Guidance

Find, join or create a network for school business professionals

How business professionals working in schools can find, join or create a network of local school business professionals.

Applies to England

Documents

Details

This guide describes how business professionals working in schools can join or create a school business professional network. Networks help professionals to connect and share information.

The school business professional networks directory includes groups that provide peer-to-peer support to help with a broad range of work-related activity, including buying for schools.

You can find potential networks by region group. Inclusion in the directory does not constitute a recommendation by the Department for Education (DfE).

All levels of staff can benefit from being part of a network. A network offers many opportunities, including:

  • sharing experience and best practice between members and the wider schools sector
  • creating an on-call community to resolve problems quickly, saving time and money
  • getting better value for money through buying together
  • sharing local benchmarking data
  • linking to wider local, regional and national networks
  • supporting innovation
  • being a communication channel between school business professionals, professional bodies and DfE
  • promoting local opportunities and providing peer support for members

Updates to this page

Published 22 February 2018
Last updated 246 JuneAugust 2025 + show all updates
  1. Updated 'Find a school business professional network' with the new network lead for Manchester and Trafford School Business Leaders Forum. Added Yorkshire and Humber CFO network. Removed Walsall School Business Leaders.

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