Smarter Finance, Sharper Insight – Unlocking the Power of AI in Schools

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.

Daniel McDonald