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Seminar Options& BOOKING

Welcome to the seminar timetable and selections page. Here you will see an overview of all the sessions running at the event AND CHOOSE which you would like to attend.

Please note:

There are several options for each session, please choose one seminar per session from the options below. Some sessions run more than once to give you the opportunity to attend seminars at a different time if you're spoilt for choice.

Seminars will close when they reach capacity, so do make your selections early to avoid disappointment.

If you would rather we choose a selection of seminars on your behalf, simply do not complete your selections and we will build an itinerary for you.

You will receive a printed copy of your seminar selections and personalised itinerary on the day as part of your registration

option one

Protecting Staff Reputation: Legal Support in the Digital age

One post. One screenshot. One rumour. Staff reputations can be damaged fast, and the fallout is rarely just personal. It hits morale, retention, leadership time, and organisational stability. In an era where online commentary, social media escalation, and misinformation can damage a professional’s reputation in minutes, protecting staff has never been more critical.

This session looks at the real world risks schools and trusts are facing, drawing on real cases of defamation, false allegations, and reputational harm faced by school staff, we will look at what happens when an issue goes public fast, and what good duty of care looks like in response offer insight and information on the growing need for reputation and legal protection across the education sector. We will unpack the legal and practical options available, and what duty of care should look like when a situation escalates publicly.

Led by Education Mutual, a staff absence protection mutual with a strong wellbeing focus, this is a practical guide to protecting your people.

In this session we explore

• The most common reputational triggers in schools and trusts, and why they escalate so quickly

• What counts as defamation, harassment and malicious communications, and where the legal thresholds sit

• First response steps: preserving evidence, internal triage, comms boundaries, and when to involve HR, governors or trustees

• Managing social media, parent forums and anonymous accounts, including takedown routes and sensible escalation

• Supporting the individual: wellbeing, reasonable adjustments, and keeping them safe at work while matters are resolved

• Building prevention: policies, staff training, clear accountability, and consistent messaging

Take home points

• A clearer view of the risks and legal basics

• A response checklist you can apply quickly

• Confidence on escalation and decision making

• Prevention steps that reduce repeat incidents

• Stronger duty of care for staff wellbeing

This session is for

School business leaders, HR and operations leads, senior leadership teams, and trust central teams who want a clear approach to protecting staff when reputational issues land.

Sustainability in Practice

Whether you already have a Climate Action Plan in place, or are just at the start of your journey, this session looks to support you in actively delivering your plan in a meaningful and manageable way.

Grounded in real school experience, this session will help you move from ambition to action, without adding unnecessary workload or cost.

We will explore

Why schools should take action on climate change and what a good climate action plan looks like
Prioritising actions when time, funding and capacity are limited
Managing energy, carbon and waste reduction in a way that delivers real savings
Funding, grants and external support available to schools and trusts

Take home points

• A clearer understanding of what sustainability looks like for schools

• Practical examples of actions that deliver both environmental and financial benefits

• Confidence to move beyond compliance to meaningful change

This session is for

School business leaders, estates, finance and operations professionals who are responsible for implementing sustainability or climate action plans and want to ensure they deliver real, lasting impact.

ICFP: The Magical Marriage of Education and Financial Planning

ICFP is one of the most effective tools for managing rising costs and staffing pressures. With staff making up around 80 percent of school spend, even small shifts in deployment can make a significant difference. This session shows how integrated curriculum and financial planning can improve curriculum design, strengthen staffing decisions and support long term sustainability. It focuses on practical, proactive ways to use ICFP so you can deliver value for money without compromising the offer for pupils.

In this session we explore

How ICFP aligns curriculum ambition with financial reality
Using staffing data, class size and timetable structure to maximise the impact of your team
How SMRA style analysis strengthens ICFP and highlights inefficiencies
Using ICFP for scenario planning and forward budgeting
Presenting ICFP findings to SLT, governors and trustees

Take home points

A clear understanding of how ICFP improves staffing deployment and value for money
Practical steps to build an ICFP model that supports long term planning
Insight into how SMRA aligned metrics reveal risks and opportunities
Tools to turn ICFP outputs into evidence for strategic decision making

This session is for

School business leaders, CFOs, COOs, heads and senior leaders who want to use ICFP to shape curriculum, staffing and financial strategy in a more proactive and sustainable way.

option three

option two

option one

AI for Smarter School Finance

Finance teams in schools and trusts are facing mounting pressure, from rising costs and complex compliance requirements to ever-increasing demands on reporting and transparency. At the same time, resources are stretched, and the need for efficiency has never been greater. AI and cloud-based systems are beginning to transform how trusts manage finance, taking away repetitive manual tasks, reducing the risk of errors, and opening up new possibilities for real-time visibility. This session will explore how smarter finance systems can do more than simply balance the books. They can support leaders to plan with confidence, report with clarity, and make decisions that strengthen both day-to-day operations and long-term strategy.

In this seminar, we’ll explore

• How automation and AI can reduce manual workload and free up time for strategic work

• Practical approaches to deliver faster, clearer reporting across your trust

• Lessons from schools and MATs already adopting cloud finance systems and AI tools

• How smarter finance processes can support long-term planning and more resilient decision-making

Take home points

• A clearer understanding of how AI and automation can work in school and trust finance

• Practical tools and approaches you can use to improve efficiency in your organisation

• Insight into the challenges and successes already being experienced by peers across the sector

• Ways to future-proof your finance systems and make finance a genuine strategic advantage

This session is for

Finance, business, and operations leaders working in schools and trusts who want to drive efficiency, improve reporting, and build finance functions that inform and strengthen organisational strategy.

Make Governance More Strategic

Governance should drive strategy, clarity and confidence. Yet too often, meetings slide into operational questions, overly detailed scrutiny or long lists of compliance checks that add workload without improving outcomes. Both governors in maintained schools and trustees in MATs are expected to focus on strategic priorities, risk and long-term impact, but many boards struggle to hold that line in practice. This session offers fresh insight into how you can reset that balance. We will explore the core pillars of effective governance, how to keep conversations anchored in strategic intent rather than operational detail, and how to shape reporting that genuinely supports better decisions. You'll also look at the nuances between governing bodies and trustee boards, and how to work with volunteer members confidently and constructively.

In this session we explore

The difference between strategic and operational governance and how to reinforce it
Where governance, compliance and operations overlap and how to keep boundaries clear
How to recognise when you're being asked for detail instead of insight
Practical ways to redirect questions towards strategy, risk and impact
What purposeful financial and risk reporting looks
How to make the most of volunteers' expertise while managing challenging dynamics

Take home points

Clear, workable boundaries for what belongs on a board agenda
Language and framing that lift conversations out of the operational weeds
A simple structure for reporting that supports strategic decisions
Practical approaches for strengthening relationships with governors and trustees

This session is for

School and trust leaders who want more focused, strategic board conversations, reporting that drives better decisions, and the confidence to guide governors and trustees towards the issues that matter most.

The OpEx Advantage

Across maintained schools and MATs, rising costs and growing demands mean that doing more with less is now essential. In this regard, Operational Excellence (OpEx) isn't a buzzword, it is a proven approach for streamlining non-teaching processes, reducing waste and protecting capacity so your school or trust can stay focused on its mission. Drawing on the latest ISBL research, this session shows how OpEx can deliver real efficiency gains and smarter resource deployment. We translate the theory into everyday contexts - from single school application, small and large trusts - and demonstrate how OpEx builds strong, sustainable operations that support educational priorities.

In this session we explore

Why OpEx matters now than ever as schools respond to tighter funding and rising operational costs
How to use the ISBL OpEx for Education framework as a roadmap for incremental improvement
Practical lean and continuous improvement techniques adapted for schools
How OpEx strengthens the strategic role and influence of school business leaders

Take home points

Clear insight into the most up to date OpEx research and what it means for meaningful application
A practical framework to improve processes and capacity at any scale
Tools for identifying waste, aligning resources and building continuous improvement
Ideas to strengthen professional influence and reinforce your strategic values

This session is for

School business leaders who want to move beyond crisis management, reduce operational friction and build resilient, efficient systems that support outstanding education.

option two

option three

option one

Why Saying NO can Sometimes be Best for Everyone

Schools and trusts often rely on the dedication, problem solving and multi-tasking super powers of their teams, and their willingness to step in and get things done. But too much yes can quietly drain capacity and shift focus away from the work that matters most. Boundaries aren’t barriers; they’re foundations for sustainability. Saying no be seen as unhelpful, but more about protecting quality, time and impact.

This session discusses you how to push back professionally without damaging relationships or standards. We explore what a constructive no sounds like, how to manage expectations at every level and how to recognise when saying yes will cause more problems than it solves. We also look at the guilt and cultural pressure that make refusal particularly hard across school leaders and their teams.

This is a session for leaders who want clearer boundaries, sharper prioritisation and a NO that lands well when it matters.

In this session we explore

• When a NO is the right strategic choice for your school or trust

• How to decline requests constructively and keep relationships positive

• Language for redirecting, reframing and negotiating expectations

• How to reset boundaries where over commitment is already the norm

• Managing the emotional load, guilt and culture around saying no

• Techniques to protect capacity across sites, teams and priorities

Take home points

• Reusable tactics for pushing back without friction

• Clear prompts to know when to say no

• Tools to manage expectations with colleagues, leaders and stakeholders

• Confidence to prioritise strategically and protect time and wellbeing

This session is for

School and trust leaders who want practical, realistic ways to manage competing demands, strengthen boundaries and stay focused on the work that makes the biggest difference.

Hidden Savings, Better Outcomes: Strategic School Catering

Rising food costs, escalating staffing pressures and increasingly complex compliance requirements mean school catering is under more strain than ever. For many schools and trusts, catering is the second largest expense after staffing, yet significant efficiencies often sit undiscovered in the kitchen. At a time when budgets are tightening and operational risk is increasing, leaders need models that protect quality while reducing cost and complexity.

This session lifts the lid on where hidden savings can be found and how a strategic shift in catering provision – including the role of high-quality prepared solutions – can reduce waste, ease staffing demands and still meet nutritional standards. Using real examples from schools and trusts, we explore how the right catering model can enhance financial resilience, support inclusion, and improve the overall dining experience for pupils.

In this session we explore

• Where the real costs sit in school catering and why many schools underestimate them

• How smarter menu planning can cut waste and simplify operations

• Approaches that help schools manage staffing challenges without compromising quality

• How trust-wide procurement, central production and supply efficiencies create long-term savings

• The link between consistent catering models, pupil outcomes and overall school performance

Take home points

• Clear insight into hidden cost drivers and quick wins

• Practical ideas to improve efficiency and reduce waste

• A strategic view of catering that supports budgets, staff and pupils

• Considerations for schools and trusts reviewing or reshaping their catering model

This session is for

School business leaders, CFOs, COOs, operations leads looking for sustainable, financially sound catering solutions that reduce pressure and deliver better outcomes for pupils.

Lockdown Planning and Martyn's Law

With the national threat level now raised and incidents affecting schools continuing to make headlines, lockdown planning is no longer a precautionary measure—it is a critical responsibility. Led by security specialist Shane, this session provides practical, proportionate guidance on modern lockdown planning, helping schools and organisations remain compliant, prepared and ready to respond to emerging threats.

In this session we explore

What a clear, workable lockdown and invacuation plan looks like under Martyn's Law
How to run drills that build confidence without frightening staff or learners
Simple risk assessment tools to help you spot weak points around your school or trust estate
How to brief and train staff so everyone knows their role, from teachers to office teams to site staff
How to align procedures across a trust and report assurance back to SLT, governors and trustees
When and how to loop in local police and partners for guidance and good practice

Take home points

A step by step checklist to update or build your lockdown plan in line with 2026 expectations
A low impact drill model you can adapt for any size school or trust
Clear staff messaging you can reuse in INSET and briefings
Practical pointers for evidencing readiness to SLT, governors and trust boards

This session is for school and trust leaders who

Want to stay prepared, compliant and confident under Martyn's Law, without adding unnecessary fear. Ideal for SBPs, COOs and anyone responsible for writing, overseeing or signing off a school or trust wide lockdown plan.

option two

option three

OPTIONAL SESSIONs

To make the day as flexible as possible for all delegates, we offer an extended working lunch period which offers hot lunch, networking time, exhibition time and some optional sessions that delegates can choose to sign up to or not – it’s totally down to personal preference .

OPTIONAL SESSIONS are shorter sessions available to delegates who like to cram their day with more learning and less exhibition and networking time.

Reminder, these sessions are completely optional – if you prefer a little more downtime to enjoy the exhibition and networking with colleagues, just select no thanks for the quick fix sessions, if you like to attend more organised sessions, choose one or two of the quick fix session on offer.

There is enough time planned into the day to allow you to comfortably attend at least one optional sessions if you wish – as well as lunch and exhibition time

option one

option two

AI for Smarter School Finance

Finance teams in schools and trusts are facing mounting pressure, from rising costs and complex compliance requirements to ever-increasing demands on reporting and transparency. At the same time, resources are stretched, and the need for efficiency has never been greater. AI and cloud-based systems are beginning to transform how trusts manage finance, taking away repetitive manual tasks, reducing the risk of errors, and opening up new possibilities for real-time visibility. This session will explore how smarter finance systems can do more than simply balance the books. They can support leaders to plan with confidence, report with clarity, and make decisions that strengthen both day-to-day operations and long-term strategy.

In this seminar, we’ll explore

• How automation and AI can reduce manual workload and free up time for strategic work

• Practical approaches to deliver faster, clearer reporting across your trust

• Lessons from schools and MATs already adopting cloud finance systems and AI tools

• How smarter finance processes can support long-term planning and more resilient decision-making

Take home points

• A clearer understanding of how AI and automation can work in school and trust finance

• Practical tools and approaches you can use to improve efficiency in your organisation

• Insight into the challenges and successes already being experienced by peers across the sector

• Ways to future-proof your finance systems and make finance a genuine strategic advantage

This session is for

Finance, business, and operations leaders working in schools and trusts who want to drive efficiency, improve reporting, and build finance functions that inform and strengthen organisational strategy.

Practical SAR Strategies for Schools and Trusts

Subject access requests (SARs) can be time-consuming and complex to manage, especially alongside the many other priorities school business professionals juggle. Increasingly, schools and trusts are also seeing SARs used in strategic or contentious ways linked to complaints or disputes, which increases both workload and risk for school and trust leaders. In this practical session, Shane Williams draws on extensive experience supporting hundreds of schools with SARs and data protection processes. He'll share insights into what's working on the ground, what's changed in recent legislation (including new ICO guidance and cooling-off periods), and how you can develop school-friendly procedures that protect your team, your pupils and your time.

In this session we explore

How to identify and manage complex, excessive or contentious SARs
Key steps to simplify searches, redaction and document review
What cooling off periods and updated ICO guidance mean for your processes
How to handle SARs fairly while protecting pupil safety and staff wellbeing

Take home points

A clear SAR triage and response process for schools and trusts
Practical tools for efficient redaction, search and review
Actions to strengthen your SAR log, record keeping and audit trail.

This session is for

School and trust leaders who Leads, or managers of leads responsible for SARs, complaints, safeguarding or data protection, and need a realistic, defensible approach that keeps pupils safe, supports staff and protects precious time.

option One

Why Saying NO can Sometimes be Best for Everyone

Schools and trusts often rely on the dedication, problem solving and multi-tasking super powers of their teams, and their willingness to step in and get things done. But too much yes can quietly drain capacity and shift focus away from the work that matters most. Boundaries aren’t barriers; they’re foundations for sustainability. Saying no be seen as unhelpful, but more about protecting quality, time and impact.

This session discusses you how to push back professionally without damaging relationships or standards. We explore what a constructive no sounds like, how to manage expectations at every level and how to recognise when saying yes will cause more problems than it solves. We also look at the guilt and cultural pressure that make refusal particularly hard across school leaders and their teams.

This is a session for leaders who want clearer boundaries, sharper prioritisation and a NO that lands well when it matters.

In this session we explore

• When a NO is the right strategic choice for your school or trust

• How to decline requests constructively and keep relationships positive

• Language for redirecting, reframing and negotiating expectations

• How to reset boundaries where over commitment is already the norm

• Managing the emotional load, guilt and culture around saying no

• Techniques to protect capacity across sites, teams and priorities

Take home points

• Reusable tactics for pushing back without friction

• Clear prompts to know when to say no

• Tools to manage expectations with colleagues, leaders and stakeholders

• Confidence to prioritise strategically and protect time and wellbeing

This session is for

School and trust leaders who want practical, realistic ways to manage competing demands, strengthen boundaries and stay focused on the work that makes the biggest difference.

Claim Your Seat at the SLT Table

You may already have a seat at the senior leadership table, but influence depends on more than attendance. As a school business leader you hold insight, experience and expertise that deserve strategic recognition. This session is about stepping into that space fully: building confidence, honing communication and making sure your voice is heard as a driver of decisions. We'll look at how to frame complex school business issues - from finance to operations - as clear, persuasive propositions. We'll explore how to navigate meetings, manage dynamics with heads or trustees and assert yourself as a strategic partner rather than a support function. The goal is to help you move from behind the scenes support to visible, respected leadership.

In this session we explore

How to communicate with confidence, clarity and authority in meetings, strategy sessions and governor discussions
How to turn complex data, budgets or proposals into compelling, decision ready messages
Techniques for reading room dynamics, managing difficult personalities and influencing without conflict
How to build relationships of parity and trust with heads, governors or trustees so your perspective is valued and sought
Use of body language, tone and presence to reinforce credibility and leadership presence

Take home points

Practical tools for clear, confident, impactful communication in any setting
A simple framework for structuring proposals and reports that persuade rather than overwhelm
Strategies for handling tricky discussions and challenging dynamics while staying influential and professional
A stronger sense of your strategic value and how to make others see it too
Confidence to claim and hold your place at the leadership table

This session is for

School business leaders who want to be taken seriously, influence decisions and shape the direction of their school or trust.

ICFP: The Magical Marriage of Education and Financial Planning

ICFP is one of the most effective tools for managing rising costs and staffing pressures. With staff making up around 80 percent of school spend, even small shifts in deployment can make a significant difference. This session shows how integrated curriculum and financial planning can improve curriculum design, strengthen staffing decisions and support long term sustainability. It focuses on practical, proactive ways to use ICFP so you can deliver value for money without compromising the offer for pupils.

In this session we explore

How ICFP aligns curriculum ambition with financial reality
Using staffing data, class size and timetable structure to maximise the impact of your team
How SMRA style analysis strengthens ICFP and highlights inefficiencies
Using ICFP for scenario planning and forward budgeting
Presenting ICFP findings to SLT, governors and trustees

Take home points

A clear understanding of how ICFP improves staffing deployment and value for money
Practical steps to build an ICFP model that supports long term planning
Insight into how SMRA aligned metrics reveal risks and opportunities
Tools to turn ICFP outputs into evidence for strategic decision making

This session is for

School business leaders, CFOs, COOs, heads and senior leaders who want to use ICFP to shape curriculum, staffing and financial strategy in a more proactive and sustainable way.

option TWO

option three

Final Word: Panel Discussion with Q&A

Your chance to share ideas and insight, ask questions and hear what resonates most with your SBL colleagues

As we close the day, this final session brings the whole delegate network together for a focused, expert-led Q&A with a panel of experienced school business leaders from across the schools landscape. It’s a chance to explore the themes that have surfaced across the day, raise questions that didn’t fit elsewhere and hear how peers are tackling and overcoming the pressures in their schools and trusts.

The panel will respond to questions from the floor and from the wider SBL community via social media platforms and our magazine readership. We will discuss the issues that you tell us matter most, offering practical insight, challenge and ideas.

Whether you want to join the conversation or prefer to listen and absorb, this is a valuable opportunity to consolidate learning from the day and leave with clearer thinking, reassurance and ideas you can use immediately.

What to expect

• Honest, experience-led responses from expert SBL panellists

• Questions from delegates on the day’s topics, challenges and real-world scenarios

• Insight into the common themes, sticking points and priorities emerging across the sector

• Space to reflect on how learning from the day translates back into your setting

This session is for

All delegates who want to end the day with practical insight, clearer perspective and a stronger sense of how fellow SBLs are approaching the challenges ahead.

OPTIONAL SESSIONs

To make the day as flexible as possible for all delegates, we offer an extended working lunch period which offers hot lunch, networking time, exhibition time and some optional sessions that delegates can choose to sign up to or not – it’s totally down to personal preference .

OPTIONAL SESSIONS are shorter sessions available to delegates who like to cram their day with more learning and less exhibition and networking time.

Reminder, these sessions are completely optional – if you prefer a little more downtime to enjoy the exhibition and networking with colleagues, just select no thanks for the quick fix sessions, if you like to attend more organised sessions, choose one or two of the quick fix session on offer.

There is enough time planned into the day to allow you to comfortably attend optional sessions if you wish – as well as lunch and exhibition.

OPTION one

Strategic Moves to Free Up Time and Brain-Space

When systems do not talk to each other, tasks get duplicated and planning happens in silos, it lands on school business teams first. This 30 minute quick fix session is about practical moves you can make straight away to reduce operational drag, tighten workflows, and create space for the strategic work only you can do. We will use Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats as a simple framework to pressure-test decisions, improve delegation, and make better use of the skills already in your team.

In this session we explore

• A fast way to spot duplicated effort, hand-off gaps, and bottlenecks across HR, finance, admin and operations

• Why the school business role is the glue, and how to use that position to simplify how work flows across the school

• Delegation that works in real life, using clear ownership, standards, and check-ins without micromanaging

• Planning techniques to shift from reactive firefighting to proactive leadership, even when capacity is tight

• A quick decision tool to reduce debate, speed up choices, and stop low-value tasks stealing your week

Take home points

• Practical ways to reduce duplication and chase-ups

• Simple delegation rules that prevent work bouncing back

• A structure for sharper decision-making

• Immediate actions to free up time, budget and brain-space

This session is for

School business leaders who want to improve efficiency, reduce pressure and embed sustainable operational change, whether you are in a maintained school, SAT or MAT.

Hidden Savings, Better Outcomes: Strategic School Catering

Rising food costs, escalating staffing pressures and increasingly complex compliance requirements mean school catering is under more strain than ever. For many schools and trusts, catering is the second largest expense after staffing, yet significant efficiencies often sit undiscovered in the kitchen. At a time when budgets are tightening and operational risk is increasing, leaders need models that protect quality while reducing cost and complexity.

This session lifts the lid on where hidden savings can be found and how a strategic shift in catering provision – including the role of high-quality prepared solutions – can reduce waste, ease staffing demands and still meet nutritional standards. Using real examples from schools and trusts, we explore how the right catering model can enhance financial resilience, support inclusion, and improve the overall dining experience for pupils.

In this session we explore

• Where the real costs sit in school catering and why many schools underestimate them

• How smarter menu planning can cut waste and simplify operations

• Approaches that help schools manage staffing challenges without compromising quality

• How trust-wide procurement, central production and supply efficiencies create long-term savings

• The link between consistent catering models, pupil outcomes and overall school performance

Take home points

• Clear insight into hidden cost drivers and quick wins

• Practical ideas to improve efficiency and reduce waste

• A strategic view of catering that supports budgets, staff and pupils

• Considerations for schools and trusts reviewing or reshaping their catering model

This session is for

School business leaders, CFOs, COOs, operations leads looking for sustainable, financially sound catering solutions that reduce pressure and deliver better outcomes for pupils.

OPTION two

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