Support needed for ‘unsung heroes’ of Covid crisis in education

Today (Tuesday 8 December) school leaders’ union @NAHTnews is holding a crowdcast for School Business Leaders, aimed at identifying and offering support – much needed after a year in which they have been absolutely vital to dealing with the impact of the Covid crisis on schools and children.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“Throughout this crisis school business leaders have been the quiet heroes. In the face of immense challenges they have been crucial to helping to make sure schools can deliver all that has been asked of them.

“They stayed up to the early hours of the morning to access the broken free school meals vouchers to make sure children had food over the holidays and during lockdown. They agonised over the books, squeezing every extra penny to pay for the necessary safety measures required to keep schools open, without promise of reimbursement.

“The stress of trying to keep things going in schools this year cannot be underestimated. School business leaders have been right there alongside other school leaders making it work.

“NAHT has long called for a national pay scale for school business leaders which brings them into alignment with other school leaders, recognising the value they bring to the system, and delivering parity and equity. Recognition on the national leadership pay scale would be a just reward for school business leaders’ essential work during the pandemic.”

The SBL broadcast will welcome Pauline Aitchison from the National Network of Special Schools for School Business Professionals (NNoSS), Cheryl Campbell from the Association of BAME Business Leaders in Education (ABBLed), Steve Edmonds from the National Governance Association (NGA), and Natalie Dalvarez from the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL). It will be focused on identifying the networks and stakeholders that exist to support SBLs in undertaking their critical roles.