DFE Local Support Offer

Following the success of the School Resource Management webinars and the high number of requests from school and trust business professionals (SBP) for in-person training, the DfE are funding in-person training modules.

There will be a choice of twelve training modules, which will be delivered via in-person, practical training sessions until October 2025. The training will be focused on technical skills and knowledge, career development and pathways, soft skills and capacity building.

The sessions will run for up to 3 hours and are available for up to 30 attendees per session.  The training is available to trusts and regional network groups who would be interested in facilitating one of the following sessions for solely their own SBPs and/or colleagues within their region.  The eight sessions currently available are detailed below.

If you are interested in finding out more information please email: training@isbl.org.uk.

Technical Skills and Knowledge

  • Learning Outcomes

    This training will reference and help to meet the following knowledge descriptors from the ISBL Professional Standards across the Lead Practitioner Level of the Finance Discipline:

    [2.31] Understands how to develop and maintain budget planning processes that are able to withstand scrutiny as part of the overall governance and approval process.

    [2.35] Understands how to develop robust evidence-based income and expenditure assumptions.

    [2.39] Understands national and local formulae and how these affect the school’s or trust’s allocation.


    Session focus

    • Why does effective budgeting and financial planning matter?

    • What does your financial planning cycle look like?

    • Where can you source information to support my budget assumptions?

    • What do you do about Known Unknowns and Unknown Unknowns?

    • How do you involve the Board in medium- and long-term financial planning?

  • Learning Outcomes

    This training will reference and help to meet the following knowledge descriptors from the ISBL Professional Standards across the Lead Practitioner Level of the Human Resource Discipline:

    [4.3] Demonstrates a good working knowledge of data analysis approaches and systems to monitor and evaluate performance to identify opportunities/ risks.

    [4.15] Can tailor recruitment and selection approaches to appeal to different candidates.

    [4.19] Understands how to build and use a process of induction and assess the value it offers.

    [4.27] Understands and has experience of using non-financial incentives to improve attraction and retention of staff, with consideration for alternative working practices and budgetary constraints.


    Session Focus

    • Informing organisational design including the importance of skills audits

    • Effective recruitment to meet organisational strategic priorities

    • Induction and performance management including regular professional dialogue

    • Implementing flexible and hybrid working approaches in schools and trusts (including flexible retirement)

    • Using HR performance indicators to support staff retention, EDI and wellbeing

  • Learning outcomes

    This training will reference and help to meet the following knowledge descriptors from the ISBL Professional Standards across the Lead Practitioner Level of the Operational Leadership Discipline:

    [1.3] Understands qualitative and quantitative data analysis to aid the monitoring of operational performance.

    [1.7] Understands different leadership styles and how they might create an inclusive and innovative leadership and team approach.

    [1.11] Understands the school’s or trust’s commitment to promoting the principles of wellbeing and EDI. Can support the embedding of these values across the school or trust.

    [1.15] Understands the benefits of carrying out an annual skills audit by schools or trust


    Session Focus

    • The importance of effective communication and appropriate channels of communication

    • Building high performing teams and the importance of organisation culture and values

    • Developing a wellbeing strategy and collective ownership

    • Effective communication skills – active listening, clarity and conciseness, empathy and emotional intelligence, feedback.

    • Barriers to effective communication and overcoming these barriers.

    • Team dynamics and roles including annual skills audits.

    • Creating and managing diverse and geographically spread teams.

    • Monitoring of team and operational performance through quantitative and qualitative data.

    • Continuous improvement and learning – feedback loops and professional development

  • Learning Outcomes

    This training will reference and help to meet the following knowledge descriptors from the ISBL Professional Standards across the Lead Practitioner Level:

    [1.14] Is aware of wider professional learning and CPD opportunities available to support self and other staff across the profession

    [4.42] Can analyse and propose relevant CPD opportunities to meet identified needs


    Session Focus

    • Understanding career pathways.

    • Professional Development strategies

    • Supporting Staff in their Career Development

    • Networking and Mentorship

  • Learning outcomes

    This training will reference and help to meet the following knowledge descriptors from the ISBL Professional Standards across the Lead Practitioner Level of the Operational Leadership Discipline:

    [1.7] Understands different leadership styles and how they might create an inclusive and innovative leadership and team approach.

    [1.43] Understands the value of due diligence in assessing the impact of change, innovation and growth.

    Session focus

    • Developing and setting organisational culture and values

    • Leadership styles and effective leadership – including effective internal and external communication of strategic priorities and measuring understanding and engagement

    • Gain self-awareness of your leadership characteristics and your professional development needs.

    • Strengthening your preparedness and skills to lead others.

    • Using appropriate leadership styles (and tools) for specific situations and desired outcomes.

    • Efficiently and effectively developing the capacity of those whom you lead.

    • Develop a culture of continuing professional learning within your organisation.

    • Effective planning and implementation of planned organisational change.

    • Responding successfully to unexpected outcomes and challenges.

Career Development and Capacity Building

  • Learning outcomes
    This training will reference and help to meet the following knowledge descriptors from the ISBL Professional Standards across the Lead Practitioner Level:

    [1.23] Can draw on relevant school or trust management information data to contribute to school or trust improvement, monitor performance and manage risk.

    [2.43] Can lead on the implementation of DfE and sector-endorsed tools (e.g. VmFI, Benchmarking, SRMSAC, SFVS and ICFP).

    [2.47] Can analyse data to identify trends.


    Session Focus

    • What is ICFP and what is its purpose.

    • The benefits of utilising ICFP and its impact in ensuring efficient resource use in schools and trusts.

    • How to accurately calculate and analyse key metrics.

    • The importance of benchmarking and utilising threshold data.

    • How to identify efficiencies and potential issues in the school’s resource use.

    • The importance of context to ICFP interpretation and how this influences choices and decisions.

    • How to use ICFP data to make recommendations to assist strategic decision-making.

    • How to ensure senior leaders, governors and trustees can effectively interpret and utilise ICFP data to ensure the efficient use of school resources.

  • Learning outcomes

    This training will reference and help to meet the following knowledge descriptors from the ISBL Professional Standards across the Lead Practitioner Level:

    [1.14] Is aware of wider professional learning and CPD opportunities available to support self and other staff across the profession

    [4.42] Can analyse and propose relevant CPD opportunities to meet identified needs.


    Session focus

    • Understanding the changes for schools under the new Procurement Act 2023.

    • The principles of transforming public procurement and key challenges.

    • How to develop compliant and effective procurement strategies.

    • Understanding who to include and consult in the procurement process.

    • Evaluating when and how to use approved DFE frameworks and collaborative purchasing opportunities, as well as where to get help with procurement.

    • Carrying out effective needs analysis to develop accurate specifications

    • Key factors to achieving best value and benchmarking considerations e.g. including sustainability targets

  • Learning outcomes

    This training will reference and help to meet the following knowledge descriptors from the ISBL Professional Standards across the Lead Practitioner Level of the Operational Leadership Discipline:

    [1.3] Understands qualitative and quantitative data analysis to aid the monitoring of operational performance.

    [1.23] Can draw on relevant school or trust management information data to contribute to school or trust improvement, monitor performance and manage risk.

    [1.27] Understands the purpose of risk assessment and risk management techniques, including appropriate mitigations.

    [1.67] Understands and can apply a wide range of strategic planning theories and tools used to formulate short-, medium- and long-term plans for the school or trust.

    Session focus

    • Distinguishing between strategic planning and operational leadership and how they interrelate

    • Fundamentals of strategic planning – vision and mission statements, environment scanning (SWOT and PESTLE analysis), strategic objectives.

    • Strategic implementation - Monitoring and evaluating strategic plans through KPI’s, performance data and evaluation plans

    • Fundamentals of Operational leadership – roles and responsibilities of operational leaders, building high performing teams and operational excellence principles.

    • Evidence-based decision making and leading strategic discussions

    • Effective resource management – Finance, people and operational efficiency.

    • Risk management and contingency planning

Soft Skills

Benefits of Undertaking the Training

  • All training is aligned to the ISBL Professional Standards and will help delegates to meet specific Standards.

  • In-depth training delivered over a 2.5 hour period with opportunities for interactive learning, peer networking and sharing best practice.

  • All training is developed and delivered by ISBL subject matter experts including SBPs, educational leaders and accredited training providers to ensure training is fully contextualised.

  • Training is delivered to MATs or regional network groups at a time and location convenient to their requirements.

  • Training is fully accredited and certified by ISBL.

  • Excellent feedback and satisfaction scores as demonstrated below:

  • "It was great to networking with other similar professionals and the expert speakers"

  • "Excellent session with some helpful takeaways for everyone. Thank you!"

  • "The session was informative and provided practical opportunities as well as opportunities for group discussion and feedback"

  • "Thought provoking and informative. Collaborative learning was really helpful. Always great to work in a group like this. Very beneficial thank you"

If you are interested in finding out more information please email: training@isbl.org.uk