An exploration into the opportunities and constraints for career progression into leadership roles for School Business Managers in the state sector in England

Josephine Marchant

doi:10.1177/0892020621999679

Abstract

Drawing on data from 116 survey responses by School Business Managers, and 7 semi-structured interviews with education professionals carried out between October 2017 and February 2018, this article reports on findings from a research project focussing on the opportunities and constraints for career progression into leadership roles for School Business Managers (SBMs) in the state sector in England. The article considers the differing roles and responsibilities of SBMs, how leadership is perceived in schools, the visibility of the SBM role, career aspirations of the SBMs who were surveyed, and the perceived constraints to progression to leadership roles. Analysis of the data was carried out using an inductive research approach using mixed methods. Snowballing was used to obtain a meaningful sample size for survey responses. Interviewees were chosen on the basis of judgement sampling. The sampling design for the survey and the interviews was one of non-probability. Findings suggest that leadership roles for SBMs do exist but that there are considerable constraints to these being achieved, not least the lack of appetite amongst SBMs to do so.

Highlights

IntroductionIn 2001 the government launched a professionalization development programme to train 1,000 School Business Managers (SBMs) (previously known as ‘bursars’ who are responsible for managing the non-teaching activities required to run a school) by 2006, a target that was exceeded
In 2001 the government launched a professionalization development programme to train 1,000 School Business Managers (SBMs) by 2006, a target that was exceeded
Gronn (2002) argued that training for headteachers delivered by the National College for School Leadership (NCSL) had conflated the headship role with leadership resulting in the headteacher being perceived as the single heroic leader

Summary

Introduction

In 2001 the government launched a professionalization development programme to train 1,000 School Business Managers (SBMs) (previously known as ‘bursars’ who are responsible for managing the non-teaching activities required to run a school) by 2006, a target that was exceeded. Toop, the CEO of Ambition School Leadership (2017: 1) stated that, ‘The increase in numbers of MATs has created a range of career opportunities for SBMs that have not previously existed – from SBM to finance director, to chief operating officer at a MAT, to CEO – bringing a different professional background into the sector’. This research is important because as more schools become academies and join MATs, the more senior leadership roles require business management skills not generally found in pedagogical leaders The need for such skills has been further illustrated by the contribution of SBMs to school leadership during 2020 as a result of COVID-19 (The Key, 2020a). Woods et al (2013) agree that the degree to which SBMs can effectively support school leaders is directly proportionate to the willingness of school leaders to allow them to do so

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