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A 4-step process for curriculum-based financial planning

Curriculum-based financial planning is widely recognised to improve financial efficiency, maximise your resource and help deliver a broad, balanced curriculum. Here’s a quick overview of the 4-step process to help you get started with curriculum-led budget planning for your school or academy.

Posted 06/02/2019

Step 1: Review

The first step is to look back and gather information and data from last year/s that could inform planning for the following year:

  • Did last year’s curriculum meet the needs of our pupils?
  • How much did we on spend on staff and resources last year? Including teachers, support staff, management, supply teachers, external staff, material/resources costs.
  • What was our class size, cost per lesson, pupil-teacher ratio, curriculum headroom/bonus?
  • Are there any potential staff changes?

Step 2: Analyse

Next look forward to what you want to do, and how you want to do things, in the short-term as well as for the future:

  • What curriculum do we want to provide?
  • What do the pupils in our key year groups need?
  • What is the optimal number of periods, groups and class size per subject?
  • What is the optimal staff contact/non-contact time?
  • How do we compare to similar schools?
  • Where could we increase efficiency or save costs?

Step 3: Design

Then build up the cost of delivering it each year, looking for any efficiencies or areas where you can spread the cost:

  • What resources do we need to deliver each subject per year group: staff make-up, materials or resources, management time, development costs?
  • How many pupils with special educational needs per class?
  • Do we have the right resources?
  • Can we use existing resources more effectively or differently?
  • Can we resource specific subjects more efficiently?

Step 4: Evaluate

Evaluate if it’s viable in the short-term as well as sustainable for the future, and what changes need to happen:

  • Does the staffing structure meet the current and futures needs?
  • Can we afford to deliver the curriculum or make the changes wanted?
  • How can we make any changes effectively?
  • How can we improve our planning next year?

“Regular review enables the trust to invest in the right mix of staff, and in high-quality professional development, to maximise pupil outcomes and value for money. They also ensure the structure matches as closely as possible with the current and futures needs of the trust, which will change over time. Structures should be reviewed annually along with the curriculum and plans for improvement, as part of workforce planning.” Jane Gibson, Access Education

For further detail and more practical tips, download our quick guide to Curriculum-based financial planning. You can also read about one school’s experience of curriculum-led budget planning and its impact on their finances and pupil outcomes.