At its essence, human resources is about making sure the right people are in the right jobs. Attracting people is an important first step, but that’s just the beginning. As the HR requirements of a school grow over time, issues of retention will become increasingly important, alongside the need to give your people the skills, training and development they’ll require to perform at the best of their abilities.
The emergence of new school structures over the last few years has seen the advent of hitherto unfamiliar job titles within school settings. There’s now a need to achieve efficiencies, provide oversight and drive consistency of approach across organisations that span multiple schools. As a result, duties relating to finance, procurement and HR are increasingly being carried out by people appointed to a series of new, more specialist roles.
It’s important that the individuals taking up these new HR roles have an intrinsic understanding of the school’s context and the uniqueness of the wider education sector. How, then, should we go about finding and developing the talent such roles demand, and ensure that they can properly manage a school’s HR requirements?
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has worked in partnership with the Institute of School Business Leadership to create a new Level 5 Certificate in Human Resources for school business professionals. It’s specifically intended for those with responsibility for HR and people development, and for those who aspire to develop a specialist HR role in the future – for example, HR Manager in a MAT structure.
Ideal for people recognised as the HR professional within their school, or someone whose responsibilities currently include managing and advising on people-related matters, this new Level 5 Certificate will enable you to develop and implement people plans to help your school meet its operational and strategic goals. If you’re interested in future cohorts, or would like more information, email training@isbl.org.uk.
Who’s signing up and why?
“As the school has expanded, the number of staff has increased and the demands on HR has also increased. Unfortunately, at this time of growth the LA has completely withdrawn support, so approximately 30% of my time is now spent dealing with HR. “Whilst the school does have support from an external HR advisor, I must ensure that I’m asking the right questions, interpreting the information provided and applying it correctly to the given situation. The headteacher relies on me to ensure that the advice I provide him with is accurate and has sound legal basis.”
Vicky Rodrigues – School business manager, Grove Park Primary School
“Having worked as a school business manager for more than 10 years, I was looking to develop my skills and knowledge in areas other than finance. Working in a large primary school, which is also establishing a MAT, I’ve found that I’m dealing with more and more HR-related topics. Having no formal training in HR, this Level 5 course seems an ideal qualification to enable me to further support our organisation as we develop, and to help ensure we maintain the high-quality staffing we need.”
Jo Long – Business manager, Venture Mat
Bethan Cullen is commercial director at the Institute of School Business Leadership
