Crown Commercial Service (CCS) and Department for Education (DfE) energy partnership helps Nexus Multi Academy Trust maintain swimming programmes for children with severe learning disabilities
Published 18 November 2025
Last updated 18 November 2025
CCS and DfE helped Nexus Multi Academy Trust secure affordable energy for its schools during the cost-of-living crisis.
The new energy solution means children with severe learning disabilities across Sheffield and Nottingham can continue to access vital swimming therapy.
Swimming for children with severe learning disabilities
Swimming is an important therapy in schools for children with severe learning disabilities. It creates independence, self-esteem and an inclusive social setting.
The Nexus Multi Academy Trust runs 20 schools across Sheffield and Nottingham for children aged 3 to 19 who have severe learning disabilities.
Its mission is to create an environment where all students can flourish, supporting their academic and personal development.
An important part of this support is providing one-to-one swimming lessons in warm, sensory hydro pools. These specialist pools provide sensory stimulation, motor skill development and crucial therapeutic support.
The pools are vital for the health, motivation, learning, and physical skill development of the students, which in turn helps their families.
Kaley McRobbey, parent of a child who attends a Nexus school said:
My son, Max, has autism spectrum disorder, and has experienced challenging behavior since starting school. Swimming provides him with immense enjoyment, offering a time when he can laugh and joke freely.
Seeing him in the water brings us comfort during the difficult days. It’s truly special to see him relax and be the happy child we know he is, a side of him that isn’t always visible at home.
High energy prices threatened pool closures
Keeping the pools warm costs the Trust a significant amount of money. In 2022, energy prices around the world suddenly increased, leading to a cost of living crisis in the UK.
The Trust’s existing energy contracts were ending right when prices were spiking, which meant the heating bills would soon impact their budgets.
The Trust was concerned that they might have to close the heated pools that are a crucial part of the children’s physical and emotional support. They wanted to find a way to keep the pools open.
As Lana Stoyles, Head of Business Transformation for the Trust, explained:
In 2022, we faced huge energy price rises. Our fixed-price contracts were expiring, and we thought we might have to close our swimming pools. These pools are vital for our students and their wellbeing.
Working together creates value for the nation
Lana and her team began to explore the best energy deals for the academy, but found the market complex and difficult to navigate. They turned to our specialised risk-managed energy procurement service for support.
Diane Spencer, Commercial Manager for Energy at CCS explains:
Our recommended way to meet the academy’s needs was our Supply of Energy 2 agreement. This agreement offers more control over rising costs, through collective purchasing, helping to protect public sector customers like Nexus from pricing volatility.
Diane added:
Beyond the immediate savings, this framework gave the Trust greater budgetary certainty and stability in an often volatile market. We gave them confidence to focus on their core mission: education.
Department for Education and CCS work together on Energy for Schools initiative
In 2023, CCS and the Department for Education (DfE) worked together to bring all schools and academies under the DfE Energy for Schools umbrella.
Their goal was to simplify procurement, reduce costs, and stabilise school budgets in a highly volatile energy market.
Diane said:
Through this collaboration, schools can now benefit from the massive aggregated volume of all public sector energy purchased by CCS, the UK’s largest non-utility energy buyer. This buying power secures highly competitive, best-value rates that individual schools or smaller trusts could never achieve alone.
By working with both CCS and the Department for Education, schools can now get dedicated support for onboarding, queries, and energy management and save an estimated average of 36% compared to their previous high rates.
The new energy deal meant Nexus Trust could protect their vital swimming programmes for vulnerable children for the foreseeable future.
Warren Carratt, Chief Executive Officer of Nexus Multi Academy Trust said:
Working with CCS and utilising energy through the Energy for Schools Service has allowed us to protect our workforce and continually invest in a quality education for children and young people without cost liabilities restricting our decisions.
Working together means we can continue to break down barriers to opportunity as part of the government’s Plan for Change mission so every child, no matter their background, can achieve and thrive. Helping all children receive the support they need to flourish, regardless of their circumstances.
Value beyond cost savings
This meaningful collaboration shows how strategic public procurement can create real value for the UK, beyond cost savings. We support essential services across the nation, helping those who need them most.
Through collective purchasing power (otherwise known as aggregation), CCS helps public sector organisations get the best value for UK citizens.