SUMMARY OF GOOD PRACTICE

/ LINKS

Why is the Role of the School Business Manager Important?

The exact nature of the role of the School Business Manager(or equivalent) will vary from school to school in the light of local circumstances, or, for instance, the particular skills of the post holder. Typically he or she will, at the very least, take responsibility for implementing the finance policies of the schools, financial processing and monitoring of the budget on a day-to-day basis. A well-qualified and experienced School Business Manager can, of course, do much more than this, and can release the Head Teacher from the necessity of having to carry out some other financial and resource management tasks.
It is recognised that some small schools will not be able to afford the services of a School Business Manager. In these instances the Governing Body and Head Teacher should consider sharing School Business Managerial services with other small schools.
Key Benefits of Clarifying the Financial Management Role of the School Business Manager
As part of the leadership role it is important that all staff and Governors with financial management responsibilities know their respective roles in relation to financial management and have a shared understanding of financial management roles and responsibilities.
It is important that the responsibilities of all school staff involved in administering and managing the school budget are clearly defined and that:
  • all essential duties are performed and financial controls are exercised without unnecessary duplication of effort
  • duties and statutory responsibilities are specified in job descriptions, and post holders are held accountable for carrying them out effectively
  • the limits of each person’s financial responsibility and authority are prescribed
  • there are effective means for communicating financial information to the Governing Body and Head Teacher to help them with decision-making.
The activities of the School Business Manager
The role of School Business Managers and the activities they undertake vary from school to school. An analysis of job descriptions of School Business Managers is given in From Bursar to School Business Managerby Fergus O’Sullivan, and shows that School Business Managers have six main areas of responsibility as set out below. Of these, his analysis shows that the ones most frequently carried out by School Business Managers are in relation to financial management and include budget setting and analysis, providing financial advice, accountancy and managing support staff.
1. Finance. Working with the Head Teacher, the School Business Manager will prepare an annual budget for the school and this is submitted to the Governing Body. The School Business Manager will also be able to provide specific expertise in long-term financial management. The School Business Manager will be involved in the following areas of activity:
  • budgeting
  • providing financial advice
  • accountancy
  • generating and monitoring income
  • administering the payroll
  • arranging and checking insurance
  • costing
  • developing financial policy.
2. Human Resources. The School Business Manager’s role will sometimes include some element of human resource management. The School Business Manager may primarily be responsible for support staff, but in some instances, may become involved with the management of teaching staff. School Business Managers can also be involved in:
  • administration of the recruitment of teaching and support staff
  • administration of recruitment contracts
  • arranging staff training
  • health and safety monitoring
  • obtaining appropriate legal advice.
3. Premises. The School Business Manager can have overall responsibility for the management andmaintenance of the buildings, facilities, grounds, fabric and furnishings of the school. Inaddition to being responsible for the site and premises, the School Business Manager can have related dutiesin respect of:
  • premises security
  • premises health and safety
  • maintenance contracts
  • ensuring efficient use of accommodation
  • the provision and utilisation of equipment
  • site and premises development
  • site services and administration.
4. Marketing. School Business Managers are mainly involved in promoting the school and can also be responsible for improving the school’s relations with parents, employers, and the local community. School Business Managers can also have responsibilities for income generation and organising events.
5. Information Communication Technology (ICT). School Business Managers can have responsibilities for promoting the use of computers for administrative purposes (but such responsibilities would not extend to curricular areas or those associated with teaching or pastoral care). School Business Managers can be responsible for helping administrative staff acquire competence in ICT, and for liaising with ICT suppliers and ICT training staff.
6. Pupil Services. School Business Managers have a responsibility to ensure pupils are provided with the resources they require to help them learn effectively, and that they receive support both within and outside the classroom. It is important for School Business Managers to develop good relations with pupils in order that they may respond to their needs. The following aspects of provision are important and can fall within a School Business Manager’s remit:
  • school catering
  • travel, e.g. for school trips
  • examinations
  • admissions
  • general administration.

Different levels of responsibility for School Business Managers

The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) and National College for Leadership in Schools and Children’s Services (NC) have produced a booklet entitled ‘Discover the benefits of School Business Managers’, which is intended to assist Head Teachers, Governors and others involved in running schools who are thinking of appointing a School Business Manager or training a current staff member to serve as one. The booklet is split into two sections:
  • The Role of theSchool Business Manager
  • How to develop or recruit a School Business Manager.
For schools that currently employ School Business Managers or staff who are ready to be developed into the role, the guide details the School Business Manager training that leads to the Certificate and Diploma in School Business Management from the National College of Leadership in Schools and Children’s Services. See Toolkit sections on Staff Financial Management Competencies.
In addition, the NASBM and NationalCollege launched a competency framework in 2009 to support the continuous professional development of School Business Managers.
You may also be interested in the NC School Business Management Programme Impact and Evaluation Report 2007-2009. / To see the summary of the financial management competencies of school staff including School Business Managers Click Here(R11).
‘From Bursar to School Business Manager’– Reengineering leadership for Resource Management by Fergus O’Sullivan et al.
Page 30 Figure 3.1 ‘School Business Managers’ responsibilities and activities’
For more details go to:

For more help with budgetingClick Heretogo to summary S 3.1 on budget setting.
For more help with human resources management Click Here to go to summary S 4.3 on staff management and deployment. Alternatively Click Herefor summary S 1.7 on culture management.
For more help with managing your premises, Click Hereto go to summary S 4.4 on premises management.
For more help with ICT planning Click Here to go to summary S 4.5 on the ICT Development Plan.
Click Here(R13) to access the ‘Discover the benefits of School Business Managers’ booklet produced by the TDA and NC (2008).
For more information on financial management responsibilitiesClick Here(R138). This will provide you with a matrix showing the relative responsibilities of Governing Body, Finance Committee, Head Teacher and School Business Manager prepared by Staffordshire CC.
Click Here(R12) to see a Sample School Business Manager Job Description and Person Specification provided by the NASBM.
For Primaryschools Click Here(R12A) to see an example School Business Manager job description.
For Secondary schoolsClick Here(R12B) to see an example School Business Manager job description.
To use the self-evaluation tool for finding out what financial management competencies school staff should have access the School staff competencies matrix Click Here(R11).
Or for more information on School Business Manager skills and qualifications Click Here to go to summary S 2.1 of the Toolkit on staff financial management competencies and qualifications.
For more information on the SBM Competency Framework Click Here(R13A).
For more information on the Impact and Evaluation ReportClick Here(R126).

Page 1 of 7