With some Education Executive readers likely feeling like the ‘new kids on the block’ this September, Andrew Blench has some words of wisdom to help you find your feet in your new role
You may be in your first role as a School Business Professional and completely new to the world of education. As a seasoned professional (that’s another way of saying ‘old!’), I thought it would be good to share some top tips, drawn from my experience for your first few weeks in the role.
Education is cyclical
‘Occurring in cycles; recurrent’.
Don’t put yourself under pressure to feel that you must know everything from the get-go. One thing I learned early on is that everything comes around again over a year. So, if your first pupil census return was a bit of a disaster don’t worry – it will come around next term and the term after. Giving you lots of opportunity to develop and hone processes and procedures.
My own experience was that it was only after the first year that I felt that I had a good understanding of how everything worked and fitted together. Even in a small school education setting things can be complex.
Get everything in your diary
Get everything in your diary for the complete school year. I mean things like SLT meetings, Governing Body Meetings, Parents evenings, transition events, internal/external data returns to name but a few. Then ask what your input is to those events/meetings. If you are fortunate, you will still be in contact with your predecessor who can give you pointers as to what you need to do. This can be a challenging aspect of establishing yourself in the role, as in many settings’ other colleagues (even at senior level) will not have a clue as to what a school business professional does!
I came into education from the world of financial service where business continuity planning underpinned everything that we did. Every process was documented, and staff were trained in each other’s roles. Coming to work in the public sector was a shock to the system. It appeared that most of this was carried around in people’s heads. Hence when people left the knowledge went with them. So don’t be afraid to ask! After all, ‘you don’t know what you don’t know’.
So, when a change or process is muted, ask what the action for you is. You can use your newness as an excuse to ask. Don’t be afraid to contact a business professional in a neighbouring school and ask for advice. We are a supportive bunch. The key people who helped me in my first school business professional role were the LA Finance Officer, Clerk to The Governing Body, Chair of the Finance Committee, a more experienced SBM from a neighbouring school. Note that none of these people worked in my school on a daily basis.
Show a human face
This is perhaps easier to do in a primary setting. You may well be someone that parents and staff see every day as they come in and out of school because of where your desk is.
In larger settings it’s something you need to work a bit harder at. One of the things I did in my first month in my role as an SBM in a 1,200-pupil secondary school was invite all the support staff to meet me for a drink in the staff room at the end of school. I included all the support staff, including those that I didn’t directly manage as I wanted them to see me as the lead for all professional support staff in school. I provided biscuits and cake and explained who I was what my background was.
This sent ripples throughout school I later heard. This was because support staff didn’t routinely get invited to departmental meetings and often sadly go unseen and unrecognised. This paid dividends later when I needed favours and acted as a reset from their relationship with the previous SBM.
Don’t change anything…
Have you ever been told ‘we don’t want you to change anything; just keep things ticking over it, all works fine’! ‘Says who?’ Would be my response.
As a fresh pair of eyes, you will see things which need changing which perhaps others can’t see because they are too close to things. ‘Culture eats strategy for breakfast’ is a saying attributed to Peter Drucker and in my experience of education it’s very true.
I am not being serious when I say, ‘Don’t change anything’. But I am advising against being in a rush to change things. To make changes that then go on to be truly embedded in practice takes time.
School culture is quite unique in my experience and many staff struggle to maintain the boundary between their professional and personal lives. It’s not uncommon for school staff to be working alongside their adult children or siblings and grandchildren for example. Where else would you get that? I like Lewins Force Field Analysis which gives a useful framework for understanding how organisations change and how to manage change.
It’s a unique role and can have huge rewards. What other role is there where you get to see all your customers every day? Some of my favourite memories are from working with children as part of the student council or when doing yard duty. Being told by a student that I had done a good job in painting and carpeting the corridors was a crowning moment. We do it all for them after all!
Be the first to comment