Dealing with isolation in the School Business Manager and School Business Leader role

Why can the SBM or SBL role feel isolating?

For the School Business Manager or School Business Leader, isolation can be a very real issue.

The role is unusual because it often sits between several different groups within a school. An SBM or SBL may be part of the senior leadership team while also managing support staff, working closely with teachers and taking responsibility for areas ranging from finance and procurement to HR, estates and administration.

That breadth is one of the strengths of school business leadership, but it can also make it difficult to feel that you fully belong to one particular team.

New School Business Managers may experience this while they are still finding their feet and building relationships. More experienced school business professionals can also find themselves feeling isolated when workload pressures increase, responsibilities change or an important working relationship becomes difficult.

That is why having support around you before you need it is so important.

Why does connection matter for school business professionals?

Emma Gray, who originally wrote this article, described how isolation and stress in a previous role eventually reached a point where her ability to do her job began to suffer. Her experience became one of the reasons she advocated so strongly for collaboration and peer support within the school business profession.

Her message remains relevant: school business professionals should not have to do the job alone.

The Department for Education's Education Staff Wellbeing Charter applies to everyone working in state education, including support staff. It encourages schools and colleges to create supportive cultures, open conversations about wellbeing and develop approaches that protect the mental health and wellbeing of staff.

Support therefore should not only appear when somebody is struggling. Strong professional relationships, manageable boundaries and opportunities to connect with colleagues should be part of normal school life.

How can School Business Managers build a strong support network?

You may be experienced, qualified and confident in your role, but that does not mean you should try to manage every challenge by yourself.

Building your support network proactively can make difficult situations far easier to navigate.

Connect with other school business professionals

Sometimes it is the accumulation of everyday challenges that becomes difficult.

Connecting with people who genuinely understand the school business management role gives you somewhere to share ideas, discuss problems and gain a different perspective.

Look for local School Business Manager groups, professional associations, trust-wide networks, conferences and online communities.

The Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) supports local groups and regional networks specifically to help school business professionals share knowledge, build relationships and access peer support. Its Professional Standards also identify collaboration as an important part of effective school business leadership.

The important thing is to be proactive. Build those relationships while things are going well rather than waiting until you are facing a difficult situation.

How can SBMs feel more connected within their own school?

Being part of the school community requires visibility.

When workloads become demanding, it can be tempting for School Business Managers to spend most of the day in the school office dealing with budgets, emails, staffing, procurement and administration.

However, staying behind the office door can unintentionally increase feelings of separation.

Make an effort to take part in wider school life where your workload allows. Attend relevant staff meetings, speak to colleagues across departments, spend time around the school and take part in staff events.

You do not have to be involved in everything. The aim is simply to avoid becoming disconnected from the people and activities you are helping to support.

The School Business Manager is there to help the whole school function effectively, so building relationships across the school community is an important part of the role.

Should a School Business Manager have a mentor?

A mentor can be particularly valuable for anyone who is new to school business management, moving into a more senior role or dealing with responsibilities they have not encountered before.

Ideally, this should be an experienced school business professional who understands the realities of the role and is willing to stay in regular contact.

A mentor can give you a confidential space to discuss a difficult situation, test an idea or simply ask, "How would you approach this?"

They can also provide perspective. Problems can feel much bigger when you are dealing with them alone, particularly when you are under pressure.

Mentoring does not have to be a formal programme. A trusted professional contact who understands your role and with whom you regularly check in can provide valuable support.

Why are relationships with senior leaders so important?

One of the most important working relationships for many School Business Managers is the relationship with their headteacher, principal or executive leader.

When that relationship works well, it can provide clarity, trust and a strong partnership between educational and operational leadership.

However, relationships can change.

Differences of opinion, organisational changes, workload pressures or difficult decisions can all create tension. Relying on a single relationship for all your professional support can therefore leave you feeling particularly vulnerable if difficulties arise.

Build positive relationships with other members of the senior leadership team, governors or trust colleagues where appropriate.

This is not about creating sides. It is about ensuring there are several people within the organisation who understand your role, responsibilities and contribution to the school.

What mistakes can increase isolation for School Business Managers?

Isolation rarely develops because of one decision. It is more often the result of small habits becoming established over time.

Common mistakes can include:

• spending almost the entire working day in the school office
• only speaking to colleagues when there is a problem to solve
• waiting until a crisis before seeking professional support
• trying to demonstrate competence by doing everything yourself
• becoming disconnected from professional development and external networks
• relying entirely on one senior colleague for support
• allowing workload pressures to remove every opportunity for connection

None of these automatically means somebody will become isolated. However, recognising the signs early gives you the opportunity to make changes.

What should schools and trusts do to reduce professional isolation?

Preventing isolation should not sit entirely with the individual School Business Manager.

Headteachers, senior leadership teams and trust leaders should consider whether school business professionals have the same opportunities for professional development, collaboration and peer support as other members of staff.

That might mean giving an SBM time to attend a local professional network, connecting business professionals across a multi-academy trust, arranging mentoring or ensuring they are included in the meetings and conversations relevant to their responsibilities.

Leaders should also create opportunities for honest conversations about workload pressures and wellbeing.

A School Business Manager who feels connected, respected and able to ask for support is better placed to contribute strategically to the organisation than somebody who feels they must manage every responsibility alone.

Is the School Business Manager role always isolating?

Absolutely not.

Working in a school can be vibrant, varied and extremely rewarding.

School Business Managers and School Business Leaders play an important part in creating the conditions that allow teachers, support staff and pupils to thrive. Their work touches almost every part of school life, from budgets and resources to premises, staffing and long-term planning.

Being connected to the school community makes that contribution much easier to see and appreciate.

The aim is not to remove every difficult day. It is to make sure that when those days happen, there are people around you who understand the role and can help.

How does GLS support School Business Managers?

At GLS, Schools. We get you.

That means understanding that school business management involves far more than ordering school supplies or managing budgets. School Business Managers are balancing competing priorities, responding to staff needs and keeping essential school operations moving every day.

Where possible, removing unnecessary administrative pressure can create more time for the strategic and people-focused parts of the role.

Simple processes, organised procurement and digital ordering tools can help reduce some of the operational friction involved in managing school resources. GLS also provides practical guidance for School Business Managers across areas including procurement, workload, organisation and school operations.

The objective is simple: make everyday tasks easier so school business professionals have more capacity for the work that genuinely needs their expertise.

Conclusion

School Business Managers occupy a unique position within schools, and that can occasionally feel isolating. The most effective protection is connection: relationships within your school, trusted colleagues outside it, professional networks and people you can approach when something does not feel right.

Build that support structure before you need it.

Being an effective School Business Manager does not mean doing everything alone. It means knowing when collaboration, another perspective or simply a conversation will help you move forward.