46 CAREER
i have heard high school SBMs
say they are more strategic than us primary-schoolers, but i disagree
on results in secondary and therefore a different atmosphere – all important things to consider if you favour the close-knit family environment often associated with primary education. Managerial structure is also different, with secondaries having heads of years and heads of departments, all with their own priorities. You might also be expected to have more management skills, leading a group of staff to achieve a common business goal as opposed to the more hands-on approach in primary.
A DIFFERENT VIEW Nicky Gillhespy, SBM at Cheam Fields Primary School in Surrey, believes that a school’s location can have more bearing on your role than whether it’s primary or secondary – and being in a primary school could actually equate to more work than being in a secondary in some areas. “in the London Borough of Sutton all schools have an SBM or bursar and almost all services are delegated,” she explains. “Therefore as an SBM in a primary school, i am totally responsible for finance and all office and admin functions and staff, Hr and payroll, as well as all premises and health and safety and other areas such as catering, extended schools, Pupil Premium etc. in a primary school, the SBM has to also perform most of the tasks relating to these areas, whereas in a high school there are staff who have work delegated to them.” Federations or clusters of schools are also more common in primary education, so there is more opportunity to manage a group of schools – also possibly equating to more responsibility. Gillhespy believes that the notion of business managers in
secondary schools requiring more business strategy skills than in primary is a myth: “i have heard high school SBMs say they are more strategic than us primary-schoolers, but i disagree. i have also been quite insulted by some who presume we do not work in the school holidays or take our jobs as seriously as high school SBMs. in London and other areas, many primary schools are expanding due to the shortage of places, with some primary schools now becoming five-form entry – making them bigger than some secondary schools in other parts of the country.”
september 2013 \
www.edexec.co.uk
MAKING THE CHANGE So bearing in mind the differences expressed above, how do SBMs who are looking to take the plunge best prepare for the transition? “ask questions,” advises Brittain. “How does the school manage its business affairs now; what is the span of control for the role; what is the financial position of the school? Check governance such as Ofsted reports and SFvS returns; is their single central record up to date? [and] check staff turnover.” He also recommends finding out what the headteacher’s expectations of the role are; GCSE and a-level result projections; whether there are any building development plans in the pipeline; and how the school markets itself. “These will give you indications of the future of the role,” he explains. if you don’t already have an official qualification in school
business management, it could be worth looking into a Certifcate for School Business Management or higher, as this might help fill any gaps in knowledge.
NOT CLEAR-CUT The differing viewpoints put across by Brittain and Gillhespy demonstrate just how diverse the world of school business management really is and how many factors can affect the role. “i believe it is not possible to group SBMs by the type of school they work in,” concludes Gillhespy. “Perhaps a better category to split us into is whether we are members of the school SLT or not.” Not only are there differences between how primary and
secondary schools operate, schools from neighbouring local authorities could vary considerably in how they manage certain aspects of the school, perhaps due to socioeconomic challenges. and then there is the fact that the majority of all secondary schools are now academies – creating a whole new set of issues associated with running a state-funded independent school. But it’s encouraging to hear that there is such a wide-spreading
remit for the role – meaning that SBMs from a diverse range of career backgrounds can all have something to bring to the proverbial school business management table. One thing’s for certain: you’re all very unlikely to get bored anytime soon.
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