How to win: Best Start in Life - School Based Commission to provide strategic leadership, expertise and co-ordination to strengthen early years practice across the City of York

About this contract

City of York Council are seeking to commission a school or school‑led partnership to provide strategic leadership, expertise, and coordination that strengthens early years practice across York. This commission sits within the wider Best Start in Life (BSIL) plan and will directly support the city's ambition that every child experiences connection, support, and belonging from pregnancy to age five. The commissioned partner will work alongside the local authority, York-based schools, RISE Reception Networks, Stronger Practice Hubs, Family Hubs, early years settings, and neighbourhood teams to improve the proportion of children achieving a Good Level of Development (GLD) and reduce inequalities across the city.

How to win contracts like this

• ✓Answer against the marking scheme, not the question text — City of York Council scores each response, so map your evidence to the published criteria and weightings.
• ✓At £120,000, expect quality and social value to carry a large share of the score — price alone rarely wins services work.
• ✓Show recent, comparable delivery: name similar services contracts you've delivered for public bodies, with measurable outcomes.
• ✓Start early: it closes 13 November 2026 and a strong bid takes iteration.

BidWriter drafts your responses from your company profile, scores them against the marking scheme, and tracks your whole pipeline. Free to start — no card needed.

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