Customer Story: Bridgelea Primary School
Transforming school financial planning
Bridgelea Primary School, a pupil referral unit catering to children with social, emotional, and mental health needs, was in need of a flexible, reliable financial solution. The school faced the unique challenge of managing a fluctuating budget due to the dynamic nature of student intake throughout the year. With Access Education Budgets, Diane Hallworth, School Business Manager, has been able to adjust budgets swiftly and accurately, providing financial clarity, improving reporting, and enhancing forecasting - all while maintaining a focus on the school's mission. The software has been a game-changer for their budgeting, enabling the school to focus on what truly matters: supporting their students.
Access Education Budgets
Primary school
Challenge
- Managing fluctuating budgets due to student referrals and changing funding levels throughout the academic year
- Generating accurate financial forecasts that can be easily presented to Governors
- Quickly calculating staff salaries to plan for new classrooms and staffing needs
- Ensuring transparency and accountability in budget reports, including detailed explanations for cost allocations
Approach
- Using Access Education Budgets to streamline budget adjustments based on student intake and local authority funding
- Leveraging the software’s forecasting tools to make accurate financial predictions that inform school strategy
- Utilising the salary calculator to quickly assess costs for opening new classes and managing staff changes
- Incorporating detailed notes and clear KPIs into budget reports to simplify communications with Governors
Results
- Seamless budget adjustments and forecasting, even with fluctuating student numbers
- Faster, more accurate budget presentations that are easily understood by Governors
- Comprehensive staff salary calculations to support school expansion plans
- Greater financial clarity and control, ensuring funds are allocated where needed most
Introduction
Bridgelea Primary School, a pupil referral unit and special school, supports children with social, emotional, and mental health needs. Managing a fluctuating budget is a key challenge for the school, as students are referred throughout the year, meaning funding and resource needs change constantly. Diane Hallworth, School Business Manager at Bridgelea, explains how Access Education Budgets has transformed their financial management, providing flexibility, clarity, and ease of use. The software has enabled her to make quick decisions that align with the school's ever-changing financial landscape, empowering her to manage resources more efficiently.
Key takeaways
- Flexibility: "Access allows me to easily amend our budget to suit how much funding we receive from the local authority."
- Ease of use: "I find Access Education Budgets an easy tool for forecasting our annual budget and generating reports for Governors."
- Clarity in reporting: "The note section helps me track why money has been allocated to certain areas, making it simple to explain to Governors."
- Quick Calculations: "The salary calculator is a standout tool for assessing the cost of opening new classes or hiring staff."
Flexible budget management for a dynamic environment
At Bridgelea Primary School, the ability to amend budgets easily is crucial. With students entering the school throughout the academic year, traditional budget planning tools would struggle to cope. Diane notes:
"Access allows me to amend our budget accordingly to suit how much funding we receive... it's an easy tool for me to forecast our annual budget."
The flexibility of the software means that as circumstances change, the school can adjust quickly, ensuring they never lose control of their financial strategy.
Simplified forecasting and reporting
One of the standout features for Bridgelea Primary School has been the ease of generating reports. Diane highlights how presenting financial data to Governors is now simpler and more transparent:
"It’s easy to present to Governors, and easy to understand."
With comprehensive tools that allow for clear reporting, complete with KPIs and detailed notes, Diane can ensure every financial decision is backed by data that Governors can quickly grasp. This transparency builds trust and helps streamline decision-making processes.
Fast, accurate salary calculations
Opening new classes and expanding the teaching team requires swift decisions backed by precise financial calculations. Thanks to the salary calculator feature, Diane can quickly assess the impact of staffing changes:
"The quick salary calculator helps if we're looking at opening a new class or hiring staff. It's been so helpful!"
This tool gives Bridgelea the confidence to make strategic staffing decisions without delay, ensuring the school can adapt to changing needs while keeping costs in check.
Comprehensive budget notes for accountability
Another key feature that has made a significant difference to Bridgelea's budgeting process is the ability to add detailed notes to budget allocations. Diane explains:
"The note section is really useful to keep track of why money has been allocated to certain areas. It also gives clear explanations to Governors."
This added layer of accountability ensures that all financial decisions are fully transparent, giving Governors confidence in the school's financial planning.
Why Bridgelea Primary School recommends Access Education Budgets
It’s given us the ability to adjust, forecast, and report with confidence. I would recommend Access Education Budgets to any school needing flexibility and transparency in their financial planning.
With a system that provides clarity, ease of use, and the ability to adjust quickly, it’s no wonder Bridgelea relies on Access to help navigate the complexities of school finance.
Why choose Access Education Budgets for your school
Access Education Budgets is designed specifically for schools, offering tools that simplify budgeting, forecasting, and reporting. Whether it’s managing fluctuating student intake, adjusting staff salaries, or ensuring every financial decision is backed by data, Access Education Budgets empowers schools to focus on what truly matters—their students.