Management
through one of the NCSL’s cours-
es save their school on average the
cost of their training within the
first year.
Recruiting an SBM
educationphotos.co.uk/walmsley For schools considering recruit-
ing an SBM, there are two main
routes. They can develop the
skills of an existing member of the
school staff through the Certificate
or Diploma of School Business
Management. Alternatively, they
can recruit somebody externally
and train them in their school
environment.
Schools looking to train a mem-
ber of staff to become an SBM can
do so by contacting the Train-
ing and Development Agency for
There is a clear rationale for making the SBM a member of the school’s leadership team
Schools (TDA) or the NCSL. Their
courses have been designed to pro-
side testing contractors and giving while, she expanded the role of the budget and recruit an SBM.’ vide candidates with the essential
the school total control over the caretaker to encompass facilities For schools like hers, the NCSL skills and competencies that will
process. management, contract manage- is running a series of trials into enable them to operate effectively
‘That’s a good example of the ment and project management of high-level SBM roles that will in their school as SBMs. However,
value of the role because the reper- any building work. This ensures operate across groups of schools, recruitment can be just as effec-
cussions of getting that wrong are Sarah is free to concentrate on allowing them to share the burden tive where there are not the exist-
very serious. Things like health leading the school. – and the benefits. If they continue ing staff resources to draw upon.
and safety dominated my think- Sarah says: ‘We are a two- to be successful, it is believed that Recruitment advertisements for
ing in my first headship and I was form-entry primary in inner city up to 90% of schools would be SBMs are now commonplace
only spending 10% of my time on Birmingham with a moderate able to access the skills of an SBM in the media. Recruiting highly
teaching and learning. budget, and so this arrangement in this way. skilled individuals from other pro-
‘Saving money is good but, more provides enough support for us. It is clear that support for fessions helps schools bring a busi-
importantly, there is a direct link Our administrator continues to managerial aspects of leadership ness dimension into the relevant
between the SBM’s role and teach- manage ordering and other gen- from an SBM or financial serv- aspects of the decision-making
ing and learning. For example, we eral tasks, and the finance person ices provider can free up time process, thereby strengthening
didn’t have any whiteboards in manages the budget. She comes for headteachers. According to them in areas including strategic
school but now we have them in 15 planning, finance and facilities
classes. It has cost £60,000–70,000, management, human resources
which we have been able to invest “... a properly deployed SBM can save and procurement.
thanks to the money saved through There is also a jobs website spe-
the SBM post.
headteachers up to 30% of their time,
cifically for SBMs and other senior
‘There is a clear rationale for
having the SBM as a member of
enabling them to refocus on leading
school management and adminis-
trative posts. Any school consid-
the leadership team. It works on
teaching and learning ...”
ering advertising for an SBM will
a couple of counts. It reflects the find the information they need at
level of responsibility Jo has and www.sbmjobs.co.uk.
gives a message to everyone that to finance meetings with me and research, a properly deployed SBMs recruited from outside
the role is important. It also gives the governing body, and keeps me SBM can save headteachers up to the education sector may be enti-
Jo the chance to see the impact briefed on areas such as how staff- 30% of their time, enabling them tled to free access to the NCSL’s
that their role has on teaching ing changes affect the budget. to refocus on leading teaching SBM courses, or modules that are
and learning. Having her involved ‘Meanwhile, the school site and learning, and helping them to appropriate to their specific needs.
at that level means she gets feed- supervisor has been given an develop a more favourable work– Headteachers can also contact a
back all the time, which helps her expanded role, capitalising on his life balance. local SBM advocate who will
respond and ensures the best for expertise in project management, What’s more, although small explain more about recruiting an
the school.’ managing contractors and get- schools may feel that buying in SBM at www.ncsl.org.uk/
ting quotes – all tasks which I was limited financial support may bet- winningteams.
The outsourcing model more than happy to relinquish. ter suit their context in the short
While Paul and Jo’s model ‘The important thing is not to term, it has been shown that SBMs Headteacher Update acknowledg-
undoubtedly works in their con- be wedded to one way of working who have taken a qualification es the support of the NCSL in the
text, with the budget limitations but always to be on the lookout in school business management preparation of this article.
that small primaries face, a full- for opportunities to re-evaluate
time SBM may not be a practical the systems in place.
solution. However, small schools ‘My administrator is my right
SBM resources
can still find ways of accessing arm, but she will retire in two
financial and administrative sup- years’ time and she has a skill base l To understand more about the benefits of SBMs and how
port without the investment need- that I might struggle to replace. At to recruit one, visit www.tda.gov.uk and search for ‘The
ed for a new staff member. that point I may go along the SBM Benefits of School Business Managers’.
For example, Sarah Smith, route and will look into appointing
headteacher at St John’s CE Pri- someone for reception and general
l To find out more about training an existing member of
mary School in Birmingham, buys administration. I could then use
staff to become an SBM, visit www.ncsl.org.uk/sbm
the services of a finance manager the remainder of the administrator l To advertise for an SBM, visit www.sbmjobs.co.uk
for one morning a week. Mean- salary with the finance manager
16
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