Frequently asked questions for the School Business Director Programme

1. Does my headteacher have to recommend me for the School Business Director Programme?

You should have the full support of your headteacher. All applicants will have to submit a reference from the supporting school for their application to be considered. It is very important that your headteacher reads the supporting documents prior to you applying for the programme.

2. Pupil referral units do not have headteachers or governors. Who do I ask to complete my reference?

The chief executive of the unit must provide your reference.

3. I do not meet 100 per cent of the eligibility criteria. Will you still consider my application?

Depending on your level of experience it may still be possible to apply. For further details, please contact 0115 872 2550.

4. How computer literate do I need to be?

You should be comfortable with using a computer and the internet for research work. The minimum specification for a personal computer is a Pentium II at 233MHz or higher. You will also need:

a PC with a minimum of 64Mb of RAM (Macs not yet supported)
a 256 colour monitor capable of 800 x 600 resolution (1,024 x 768, millions of colours recommended)
a hard drive
a CD-ROM drive
an operating system running Windows 95 or later
Internet Explorer (version 4.0 or later)
a modem, at least 56Kb per second
Flash Player 6 and Adobe Acrobat Reader
a Java VM-enabled web browser
knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint

5. Can I access a printable copy of the application form?

Unfortunately, the application form is not available in a printable format and must be completed and submitted online.

6. Can I apply for any of the listed national programmes, or am I restricted to the venues that are supplied by the delivery provider for my area?

If your application is accepted, your training provider will contact you to provide details of the training programme.

7. What happens after I've submitted my application?

An email will be automatically sent out once the applicant has successfully completed the online application form, informing them that the application has been submitted successfully to the National College. The applicant will know whether they have been successful once the application sift is completed by their training provider. This will be approximately one month after the application closing date

8. Are the number of places available restricted and if so, is there a waiting list?

There will be around 40 places assigned to the programme which will be allocated to those suitable for the programme as determinable from their application form. Where there are more than 40 applicants suitable to undertake the programme, the sifting priorities outlined below will be implemented.

In general, larger (secondary) schools have school business management (SBM) support while smaller (primary or special) schools do not. Also, the national agreement highlights the need to attract managers from outside education where they have expertise to contribute effectively to schools' leadership teams. Consequently, the National College will prioritise applications as follows.

Priority group 1 - SBMs from special schools and pupil referral units
Priority group 2 - SBMs from primary, nursery or infant schools
Priority group 3 - SBMs from middle schools
Priority group 4 - SBMs from secondary schools and local education authorities
Priority group 5 - Department for Education
Priority group 6 - other

In some circumstances, the National College may adjust the order of these priority groups so that each region will be allocated a reasonable diversity of participants. This will help to avoid facilitator groups being filled with participants from the same school phase, since this is likely to inhibit the learning experience.

9. I would like to work with a colleague school business manager, is this possible?

As part of the programme, we encourage participants to contact colleagues on a national and local level through our online network.

10. Do I have to attend all sessions?

Yes, in order to successfully complete the programme, you are required to attend all face-to-face events.

11. What is the composition and size of the cohorts?

The cohort as a whole will consist of around 40 participants and you be assigned a personal coach to work with.

12. What support is available throughout the programme?

Participants can track their progress online throughout the programme using the National College's My College. This is a tool that participants use to work through the modules. Progress is also fed back by the coach at face-to-face sessions, personal tutorial sessions and regular way communication.

13. Where can I get technical support for problems with online materials/access?

You should contact the National College help desk on 0845 609 0009 or enquiries@nationalcollege.org.uk.

14. Do I have to pay for materials?

Materials are available online for all participants, the only costs that participants will be required to meet are the printing costs of some materials as these are downloaded from the National College website.

15. Can I use the materials afterwards in my school setting?

Yes. However we will require that you agree that the programme materials remain the intellectual property of the National College.

16. Can I claim for the costs of supply /release cover?

The National College will not meet supply or release cover costs.

17. Can I claim for travel expenses?

The National College will not meet travel expenses.

18. Can the programme contribute any credit towards a Masters level programme?

Depending on the study route taken through the programme, and subject to validation, we are expecting that the programme will count towards a Masters level programme which you can continue with a higher education institute.

19. Will I receive any form of accreditation for completing the programme?

The National College is working with external partners to accredit the programme. Further details will be announced at a later date but we are designing the programme in a way which ensures that candidates can progress onto relevant and appropriate Masters level programmes.