News / Information & Guides | The Education Broker

Is my business in danger from RAAC?

The vast majority of people were unfamiliar with RAAC until very recently, when headlines of sudden school closures linked to the material brought it into public awareness for the first time. Now, people are wondering what RAAC is and why it might be so dangerous.

Managing long term school staff absence: best practices and responsibilities

This has been adapted from an article originally provided by our sister company, health & safety, HR and employment law experts, Stallard Kane.

Getting Back on the Rollercoaster

As we enter the beginning of a new term, there may be staff members who are feeling the trepidation of returning.

New Year, New You

It’s a cliché that we’ve heard so many times. At the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, resolutions are made, and, more often than not, broken.

Celebrating our school governors and the impact they can have

School governors are recognised as one of the largest volunteer groups in England with the ability to positively impact children’s learning and experience whilst at school.

Mindfulness - Being in the moment

Mindfulness, there’s a lot of talk about it, but what exactly is it, and how can it help you as working in a busy school environment?

Magic Breakfast

Pre-Pandemic, 1.7 million children were at risk of hunger in the UK*, and by early 2022, this number had risen to 2.7 million before rocketing still further to 4 million in September 2022.

Kindness, not just a very nice word

Did you know that kindness is not just about being nice? It’s so much more than that. Kindness can mean different things to different people, whether it be a gesture, a good turn, empathy, or with acceptance, and it all starts from within.

Managing your budgets, where do you cut back?

With the costs of living increasing and energy bills soaring, there is pressure on budgets everywhere and we know people are constantly looking at ways to keeps expenses low where possible and balance budgets.

A problem shared…

The saying may sound cliché, but out of the 890 calls* received by our Employee Assistance Programme over the last 12 months, 825 were in respect of counselling. Out of these, anxiety represented almost a quarter, making it the most common reason to call. Other reasons included depression, low mood, and concerns over health.

10 Tips for taking care of your mental health

Looking after our mental health is just as important as our physical health. There are many things you can do to take care of your mental health - read our 10 tips here.

Hints and Tips for a productive day

With never-ending To-Do lists, feeling like there's no end to your busyness can hinder your productivity. Here's our tips for when you're up to here with it and just can't seem to make a dent in that To-Do list of yours.

Trust: not just a multi-academy thing

School Business Managers are on the receiving end of trust in many ways, and not just in the not stealing the school trip money kind of way. Rose-Marie looks at how important trust is in professional relationships and how to encourage others to trust in you.

Manage interruptions or they'll manage you

A constant stream of interruptions can dramatically reduce effectiveness, affect your wellbeing and ultimately stop your school getting the best from you. Andrew Blench shares the changes he made during his career as a School Business Manager to stop interruptions from managing him.

A day in the life of an average SBM - written by Andy Heron

Despite sharing similar job titles, in no way will one SBM's day be the same as another's. Andy Heron from The Maelor School talks us through his average day and the many bows to his arrow. Can you relate?

My Top 10 Resources - written by Rosemary Cotton

So many resources, so little time! I've made a list of my Top 10 resources (in no particular order) that I think are a great place to start!

Preparing for January: A SBP's Guide

It's important to get organised leading up to Christmas break so that you can really enjoy your time off after such a hectic term. Cheryl Campbell shares her guide to preparing for January.

9 tips for feeling happy at work

Your mood at work makes a massive difference to your productivity. Whether it's clashing with the people you work with or feeling sedentary, we've written 9 tips for feeling happy at work.

7 tips to transform your classroom

The look and feel of a child's classroom can have a significant impact on the way they learn. We've come up with 7 tips to transform your classroom for the ultimate learning environment – why not try applying these around the whole school or passing them on to a teacher?

A healthy lifestyle: proof is in the salad

A delightfully warm summer has meant lighter lunches and more time spent being active outside. But why is it that our motivation grinds to a halt once we start wrapping up again? Try incorporating our 3 easy tips into your day, in a bid to stay healthy throughout those colder months.

The growing problem of stress

Raise your hand if you agree working in a school environment can be stressful. We look at how this affects your body and how to deal with it.

How to survive as a School Business Manager

There's no doubt that being a School Business Manager comes with its challenges. If you're feeling frustrated with the pressure of SBM life, read our survival tips.

How to help employees with long-term sickness

A useful guide on helping employees with long-term sickness back to work, including practical steps and how to manage long-term absences.