This guide describes how business professionals working in schools can join or create a school business professional network. Networks help professionals to connect and share information.
The school business professional networks directory includes groups that provide peer-to-peer support to help with a broad range of work-related activity, including buying for schools.
You can find potential networks by region group. Inclusion in the directory does not constitute a recommendation by the Department for Education (DfE).
All levels of staff can benefit from being part of a network. A network offers many opportunities, including:
sharing experience and best practice between members and the wider schools sector
creating an on-call community to resolve problems quickly, saving time and money
getting better value for money through buying together
sharing local benchmarking data
linking to wider local, regional and national networks
supporting innovation
being a communication channel between school business professionals, professional bodies and DfE
promoting local opportunities and providing peer support for members
Published 22 February 2018 Last updated 6 December 2023 +show all updates
Updated 'Find a school business professional network' with new contact details for Abingdon Partnership School Business Managers, Bath Education Trust, Middlesbrough School & Academies Business Managers Cluster Group, NYES School Business Manager Network, and West Sussex School Business Managers. Removed North Staffs School Business Leaders Association.
Updated 'Find a school business professional network' with new contact details for Bury School Business Managers Alliance, Stockport Association of School Business Managers, Worcestershire Association of School Business Management (WASBM), and North West Surrey Business Managers Network. Removed Lewisham School Business Managers.
Updated 'Find a school business professional network' with new contact details for South Yorkshire Business Leaders Group and Dudley Association of School Business Managers.
Updated 'Find a school business professional network' with new network chair and email address details for Birmingham Association of School Business Management, HASBM (Hertfordshire Association of School Business Management) and Gloucestershire Association of School Business Managers.
Updated contact details for Stockport Association of School Business Managers in 'Find a school business professional network'.
Updated 'Find a school business professional network'. Removed the website for the West Yorkshire Academy Business Leaders (Yorkshire and the Humber) and updated the email address for Telford Association of School Business Managers (West Midlands).
Updated 'Find a school business professional network' to include The Trust Network (all regions) and Walsall School Business Leaders (West Midlands).
Updated the 'Find a school business professional network' attachment. Removed the Leicestershire School Business Professionals Network and the Peterborough and Rutland School Business Managers Group. Added the Cambridgeshire School Business Networking Group and the Wiltshire area MAT CFO network. Updated the email address for the Bath Education Trust and moved the Essex Academies School Business Managers Netwo
