School resource management
Information, tools, training, and guidance to help schools and trusts save money on day-to-day costs.
The department is committed to working with the sector to enable excellent school resource management in all schools and academy trusts. Our strategy sets out our vision and approach to help build an even stronger school system.
The tools and guidance on this page will help schools and academy trusts get the best value from their resources and therefore maximise the impact on pupil outcomes. They are free and available to all state funded schools.
To see examples of how the SRM tools can be used visit our YouTube playlist on Excellent School Resource Management or go to the School resource management: case studies collection to see examples of the tools in practice.
Supporting excellent school resource management
You can learn more about our approach for the next 3-5 years in our strategy, “School resource management: building a stronger system”. You can also access our free offer of training and support aimed at School Business Professionals (SBPs), school leaders and boards, and a directory of SBP networks. This will support you to achieve a good level of financial health and resource management, outlined in the SRM self-assessment checklist.
Accessing SRM support
You can request a free, confidential visit from one of the department’s school resource management advisers (SRMAs), who are experts in school resource management and provide tailored advice and support.
Understanding your data
How you collect and analyse data, and understand what data can tell you about your school’s performance, is crucial to achieving excellent school resource management. These tools and guides will help you use your data effectively.
Support managing your workforce
Tools and advice intended to help you plan and manage your workforce. In particular, they will help you save money on recruitment advertising, identify ways to reduce workload and align staffing plans with your school capacity, needs and budget by combining curriculum and financial planning.
Getting the best value from your non-staff spend
Advice and tools to help you get the best value when purchasing goods and services for your school. They can help schools get the best leverage possible on procurement spend, skills and expertise.
Managing your school estate
It’s important to ensure school estates are managed strategically, compliantly, and effectively. Guidance, tools and checklists are available to help you meet your responsibilities and duties for your estate.
Getting the most out of digital technology
Guidance and support to help you save time and money when buying, implementing and using digital technology effectively.
Providing effective governance and challenge on SRM
Effective governance and challenge is a critical part of effective school resource management. Tools for governing bodies, executive and senior leaders to help them understand responsibilities, and ask questions to ensure effective management of resources.
School resource management: impact, evaluation, and research findings
Learn more about research and analysis into school resource management.
Updates to this page
Last updated 7 December 2023 + show all updates
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Building school and trust business professional capability report has been added to the impact, evaluation, and research findings.
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Added link to 'Buying for schools' in the section 'Getting the best value from your non-staff spend'.
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Added 'Capital Advisers Programme: pilot evaluation' to the section 'Managing your school estate'.
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Added a link to 'The school resource management advisers (SRMA) programme'. Added a section on 'School resource management: impact, evaluation, and research findings'.
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Added a link to a report on the progress in schools savings and resource management.
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Page updated to bring up to date.
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Added link to integrated curriculum and financial planning guidance.
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Added new version of the schools financial value standard.
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Added 'Join the School Business Professionals' (SBP) user group'.
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Amended to make it clearer that this applies to both schools and multi-academy trusts.
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Added 'School resource management self-assessment tool'.
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Added 'Supporting excellent school resource management' guidance.
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Renamed page and included new content.
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Updated text describing the section on schools financial training and peer support.
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Updated with new and updated materials supporting schools financial health and efficiency.
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Updated to add information about schools financial health checks, the role of the school business manager and guidance for schools about moving to cloud computing services.
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Updated to provide a link to buying for schools information.
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First published.