The School Business Management Partnership (SBMP) is an established partnership between Serco Education, Adfecto and the Institute of School Business Leaders (ISBL). Together, we have been the leading provider of national SBM programmes on behalf of the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) since each programme began.

We have been responsible for the design, update and delivery of the Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma for School Business Managers (CSBM, DSBM, ADSBM), as well as the School Business Director programme (SBD), from as far back as 2003. We also developed the School Administration Foundation Certificate (SAFC), a programme recognised by the NCTL as suitable preparation for CSBM (now known as the Level 4 Diploma).

Serco is an international service company which combines commercial expertise with a deep public service ethos. Around the world, we improve essential services by managing people, processes, technology and assets more effectively.

At Serco Education, we have many years’ experience of working with senior leaders including headteachers, deputy and assistant headteachers, leadership teams, business managers, children’s centre leaders, support staff and governors on a daily basis. We have trained over 10,000 school and academy leaders across England and Wales, from those in the early stages of leadership development to those with extensive leadership experience.

Serco Education’s Leadership Development Team specialises in the delivery of leadership and management training on behalf of a number of clients which have included the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL), the Department for Education (DfE) and many local authorities. In addition to the SBM Partnership, Serco Education also works closely with other providers and partners, such as the University of Wolverhampton.

The strength of our team rests with the dedication of each and every member of staff, our commitment to provide clients and programme participants with the best possible service, our in-depth knowledge of every contract we deliver, and the individual breadth of expertise and experience we can offer.

See also the main Serco Ltd company website www.serco.com and the Serco Education site here

Adfecto is the professional development arm of Gloucestershire Association of Secondary Headteachers Ltd. We are a school led organisation in which the company directors are all serving headteachers and the staff are all employed by schools.

We have recently transferred from a non-profit organisation to a registered charity enabling us to put any profit, made through the delivery of leadership programmes, to be put back into the education system through additional training and development opportunities.

Adfecto is very responsive to current needs and is constantly adapting services to reflect the advice received from partner schools.  Adfecto is a strategic partner in several teaching school alliances and we are always looking to develop new links with schools.  See our website www.adfecto.org.uk

The Institute of School Business Leaders (ISBL), formally NASBM, is the UK’s leading association for school business professionals and we are uniquely dedicated to supporting and building the reputation of the profession.

We are at the forefront of the emerging sector-led approach to professional development and were instrumental in the development of the original national competency framework and the national qualifications framework for SBMs which have done so much to raise the profile of and expand the skill-set of the profession.

ISBL has an influential voice with government and a strong working relationship with the Department for Education, where we are a delivery partner on a number of key initiatives. We maintain our seat on key education committees and consequently provide our members with a voice and platform with government.

We provide a comprehensive range of support for SBM professionals, available to members and non-members, including:

•    An annual National Conference, where all content is tailored specifically to the SBM professional audience
•    An Advice Centre supported by our regional team of our highly qualified and experienced Associate Practitioners
•    Regional conferences and briefings where you can network with colleagues, share practice and hear about latest policy developments that affect your role
•    High quality training delivered by sector experts and tailored to your needs
•    Digests of  the latest news and developments highlighting the implications for your role,  through fortnightly e-bulletins, news updates, policy analysis and briefings
•    A Resources area and Library, hosting best practice templates, factsheets, practical tools and case studies
•   Online forums where SBM professionals can discuss and explore the issues affecting them.

To find out more, visit the ISBL website www.isbl.org.uk