This guide describes how business professionals working in schools can join or create a school business professional network. Networks help professionals to connect and share information.
The school business professional networks directory includes groups that provide peer-to-peer support to help with a broad range of work-related activity, including buying for schools.
You can find potential networks by regional schools commissioner (RSC) region. Inclusion in the directory does not constitute a recommendation by the Department for Education.
All levels of staff can benefit from being part of a network. A network offers many opportunities, including:
sharing experience and best practice between members and the wider schools sector
creating an on-call community to resolve problems quickly, saving time and money
getting better value for money through buying together
sharing local benchmarking data
linking to wider local, regional and national networks
supporting innovation
being a communication channel between school business professionals, professional bodies and the Department for Education (DfE)
promoting local opportunities and providing peer support for members
Published 22 February 2018 Last updated 2 August 2022 +show all updates
In the attachment Find a school business professional network, updated contact details for NYES School Business Manager Network, West Yorkshire Academy Business Leaders and Lancashire Association of School Business Managers.
Removed all details for South Leeds Bursar Network. Updated the contact details for Leicester City Primary Business Managers Group, Hillingdon Association of School Business Managers, West Sussex School Business Managers, and Fareham & Gosport School Business Manager & Admin Network. Corrected the spelling of the name 'Graeme Lloyd' in the contact details for Swale & Canterbury Finance Forum.
In Find a school business professional network, South West RSC: network lead for SBM (Somerset, Devon and Dorset) changed.
North RSC region: Team leader for NYES School Business Manager Network changed. East Midlands and the Humber RSC: Network leader for Leicester City Primary Business Managers Group changed. South West RSC: School Business Network (Dorset and Hampshire) removed and network leader for Bath Education Trust changed.
Removed Hounslow Education Partnership Network and added Leicestershire School Business Professionals Network and Bath Education Trust to the 'Find a school business professional network' guidance.
Updated chair details for Newcastle Association for School Business Leaders (NASBL) in 'Find a school business professional network'.
Added FD Forum to the network directory under 'All regions - online forum'.
Changed 'North East and Cumbria Directors of Finance Forum (NECDOFF)' to 'North of England Schools and Academies Forum (NESAF)'.
Updated contact for South East CFO Network in the school business professional network directory.
Updated school business professional network directory with changes to the chair for Darlington SBM Forum. Updated contact details for West Yorkshire Academy Business Leaders and South Leeds Bursar Network Group. Added NYES School Business Manager Network to the North RSC region. Changed the network name for 'Suffolk Schools Network' to 'Suffolk Schools Business Leaders Network Group' and West Sussex Academy Business Managers Network to South East CFO Network'.
