Imagine if… the money ran out

All SSAT member schools, whatever phase and type of membership, are invited to bring their school business manager, bursar, or equivalent to the first day of the conference, for a specific SBM strand.

In the years following austerity, we have seen the role of SBM become more demanding and challenging than ever, but also a trend in which SBMs play an increasingly strategic role in school leadership. We hope that by headteachers coming to the conference with their SBM, we can promote good financial efficiency based on the needs of the students.

We are so aware that many of you are under immense financial pressure; with many schools losing around 8% in real terms over the last five years – despite repeated government assurances of protected school budgets and injections of cash. This lack of sufficient funding, coupled with the continuation of historical funding inequality between areas, has been highlighted well by the Worth Less campaign, led by headteachers; and the Raise the Rate campaign for increased post-16 funding.

The reality is, the situation may get worse. If no new funding is allocated, and costs continue to rise – which they are set to – what can schools, many of which are already on their knees financially, do about it in the coming months?

This SBM theme will offer a positive, practical look at how schools are finding imaginative solutions to the funding crisis, and what practical steps SBMs, school leaders and governors can take.

The SBM strand will include:

• an update on the national campaigns for sufficient and fair funding
• the role of the SBM on a school leadership team
• income generation for schools in all contexts
• the principles of curriculum-led financial planning
• curriculum-led financial planning in action
• structured speed networking with carefully
  selected exhibitors
• opportunities for business managers to attend the main conference programme.

View the latest programme, read speaker profiles and book at www.ssatuk.co.uk/nc18.