External applicants

External applicants are those not currently employed as a school business manager, but are actively seeking/wishing to enter the SBM profession within a state-maintained school.

We are now accepting applications for Cohort 13 of the Certificate of School Business Management (CSBM), which starts in May 2009. The application round for this cohort will close at 12 noon on Monday 2 March.

• Apply for the Certificate in School Business Management.

Eligibility criteria

NCSL also welcomes applications from suitably experienced individuals currently operating outside of the education sector, who are specifically wishing to enter the school business management profession. We recognise that those operating in other sectors often have transferable management, operational and strategic level skills that can benefit the leadership and management of schools.

Please apply as an external candidate if:

• you are not presently employed as a school business manager
• you work in the private sector
• you are currently unemployed or are undertaking voluntary work (this also applies to school governors)
• you work in school but do not operate as a school business manager (this applies to teachers, teaching assistants and school governors who want to enter the school business management profession)
• you are employed by a local authority, but not working in a school support role and do not have access to a link school

The following statements must also apply:

• "I am seeking to work as an SBM within a state maintained school."
• "I have the capacity over the next few months to work with NCSL’s external applicant consultant to identify a supporting link school where I may conduct work-based study, consultation and research."

Requirements for the programme

• "I am able to attend a total of seven workshops/assessment days."
• "I have an internet-enabled computer at home and/or have permission to use the internet at work for the purposes of the course."
• "I have the capacity to commit to 320 hours of study for the programme" (approximately 5-6 hours per week of personal study time is required).

In addition, at least one of the following statements must also apply to you:

• "I am, at minimum, an ‘advanced beginner’. I have senior administrative/management experience in one or more of the following: HR, facilities, ICT and administration. I understand that I must have an appropriate grasp of school funding and finances in order to undertake the course."
• "I am able to provide evidence of appropriate in-service training/CPD at school, local authority or national level."
• "I have a relevant professional or academic qualification equivalent to NVQ3/4 (eg AAT, CIPD, CIPFA, AInstAM).

Cost

NCSL provide a number of government funded places on CSBM on behalf of the DCSF. Funded places are limited and are only available to individuals selected by NCSL’s external applicant consultant, following review of your application and a subsequent detailed telephone interview.

• Further information on funding eligibility for the CSBM.

Availability

There are two national intakes for external applicants a year, one in spring and one in autumn.

External application process – next steps

The next steps for CSBM external applicants are:

• read through the programme terms and conditions and frequently asked questions below
• complete the external online application form and upload your CV, covering letter and APEL document detailing your professional background and future aspirations
• wait for contact from the NCSL external application consultant, who will organise a telephone interview with you for the programme
• the external application consultant will identify successful participants (feedback will be available for unsuccessful candidates)
• attend an orientation workshop at NCSL to understand the context of the programme and to meet fellow external colleagues, lecturers and the external consultant. The date of this workshop will be advised by the external consultant
• the external application consultant will also support the participant to find a link school
• once a link school has been agreed, a letter of support is submitted to providers in advance of commencing the programme

Terms and conditions and frequently asked questions

Please ensure that you have read the terms and conditions and frequently asked questions documents. They have been created to advise you how we handle your application and data, of any requirements that we will insist upon and of any payment requirements that we may have.

• School Business Management Development Programme – terms and conditions (186kb, 20 pages).
• Frequently asked questions.

Contact us

If you require further information about applying as an external applicant, please contact the NCSL help desk on 0845 609 0009 or email [email protected].