In case you missed it… recent highlights from NCSL in Dialogue, talk2learn’s online community for national education debate:
Download a pdf version of talk2learn highlights: issue 12a (168kb, 1 page)
Download a pdf version of talk2learn highlights: issue 12b (212kb, 1 page)
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Counting dinner money used to be the extent of the financial responsibilities for the ‘person in the school office’ but today’s school business manager (SBM) is just as likely to come equipped with ICT and human resources skills as the ability to add up small change.
What can school leaders in England learn from their counterparts in other parts of the world? Despite different education systems and cultural norms, are there common leadership challenges – practical as well as strategic?
Counting dinner money used to be the extent of the financial responsibilities for the ‘person in the school office’ but today’s school business manager (SBM) is just as likely to come equipped with ICT and human resources skills as the ability to add up small change.
What does it mean for a school’s strategic leadership? How can SBMs support the headteacher? And what hurdles have to be overcome so that SBMs can maximise their skills for the benefit of the school community?
They were some of the questions tackled in a lively talk2learn discussion on leadership and the school business manager.
Christina Eracleous, Business Manager at a special school in London, encapsulated the potential variety of the role: "A good SBM is the health and safety rep, human resources adviser, administration backbone, negotiator, host, psychic, promoter, fundraiser, banker and hub of all knowledge," she said. "A SBM does support the headteacher in numerous professional ways, but quite often is the critical friend who prompts actions that need to be taken or addressed."
Keith Marshall, Support Services Director at a high school in Buckinghamshire, said that as SBMs were often accustomed to working in teams, they could pass these and other soft skills on to others: "I see one of the roles of the SBM is to educate and guide the whole senior management team on how to share decision-taking, passing it down to the lowest possible level. This enables those at the top of the pyramid the space and time to concentrate on the really important strategic issues."
But, according to many, what hinders the SBM’s ability to offer such support is often the attitude of headteachers or others on the senior management team and their unwillingness to relinquish traditional responsibilities.
One SBM described a headteacher who "insisted on being the one to decide every little detail. He needed to be in control of everything and found it very difficult to delegate to anyone. If he did, all decisions had to be authorised by him."
Another bursar in a rural primary school was surprised to find that her move to the senior management team was met with some hostility, yet resistance was not insurmountable, she suggested: "There have been numerous changes within the education establishment over recent years and suspicions are understandable. However, as an SBM one of the major aspects of the job is to ensure clear communication and negotiation. I don’t think I will be fulfilling my role effectively if I allow this situation to continue."
Many felt that better promotion of the role by local authorities would encourage headteachers and other leaders to delegate more. Johanna Stock, Administrator at a primary school in Olham, had a more radical idea: "Including the role of the SBM in the National Professional Qualification for Headteachers (NPQH) would go a long way to promote it," she said. "Many people on SMTs will be looking to move up to leadership posts but will probably have gained their experience in schools without a SBM and therefore be unaware of the potential."
What can school leaders in England learn from their counterparts in other parts of the world? Despite different education systems and cultural norms, are there common leadership challenges – practical as well as strategic?
Terry Creissen, principal of the British International School in Pudong, Shanghai, shared his experience of leading a foreign school in a recent discussion in talk2learn.
It’s an all-through school with a transient population and it was these two aspects of his work that school leaders were keen to hear about.
One school leader wanted to know how Terry’s school managed pupil data, given that pupils frequently join and leave the school. It is a problem schools in England working in highly multicultural environments also face, she said.
"In some schools in England, 40 or more nationalities is not unknown and with that comes the inevitable transience in the overall school population."
At the international school, every child is required to present a report of their academic and social performance on arrival at the school, translated where necessary into English, Terry explained. "We provide annual reports and education transcripts for parents to use when they leave the school. These are becoming more individualised to different country needs."
But, given the range of nationalities, education systems and how the curriculum differs between countries, there can be no one-size-fits-all solution, he added.
Peter Howard, a Year 5/6 teacher in a primary school in Norfolk, is looking to work abroad and wanted to know whether he could expect foreign schools to set as much store by parental links as his current one.
He said: "We enjoy a good reputation with our local community and I wonder how parental and community influence or commitment is different abroad. I personally feel that those links make the whole school experience stronger and more meaningful for the pupils in our classes. Learning becomes fun and more relaxed."
Terry agreed that getting to know parents socially could help to build positive relationships which have an impact in school. Key to doing that is to have a good command of the language, he said. "Language barriers can be a big problem."
Another contributor was interested in the implications of all-through schooling for teachers’ career prospects – "What do others think about teacher career projections within all-age, all-through education? Does this help both the teachers and the children?"
Terry said primary teachers moving to secondary education had produced "Some of the most creative teaching I have seen in my career." He added: "This year one of my primary staff will take that leap and I have every confidence that she will add significant value to the secondary curriculum by doing this – not just in her classes because her influence will spread to other secondary staff.
"I would encourage colleagues to think about this carefully and support such moves with a strong coaching programme."