In the final part of our blog series exploring Supporting Education Group’s broad impact, Barry Smith looks at how schools and trusts can operate smoothly in a time of tightening budgets.
Budget pressures are hitting schools hard
Strained budgets are the biggest reason why schools and trusts struggle to run as smoothly and effectively as they’d like, according to a 2024 survey by the National Governance Association.
At a time when the sector is under increasing pressure to deliver better educational outcomes with fewer resources and smaller teams, this is a significant challenge.
Juggling multiple pressures
Managing finances, staffing, compliance and SEND provision creates a cocktail of pressures which schools and trusts need support to overcome. That’s where Supporting Education Group (SEG) comes in. One of our core missions is to help schools run smoothly so they can focus on what matters most: giving children and young people the best possible educational experience.
Making operations smoother
We work with schools, multi-academy trusts and local authorities to streamline operations through financial planning, staffing and governance and compliance solutions. The goal? To improve financial efficiency and ensure compliance, allowing schools and leaders to focus on their key mission: teaching and learning.
Real impact across schools
The impact speaks for itself. In 2024, 3,500 schools used our HR, compliance, and finance tools and services. And An ImpactEd evaluation shows that schools partnering with SEG between 2021/22 and 2023/24 achieved a 95% improvement in their in-year deficit – a huge win compared to national trends, where finances have generally worsened.
Introducing SupplyBank
We’re now building on these services with a new staffing solution. In September 2024, we launched SupplyBank, a specialist managed service staffing solution for MATs that ensures the delivery of high-quality education to pupils. It helps reduce staffing costs, streamline staffing and enhance strategic planning.
To date, SEG has saved customers £22 per placement per day on their supply agency spend, with annual savings upwards of 12% forecast. This equates to potential annual sector savings of more than £35m, based on annual supply agency spend for trusts in England with more than 10 schools.
“What stands SupplyBank apart from other similar organisations is their desire to offer a service that is totally bespoke, meeting the changing needs of our individual schools and wider organisation.
“A successful organisation requires strong systems and processes, but more importantly, exceptional people – and I believe that SupplyBank stands out because of the strong values of the excellent people in the organisation.
“It’s a rather cynical world at times, and it sometimes feels in our sector that external businesses are out to make money from a vulnerable market – recruitment struggles and increased rates of staff absence, for example. But what I have experienced through collaborating with SupplyBank is that the approach feels right. It’s an approach where people and the needs of our schools and children come first in a very intuitive, flexible way.” – Matt Coleman, Deputy CEO of Nene Education Trust and our first-ever SupplyBank customer.
Added value, no extra cost
As part of SEG’s commitment to delivering maximum value to the sector, managed service customers also gain access to a suite of complementary services from across SEG – at no extra cost. From government- and levy-funded workforce development to apprenticeships, NPQs and compliance-focused e-learning, we help future-proof both your workforce and operations.
Focusing on what matters most
Budgets may stay tight in the years ahead, but with SEG’s support, schools can make the most of their resources, overcome operational pressures, and focus on what they do best: teaching and learning.
Impact Report
Want to see the results for yourself? Our Impact Report 2024 dives into the ways SEG has supported schools across its four key missions.