The changing face of School Business Management Trevor Summerson Thursday 26 th June 2014 Schools North East Newcastle

Prior to 2002  there was no structured training programme for School Business managers ;  indeed SBMs were a rarity : –A relatively young professional association represented them; –Few if any were on their school SLT; and, –Much of the SBM work was undertaken either in part or wholly by the LA

Since 2002 …  The National College has trained over SBMs – over 2500 have undertaken the College’s Diploma in School Business Management;  Around 80% of those candidates who complete the Diploma programme are full members of their school’s senior leadership team;  Qualitative and quantitative evaluation regularly shows that trained school business managers save resources and are much more adept at levering additional funds from other sources  More and more tasks have been devolved to the school level

Since 2010 emphasis on two most important components of an effective education sector … Quality of teaching and learning most important factor in improving outcomes; Great Leadership at a school level is a key enabling factor …..has become even more pronounced

Michael Gove ‘ When you have great teachers, heads and governors working together there is no limit to what can be achieved’ May 2014

Despite Increases in funding – funding increased by over 2/3rds in the decade ending 2009; and We spend about 6% of our GDP on education …. We are seeing little improvement in performance -why is this so ?

The Temple of Learning Quality TeachingLeadership Managing resources Governance

Yet there is still …… Significant waste in the sector Far too many heads do not fully exploit the skills of their SBM Far too many schools still do not have access to an appropriately skilled SBM Some SBMs see training as a once only experience Many SBMs still not on the Senior Leadership Team of the school

More recently…… Withdrawal of National College from SBM activity Importance of Resource management ‘waining ’ No policy direction from the centre

Weak management of finances and weak academic performance often go hand in hand National Audit Office We know……

Why is this so important ?

What is likely to occur in the future?  Expectations Deficit  Increasing Autonomy  School Led Approach In short we need to do more with the same

Evaluation has consistently shown us that SBMs can:  Save up to 1/3 rd of head teachers time  Save a minimum of 5% of their school’s resources; and,  Make a real contribution to helping school to improve outcomes.

It is time for the SBM profession to re- assert itself ensuring that the contribution it does and can make is fully recognised

I have become so used to accepting that my job is viewed by everyone except me as painfully dull that I have almost come to believe it SBM 2010 School Financial Management

Every truth passes through three stages before it is recognized. In the first, it is ridiculed. In the second, it is opposed. In the third, it is regarded as self evident..

A ‘must do list’ for the profession  A confident well developed qualified profession influencing policy through its association(s)/networks:  with a clear career progression ladder;  Opportunities to update learning;  respected and valued by all in schools for the contribution they make.  School Business Managers and Directors helping to shape the future of school leadership;  Head teachers able to focus on leading learning and teaching;  Improvements in resource management within schools leading to an increased proportion of available funds being spent on teaching and leadership  More prospective head teachers coming through.

How might this be achieved: At every opportunity SBMs making clear the contribution their work makes to helping children in their schools achieve their full potential; SBMs taking an active role both individually and through their professional associations and networks in the development of their profession

A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.

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