DSBM Individual Online Units
Are you an experienced and qualified School Business Manager who recognises the need for CPD that takes into account significant changes in recent years?
Are you employed or looking to be employed as a ‘specialist’ across different schools?
Are you an aspiring school business manager who, with a school’s support, would like to take the first steps towards a qualification, rather than completing the full DSBM in one go?
We also offer individual units to run alongside the full online programme. These will be delivered as online modules, facilitated and supported by national experts, recognised as a qualification in its own right. The online SBM modules we offer are:
- Operational Leadership in Schools or Trusts
- Finance in Schools or Trusts
- Procurement in Schools or Trusts
Please note, you do not need to be enrolled on our full ILM Level 4 Diploma in School Business Managers programme to access the online SBM modules.
Who is this for?
- Experienced and qualified school business managers looking for additional CPD in a developing area that they may have studied some time ago
- Individuals whose roles are expanding to require a greater knowledge of operational leadership, finance or procurement within a school, MAT or school network
- Aspiring individuals looking to study and gain a qualification in a specialist area to support their professional development (must have the support of a school to engage in school-based activities)
How is this delivered?
These will be delivered as interactive online units, facilitated and supported by national experts. Delivery will include webinars and opportunities to collaborate with peers and tutors. Assessment is through the completion of school-based tasks and an e-portfolio of evidence.
Key Information
What can you study?
As independent units, we offer three online SBM modules from the updated (July 2025) Programme of Study that provides 10 credits each at level 4. Each individual unit is therefore recognised as a qualification in its own right.
You can choose any of the following:
Operational Leadership in Schools or Trusts - 35 guided learning hours
The purpose of this unit is to equip learners with the knowledge and skills required to lead operations across a school or trust. This includes operational planning of business functions across a school or trust to ensure effective and sustainable resource allocation and legal compliance in order to maximise outcomes for pupils.
This unit has been written to cover core elements of the Associate Practitioner level of the Operational Leadership discipline area of the ISBL Professional Standards.
Finance in Schools or Trusts - 35 guided learning hours
The purpose of this unit is to equip learners with the knowledge and skills required to support the effective management, planning, monitoring, reporting and control of finances in a school or trust including adherence to regulatory requirements.
This unit has been written to cover core elements of the Associate Practitioner Level of the Finance discipline area of the ISBL Professional Standards.
Procurement in Schools or Trusts - 35 guided learning hours
The purpose of this unit is to equip learners with the knowledge and skills required to support the procurement of goods, services and works to achieve best value from all school or trust resources, and also by using effective contract and supplier management within the context of regulatory frameworks and current legislation. This unit has been written to cover core elements of the Associate Practitioner level of the Procurement discipline area of the ISBL Professional Standards.
Each online SBM module costs £420+VAT.
Members of the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) are entitled to a 5% discount (ISBL membership number required).
How to apply
When submitting their application, applicants must upload a signed Headteacher Declaration form in which they agree to support you through the programme and confirm that the school will finance the cost of the course. It will save time if applicants obtain this prior to starting the online registration process.
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