Over the last 10 years, schools have gained greater independence and more responsibilities are ever-increasingly being devolved to school level. This means schools have greater self-governance over their budgets and resources.
Our programmes aim to support the development of an effective market for business management in schools. By providing suitable training, both supply and demand for qualified school business managers will be increased. More specifically, the NCSL has addressed the role and function of the school business manager with the aim of offering a level of training that will develop professional capability.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) support NCSL in developing and delivering national programmes for school business managers, encouraging growth of the profession within state-maintained schools in England.
The primary objective is to provide school business managers with the skills and competencies that enable them to:
Programmes have been designed to enable participants to develop their professional competence. Delivery methods include residential workshops, work-based study, reading, private study and computer-based involvement.
Our programmes aim to support the development of an effective market for business management in schools. By providing suitable training, both supply and demand for qualified SBMs will be increased. More specifically, the College has addressed the role and function of the SBM with the aim of offering a level of training that will develop professional capability.
Our overall aim is to produce an effective and stable training programme and a broader plan for recruiting, inducting, deploying, developing and accrediting SBMs.We have responded to the government’s commitment by developing and delivering two accredited courses: the Certificate of School Business Management (CSBM) and the Diploma of School Business Management (DSBM), both courses having been designed to cover two levels of professional development.
CSBM level is aimed at people who have worked in school administration or have recently been appointed school business managers. It is also suitable for new entrants to the education profession and those who aspire to join it.
DSBM level is primarily for the experienced school business manager. DSBM has been developed to enable SBMs to play a full part in their school’s senior management team.
We have ensured that both courses employ a wide range of learning techniques.
A school business manager is a member of staff who helps to ensure the smooth and successful running of a school. School business managers support headteachers with strategic and operational issues, especially human resources, finance, administration and facilities management.
School staff who fulfil the role may have a number of job titles other than school business manager, including bursar, finance officer and senior administration officer.
Some school business managers work at both strategic and operational levels in their school. This flexibility is particularly valuable in the primary sector and mirrors the nature of the primary headteacher role, which often has a significant teaching commitment. School business managers are most effective when they work in, or alongside, the senior leadership team.
The role of the school business manager is therefore widely recognised as key to helping schools make better use of their resources and facilities; enabling teaching staff to focus on teaching and learning, ultimately finding greater satisfaction in their work.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ school business manager. Many schools employ their own school business manager, but some smaller schools come together and share this useful resource for the benefit of all. Further information on school leadership and management structures.
| Entry level | Intermediate | Advanced | Director | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finance | Order processing Purchasing Cash/banking | Prepare budget Prepare reports for governors and local authority Track performance to budget | Fundraining and grant-writing Three year budgeting Provide advice on optimising spending Ensure standards and compliance | Lead multi-year financial planning Redesign financial systems Negotiate major business partnerships |
| People | Administer contracts Manage payroll Maintain staff records | manage some support staff Liaise with local authority when human resources queries arise | Manage support staff Administer performance management processes for all staff Provide expertise on legal issues | Reconfiguration/optimisation of staffing (across network) Design performance management systems Dispute resolution Talent management strategies |
| Operations | Office management Maintain pupil records Secretarial duties Site management | Premises management Manage contracted-in services / service level agreements Insurance Update policies | Health and safety, fire and risk management Manage capital projects Manage ICT / MIS systems School marketing Develop policies | ICT enablement Large-scale project management (eg Building Schools for the Future, site reconfiguration) |
| Extended schools/pastoral | Lettings Before and after school clubs Lunchtime management | External agency relationship management manage extended services provision Liaise with parent on non-teaching and learning | Set up and develop very broad service lines Manage multi-agency relationships | |
| Networks and partnerships | Part of bursar networks to share best practices | Main liaison with other schools on non-teaching and learning matters Shared services | Help relaise federations Explore / promote federations |