Unbound SBLs: What do we mean by value in schools?

Liz is joined by Unbound SBLs Emma Gray and Helen Burge to unpack what ‘value’ really means for school business leaders – and how to create more of it, even when time and money are tight.

The conversation opens with a listener challenge: an SBL facing a leadership decision that carries real financial risk, while the rest of the room seems ready to nod it through. Should they speak up or go along with the consensus? Helen and Emma talk through impact assessments, risk registers, and the courage to be the lone dissenting voice – borrowing from Edward de Bono's six thinking hats along the way.

From there, the discussion turns to what value actually looks like in practice: reducing friction in everyday systems, managing supplier contracts as relationships rather than transactions, and making the most of staffing budgets.

Key talking points: 

• Cutting friction – why removing small barriers and duplication has a snowball effect on team performance.
• Data gathering – a starting point for curiosity, identifying issues, planning and prioritising. 
• The DfE's maximising value in schools guidance – collective buying agreements, the teacher vacancy service and financial benchmarking tool. 
• Staff absence – how return-to-work conversations, line manager training and small culture shifts (like speaking to a person rather than an answerphone) can reduce costs.
• Time management – how to prioritise strategic work when the diary is dominated by day-to-day firefighting and practical tools for getting things done. 
• Where to start in a new SBL role – talking to staff at every level, gathering procurement and contract data, and mapping priorities against the school development plan.

Emma Gray and Helen Burge have both been executive business leaders in trusts, and now support school business professionals through coaching, training and consultancy. Emma is a DfE accredited school resource management advisor, and Helen co-chairs the UK Schools Sustainability Network Operations Group. They are fans of risk management, internal scrutiny and operational excellence. 

Liz Worthen’s career in education spans teaching, training, commissioning and programme development. Creating Value in Schools is all about sustainable working: taking care of people, planet and resources to secure better outcomes for children and communities.

Previous Unbound SBL episodes:

• Episode 27: Unbound SBLs: Reconsidering Risk
• Episode 21: Unbound SBLs: sector support and striving for excellence
• Episode 15: From food waste to future-proofing: the SBL year in review

Links and resources:

• Sign up for the Creating Value in Schools newsletter: http://eepurl.com/i2429o
• Edward de Bono’s six thinking hats: https://www.debonogroup.com/services/core-programs/six-thinking-hats/
• What is operational excellence? https://createvalueschools.com/need-to-know/what-is-operational-excellence-and-why-does-it-matter
• DfE maximising value for pupils guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/maximising-value-for-pupils-guidance-for-schools-and-trusts
• More on maximising value: https://createvalueschools.com/need-to-know/maximising-value-resources-for-schools
• Get help buying for schools: https://get-help-buying-for-schools.education.gov.uk/
• Eisenhower Matrix: https://www.eisenhower.me/eisenhower-matrix/
• Find recommended reads in the Creating Value in Schools bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/createvalueschools

Chapters

00:00 Welcome and Episode Setup

01:10 Listener Risk Dilemma

01:48 Tools for Dissent

05:36 Defining Value

07:18 Removing Friction

08:40 Contracts and Procurement

10:08 DfE Value Guidance

11:17 Staff Absence Value

17:22 Benchmarking Debate

20:01 Listener Time Crunch

24:16 Strategic Time Habits

27:56 Frogs Elephants Chocolate

29:09 New SBL First Steps

31:29 Inspiration and Wellbeing

33:37 Final Thanks and Wrap

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