building financial strength in large secondary schools

overview

Creating a consistently strong surplus and working capital, to execute, with confidence, the Board's budget and delivery of the capital works programme.

Content outline

This course covers the key aspects of effective financial management in large secondary schools and provides ongoing support for participants.

• Defining financial strength and the aspects of making it strong, safe, secure and sustainable.

• Large secondary schools - a different beast with unique challenges and opportunities.

• Helping to set the Operating Budget to create a consistently strong surplus with a positive cashflow and sufficient working capital – the disciplines needed to cover cyclical maintenance, depreciation and reserves. 

• Creating a Capital Works Budget to support the teaching and learning needs of the school.

• Assisting with the compexities of a large budget.

• Executing the Board's capital works programme with confidence, considering the need to maintain a safe cash reserve and to plan for an ongoing strong and positive Working Capital to cover maintenance and replacement of the Board owned assets.

• Providing the opinion of an experienced, external ‘critical friend’, responding to individual questions and queries in the form of tailored advice throughout the year.

• Contributing to the Annual Review of Financial Performance.

• Supporting the Finance Chair and Principal in reporting effectively to the wider Board.

career stage target

Developing, beginning and aspiring Principals, both primary and secondary, Board and Finance Committee members.