school management

Withernsea School, East Riding

T

HE WITHERNSEA School Business Director Demonstration Project commenced in January 2009,

consisting of a cluster of one junior school and four primary schools within the East Riding area of Yorkshire. The main focus of the demonstration

project was to pilot an initiative to demonstrate how advanced school business manager roles can support headteachers in allowing them more time and resources to effectively lead teaching and learning, as well as the business aspects of the schools, by developing innovative approaches to current issues. A ‘light touch’ strategic business management service for the cluster schools has been offered, as well as the further development of an induction programme for newly qualified

headteachers, which embeds the benefits that can be achieved from a high quality school business management service.

Streamlining

For the 2009/10 financial year this project has already achieved projected estimated financial gross savings of £116,000 across the cluster of five schools, which includes a projected £10,000 saving in streamlining and increasing the effectiveness of school administrative systems. In addition, the project has achieved savings of £2,000 in one school by moving to managing cleaning services in-house, and additional income and financial savings totalling £39,357 have been realised across the cluster by improving ICT service level agreements.

Fishburn Primary School, County Durham

F

ISHBURN demonstration project in Cleveland hired a school business manager to work across the five

junior and primary schools in the cluster at the end of 2008. As one of the clusters selected in the

first wave of demonstration projects launched by the National College, the Fishburn Partnership was quick to benefit from having a school business manager in place. As well as saving headteacher time, savings of about

£20,000 were identified across five schools in Durham, with reinvestment being made in learning. The SBM role has become sustainable

and, working collaboratively, they continue to renegotiate service level agreements to get better value for money, cut CPD costs and develop and put out tenders for services within the project. They have also been able to secure new sources of external funding, including National Lottery money.

Finding room for

improvement

• Free national consultancy programme for every maintained school in England – giving tailored advice to schools that request help and guidance on how they can make the best use of their resources

• Enhancing the school workforce – how schools can plan and manage their staffing

• Leadership – how much time and experience school leaders have to focus on delivering value for money

• Strategic management – how schools should approach financial and resource management, including linking the two with school improvement

• Collaboration and partnership – how schools can work together and with other organisations to improve outcomes together

• Challenge and governance – the role of the governing body in supporting the delivery of value for money

• Procurement performance – how schools should approach procurement.

www.teachernet.gov.uk

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