Improve your school's and trust's digital and financial planning
Source: gov.uk (2025-12-04)

Information about the range of support available to schools and trusts to build capability, improve commercial expertise and meet digital standards.

Overview

Schools and trusts are at the forefront of technological transformation. As digital tools become increasingly central to how we learn and work, ensuring your school or trust has the right technology in place (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/meeting-digital-and-technology-standards-in-schools-and-colleges) is more important than ever.

This page brings together resources and guidance from the Department for Education (DfE) to support schools and trusts to improve their commercial expertise, meet digital standards and share what works across the sector.

Plan and implement technology in your school

Use DfE’s Plan technology for your school (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/plan-technology-for-your-school?utm_source=GHB4S&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=GHB4S&utm_id=GHB4S) service to help you to plan and implement technology effectively. By offering personalised assessments and recommendations, the service helps schools make informed decisions about their technology investments – from basic digital infrastructure to cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) tools.

Use DfE’s Digital and technology standards (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/meeting-digital-and-technology-standards-in-schools-and-colleges) to make safer, more cost-efficient decisions about technology in your school, trust or college.

Artificial intelligence

Generative AI in education (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/generative-artificial-intelligence-in-education) offers practical ways to integrate AI tools into schools and trusts. You can use these tools to:
- reduce teacher workload
- personalise learning
- give every child access to cutting-edge educational technology
DfE supports the AI Opportunities Action Plan (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ai-opportunities-action-plan/ai-opportunities-action-plan). This plan sets out the government’s strategy to use AI to drive economic growth and improve public services. As part of this strategy, schools and trusts will gain access to high-performance computing resources to run AI applications and establish pathways for teachers to gain essential skills to enhance learning outcomes.

Using AI in education settings: support materials (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/using-ai-in-education-settings-support-materials) supports staff in schools, trusts and colleges to use AI safely and effectively. It also includes suggestions for how AI can reduce workload and improve teaching practice.

Support for budgeting and financial planning

Use these management information resources to plan your school’s and trust’s finances effectively. They help you to:
- compare spending with similar schools and trusts
- identify potential savings
- make informed decisions about staffing and curriculum
Financial benchmarking and insights tools (FBIT) (https://financial-benchmarking-and-insights-tool.education.gov.uk/) is a service that helps schools view and improve their spending.

You can use this to see how your spending compares with schools, academies or trusts across England.

School resource management advisers

School resource management advisers (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-school-resource-management-advisers-srma-programme) are experienced education professionals who provide free, independent advice to help schools and trusts make the most of their budgets.

Any school, academy trust or local authority can contact DfE directly using the customer help portal (https://customerhelpportal.education.gov.uk/) to arrange a visit. The support is free of charge and available to all schools regardless of their financial position – whether they’re facing current challenges or simply want to ensure they’re making the best of their resources.

Useful links

Integrated curriculum and financial planning (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/integrated-curriculum-and-financial-planning-icfp)

Financial benchmarking and insights tool (FBIT) (https://financial-benchmarking-and-insights-tool.education.gov.uk/)

The school resource management advisers programme (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-school-resource-management-advisers-srma-programme)

School resource management self-assessment checklist (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-resource-management-self-assessment-checklist)

Get financial advice for schools (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-financial-advice-for-schools)

Academies: compliance, funding and payments (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/academies-funding-payments-and-compliance)

RISE school improvement support (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/school-improvement-support)

Meeting digital and technology standards in schools and colleges (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/meeting-digital-and-technology-standards-in-schools-and-colleges)

Plan technology for your school (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/plan-technology-for-your-school?utm_source=GHB4Sblog&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=GHB4Sblog&utm_id=GHB4Sblog)

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) in education (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/generative-artificial-intelligence-in-education)

AI Opportunities Action Plan (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ai-opportunities-action-plan/ai-opportunities-action-plan)

Access to specialist advisers, training programmes and peer networks to build your team’s capabilities

You can get expert help when you need it. Our expert advisers, training programmes and ready-to-use toolkits are designed for busy school leaders who want practical solutions that work.

School business professionals (SBPs) lead the financial and operational management and play a vital role in ensuring that the focus of a school or trust remains on improving educational outcomes.

The department currently provides training and development (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-resource-management-training-and-support) to SBPs working in local authority-maintained schools and academy trusts.

Continuing professional development

Continuing professional development (CPD) is important for education professionals to enhance and improve their knowledge and skills and as a result better support and educate students.

CPD includes formal courses and informal learning such as:
- reflecting on practice
- working with colleagues
- attending seminars
School business professional procurement training

The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) accreditation programmes help schools and trusts make the most of their budgets (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-resource-management-training-and-support) and enhance their commercial capabilities.

From the Contact Management Foundation course to the Procurement Excellence Programme, these training options build essential procurement skills for day-to-day management.

Investing in commercial capability helps you become a smarter buyer, manage resources more efficiently and achieve better value for money on non-staff spending. By developing these skills, your school can direct more resources toward improving educational outcomes for pupils.

You can access contract management foundation level training through the Government Commercial College (https://www.govcommercialcollege.co.uk/login/index.php). You will need to register to use the site.

Useful links

School business professionals: training and development (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-resource-management-training-and-support)

Find, join or create a network for school business professionals (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/join-or-create-a-network-for-school-business-professionals)

Estate management: competency framework and relevant training (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/estate-management-competency-framework-and-relevant-training)