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Date: 7 Sep 2010
Address: http://www1.nationalcollege.org.uk/index/professional-development/adsbm/adsbm-programme-details

ADSBM programme details

The Advanced Diploma of School Business Management (ADSBM) is delivered through a blended learning approach, which encompasses the following: face-to-face residential sessions; online interactive programme materials; guided and independent research activities, in which participants will develop their research practices and methodology; online communities in which school business managers (SBMs), programme facilitators, educationalists and policy makers debate issues, learn from each other and influence policy; work-based activities and self study.

You will start the programme as a member of a small group of SBMs and receive individual support from the expert facilitator assigned to that group. You will take responsibility for your own learning and will become involved in debate and study with both your own group and the national population of individuals studying ADSBM.

Phase Details
Phase 1 Online induction including pre-reading exercises, exploration of research techniques, assessing the current knowledge base and identifying individual learning objectives.   
Phase 2

This is the preparatory phase and focuses on two units.

Unit 1: Professional self-assessment and 360-degree feedback
Unit 2: Developing research skills

Phase 3

Module 1: Enabling learning - focuses on different aspects of resource management (design for learning, technology for learning, data for learning, support for learning and extended learning) to provide a leading-edge summary of the innovations that schools are taking forward to improve provision.

Module 2: Measuring school performance - focuses on the use of data to inform decisions to secure the improvement of the school. It enables participants to develop and demonstrate the skills to analyse the effectiveness of a school, based on key indicators and performance measures and to use different types of data to identify key areas for school improvement. The module will also enable participants to exercise good professional judgement in the use of appropriate approaches to performance measurement and improvement planning.
Phase 4

Module 3: Transforming organisations - analyses the nature of organisations and the forces leading to their transformation in contemporary society. It then explores the claim that the education system in the UK is currently undergoing a new process of organisational transformation, and that this is different from previous phases of organisational change in public sector settings. Finally, it examines the implications of this process of organisational re-structuring for school business management and considers how SBMs should respond.

Module 4: Understanding the leadership of organisations - provides participants with the opportunity to develop their leadership skills, particularly in providing direction, offering inspiration, building teamwork, setting an example, and gaining acceptance. This module examines a range of different leadership styles and models of organisational leadership.
Phase 5

Module 5: Managing strategic finances - focuses on the approaches and techniques required to build strong strategic financial and resource management within schools. It focuses on issues related to probity, equity and the ethics of budget management. It also considers the leadership role of the school business manager with regard to ensuring whole school understanding and accountability in financial and resource management. Finally, there is particular emphasis on the role of the entrepreneurial school business manager and the professional skills required to exercise that role.

Module 6: Managing programmes - focuses on the development of programme management skills, to enable the participant to ensure the strategic alignment of a series of related projects and to develop a business case for a new complex change initiative in a school setting.