and processing locations: European Economic Area (EEA)
• User control over data storage and processing locations: No
• Datacentre security standards: Complies with a recognised standard (for example CSA CCM version 4.0)
• Penetration testing frequency: At least once a year
• Penetration testing approach: Another external penetration testing organisation
• Protecting data at rest: Encryption of all physical media
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Equipment disposal approach: A third-party destruction service
• Data sanitisation type: Physical Destruction / Hardware containing data is completely destroyed

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Standard and bespoke reports are available.; Bespoke data exports can be configured at extra cost
• Data export formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data export formats:
  • Pdf
  • Xlsx
  • RFT
• Data import formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data import formats: Xlsx

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks:
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • Other
• Other protection between networks: Cloudflare WAF as the only ingress point to the web hosted application
• Data protection within supplier network:
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • Other
• Other protection within supplier network: Protected using Azure VNet subnet isolation, NSGs, TLS encryption in transit, and ESET endpoint threat protection.

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: EdCo guarantees a minimum service availability of 99.5% per calendar month, excluding scheduled maintenance. Availability is measured at the application level and relates to end-user access to the live service.; ; Scheduled maintenance is excluded from availability calculations and, where practicable, is carried out outside core business hours with advance notice provided.; ; EdCo operates defined service level agreements (SLAs) for incident response and resolution, provided incidents are logged in accordance with the agreed process during standard support hours (Monday to Friday, 09:00–17:30).; ; Incidents are classified by priority as Blocker, Critical, Major, or Minor, based on business impact. Target response and resolution times range from 2 hours for Blocker incidents to 2 business days for Minor incidents, with progress updates throughout.; ; Where the service experiences a substantial failure of core functionality for more than 72 consecutive hours, and the failure is attributable to EdCo, a service credit will be applied. The credit will be up to the value of the affected portion of the monthly service fee and deducted from the next invoice. Availability guarantees don't apply to disruption caused by factors outside EdCo’s reasonable control. Service credits represent the customer’s sole and exclusive remedy for failure to meet the availability SLA.
• Approach to resilience: Azure infrastructure is all triple redundant at disk level. Power and internet lines have back-up versions.; Data at both database and application level are backed up up frequently.; ; Other information is available on request
• Outage reporting: Email Alerts

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication: Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Access to the Management Portal is governed by the principle of least privilege, ensuring that each user is granted only the minimum level of access necessary to perform their job functions effectively.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least once a year
• Management access authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Dedicated link (for example VPN)
  • Username or password

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
• How long user audit data is stored for: User-defined
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: User-defined
• How long system logs are stored for: User-defined

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards: Other
• Other security governance standards: Cyber Essentials
• Information security policies and processes: We follow security policies as laid out by Cyber Essentials. Our technical Director is responsible for ensuring these policies are followed through a mixture of constraints using permissions and policies and user training.
• Software Security Code of Practice: Yes

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: Documented requests are logged through Account Managers.; Changes are then reviewed internally, planned and documented.; Changes are made in dev\uat first, tested and signed off internally and externally.; Once signed off, go lives are agreed with customer contacts and then deployed.
• Vulnerability management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Vulnerability management approach: Endpoint security manages systems for security and monitors for known and unknown vulnerabilities. We use sandboxing for all files.; ; Patch rings are in place for all devices to ensure servers are updated within 7 days for updates. Alerts are sent for critical updates, and if required, emergency updates can be actioned.
• Protective monitoring type: Supplier-defined controls
• Protective monitoring approach: EdCo uses protective monitoring to detect and respond to security incidents. The service is monitored using Microsoft Azure and Cloudflare, with logging and alerts for authentication activity, access attempts, configuration changes, performance issues, and unusual traffic patterns.; ; Automated alerts identify anomalous behaviour. Incidents are logged and triaged by EdCo’s technical team in line with documented procedures. ; Where required, access is restricted, affected components isolated, and investigation carried out. Customers are notified promptly if service availability or data may be affected.; ; Monitoring is continuous. High-severity incidents are acknowledged within 2 hours during standard support hours, with updates provided until resolution.
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Incident management approach: EdCo operates a defined incident management process covering common events such as service outages, performance degradation, security incidents, and data-related issues.; ; Standard procedures are in place for incident logging, triage, escalation, investigation, resolution, and closure. Incidents are classified by severity to ensure appropriate response and communication.; ; Users report incidents via the Client Services Team by email or telephone during standard support hours. All incidents are logged and tracked using a service ticket.; ; Status updates are provided throughout the incident lifecycle. Following resolution, incident summaries or reports are shared with users on request, including root cause and corrective actions where appropriate.
• Post-quantum cryptography secure: No

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Conforms to a recognised standard, but self-assessed

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: No

Pricing

• Discount for educational organisations: Yes
• Free trial available: No

Discount percentage by annual call-off contract value (excluding VAT)

• Less than £250,000: 5%
• Between £250,000 and £500,000: 6%
• Between £500,001 and £1,000,000: 7%
• Between £1,000,001 and £2,500,000: 8%
• Between £2,500,001 and £5,000,000: 9%
• Over £5,000,001: 10%

Non-mandatory Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: No
• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• ISO 9001 certification: No
• Quality management systems (QMS): No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Certificate Number: D807ceaf-7e08-4361-9302-d32bf04d27c9
• Cyber essentials plus: No
• Cyber Essentials Alternative: In relation to the services you do not have a current and valid Cyber Essentials Plus certificate which has been awarded by one of the government approved Cyber Essentials accreditation bodies but you are working towards gaining it, and will be in a position to confirm that you have been awarded a current and valid Cyber Essentials Plus certificate by one of the government approved accreditation bodies within 12 months of the date of award.
• Other security certifications: No

Social value

• Section B - Commitment for Future: Delivery:

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 1: Fair work: That offers fair wages and good working conditions. Help people get a job, stay in work, and progress in their careers, with good employment opportunities across the country. Notes: Where there is a large proportion of labour costs in the contract, commercial teams should consider MAC in Outcome 1 as a priority

    • Providing opportunities for, and measuring and monitoring of, staff workforce conditions over time, including employee engagement, involvement in decision-making and satisfaction and adapting to any changes in the results, with clear processes for acting on issues identified
    • Employment contracts that reflect actual hours worked; steps taken to ensure employees understand their contracts and have the ability to review and adjust them if actual hours regularly exceed contracted hours
    • Activities that support an environment where staff are educated about, and feel empowered to, address their physical wellbeing
    • Activities that support an environment where staff are educated about and feel empowered to report and address bullying and harassment
    • Activities to cascade good practice on fair working conditions throughout the supply chain
    • Payment of more than the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage (as appropriate) to the contract workforce
    • Monitoring and reporting of gender and ethnicity pay gaps and plans to address them where necessary
    • Entitlement to sick pay for the contract workforce, with provision in place for any staff who do not meet the earnings threshold for statutory sick pay, payment of sick pay from day one of absence and payment of staff on the contract workforce who are off sick a replacement income of 100% of their usual earnings for as long as possible
    • Understanding of in-work progression issues affecting the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors
    • Volunteering opportunities for staff
    • Understanding of the modern slavery risks and issues affecting the market, industry, sector or country (of origin or of source) relevant to the contract, and the workforce in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key subcontractors
    • Measures to identify, mitigate and manage modern slavery risks relating to the contract and how these will be implemented
    • Outline policies and practices to be applied to or put in place for the contract to mitigate and manage modern slavery risks, including: Pre-employment checks, recruitment practices. Workplace conditions, safeguarding plans and processes in place and regular monitoring with relevant groups considered, which may include sampling

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 2: Skills for growth: Supporting growth sectors and addressing skills gaps.

    • Understanding of employment and relevant skills issues, and of the education and training issues relating to the contract. Illustrative examples: demographics, skills shortages, new opportunities in high growth sectors, geographic/local community and skills/employment challenges

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 3: Resilient, innovative and flexible supply chains: Support economic growth through enabling resilient businesses, opportunities for small businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises

    • Understanding of the types of businesses in the market and the level of participation by new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutuals
    • Activities that demonstrate a collaborative way to work with a diverse range of businesses as part of the supply chain
    • Understanding of local demographics, needs and opportunities for the co-design of the goods, services and works to be delivered under the contract
    • Methods for engaging with different parts of the community (including the education system and charities representing the community) and how communities come together to inform decisions, strategy and projects to leave a positive legacy for future generations

  • Mission: Make Britain a clean energy superpower: To cut bills, create jobs and deliver security with cheaper, zero-carbon electricity by 2030, accelerating to net zero

    Policy Outcome 4: Sustainable procurement practices: Reducing carbon footprints, minimising waste, and promoting the use of clean energy and green technologies.

    • Understanding of opportunities for additional environmental benefits delivery in the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies

  • Mission: Break down barriers to opportunity: By reforming our childcare and education systems, to make sure there is no class ceiling on the ambitions of young people in Britain

    Policy Outcome 6: Employment and training: For those who face barriers to employment

    • Understanding of employment and skills issues, and of the skills and employment shortages of high growth sectors relating to the contract
    • Delivery of training schemes and programmes to address any identified skills gaps and under-representation in the workforce for the contract (e.g. prison leavers, care leavers, kinship carers, disabled people)
    • Understanding of the issues affecting the representation of disabled people in the workforce in the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors
    • Understanding of the issues affecting inequality in employment, skills and pay in the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors. Measures to tackle inequality in employment, skills and pay in the contract workforce

  • Mission: Break down barriers to opportunity: By reforming our childcare and education systems, to make sure there is no class ceiling on the ambitions of young people in Britain

    Policy Outcome 7: Creating a pipeline of opportunities: For the contract workforce, reducing barriers to entry for under-represented groups.

    • Understanding of the issues affecting the development of new skills by target cohort
    • Understanding of issues relating to entering the contract workforce

  • Mission: Build an NHS fit for the future: That is there when people need it; with fewer lives lost to the biggest killers; in a fairer Britain, where everyone lives well for longer.

    Policy Outcome 8: Increasing productivity through physical and mental wellbeing: In the supply chain and communities in the relevant area.

    • Understanding of issues relating to health and wellbeing, including physical and mental health, in the contract workforce
    • Understanding barriers to access to health and social care services or employment opportunities e.g. digital inclusion
    • Actions to invest in the physical and mental health and wellbeing of the contract workforce

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at sarah.allsopp@educationcompany.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.