Are You Ready for the Autumn Audit?

When you read the title, you probably thought Ofsted, didn’t you? Nope—that was my other article. There’s another kind o …

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Richard Melis
by Richard Melis Richard Melis
2 min read
02-Oct-2025 11:30:31

Centralised, Decentralised, or Hybrid? How MATs Are Managing Estates and Compliance

I speak to a number of multi-academy trusts in my role, and I’m always fascinated when I encounter one that’s fully cent …

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Richard Melis
by Richard Melis Richard Melis
4 min read
24-Sep-2025 13:01:58

‘Outstanding’ Doesn’t Happen by Accident

I was doing an on-site demo recently, and in the chat afterwards we ended up talking about the Ofsted changes. One of th …

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Richard Melis
by Richard Melis Richard Melis
3 min read
12-Sep-2025 16:16:31

12 Non-Negotiables When Buying School Compliance Software

(Because looking good on demo day means nothing if it’s a nightmare by term two)

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Richard Melis
by Richard Melis Richard Melis
4 min read
10-Jul-2025 17:00:42

🚀 Statlog v3 – modern compliance & premises software for schools

Managing school estates isn’t getting any easier. Budgets are tight. Expectations are high. And compliance isn’t just a …

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Richard Melis
by Richard Melis Richard Melis
1 min read
30-Jun-2025 10:18:26

The Playground That Cried Wolf… Then Actually Broke

It started with a creak.Then a wobble. Then that slow-turning, side-eyed look that staff give when a bit of playground k …

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Richard Melis
by Richard Melis Richard Melis
3 min read
19-May-2025 21:52:41

Say It. Walk It. Log It.  Smarter Site Communication

Why a quick face-to-face and the right follow-up system might be the best communication strategy in your toolkit.

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Richard Melis
by Richard Melis Richard Melis
2 min read
13-May-2025 11:05:53

🌡️ Thermometer Wars: Are You Really Getting an Accurate Water Temperature Reading?

In the world of Legionella control, close enough isn’t close enough. It’s 8:04 AM. You're in the plant room, standing ne …

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Richard Melis
by Richard Melis Richard Melis
3 min read
24-Apr-2025 14:00:20

Week Two of Easter: Quick Wins While the School Is Still Quiet

The first week of the Easter break is often spent firefighting – fixing what broke, scrubbing what’s become unidentifiab …

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Richard Melis
by Richard Melis Richard Melis
4 min read
11-Apr-2025 12:05:39

The Most Expensive Spreadsheet You’ve Ever Seen

At first glance, it looks harmless. It might even look organised. Rows neatly labelled with asset types, test dates, col …

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Richard Melis
by Richard Melis Richard Melis
2 min read
04-Apr-2025 15:44:16