The following workshops took place at the International Conference 2008.
Schools are at the forefront of public services delivering a high standard of learning opportunities to over eight million children a year. Balancing the demands of local and national priorities to deliver improved educational outcomes in an ever changing pupil context and a tighter funding settlement means that planning ahead is more crucial than ever before. This workshop covered how a thorough self-evaluation process and effective consultation is key to ensuring a robust school improvement plan and budget that will clearly demonstrate real value for money. The recently-launched Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) school improvement planning framework enables schools to design targeted support and services and demonstrate their impact on standards and achievement. Linking long-term development plans with sound budgeting processes will raise standards and achieve value for money too. The value for money planning guide is a practical tool to take the school leadership team through that planning process. Delegates also heard from schools that are already benefiting from this approach.
View the slides from the DCSF workshop 
(176kb, 11 pages).
Dr Bethel focused on issues of importance in the partnership of school business managers (SBMs) and headteachers. The globally growing profession of school business managers is recognised as vital to the success of the entire education system. Workshop key themes included the following:
View the Sheila Bethel Institute presentation (200kb, 8 pages).
Continuing professional development (CPD) is a well-established feature of a teaching career, but in the current educational environment all adults who work in schools need to be professionally developed to improve the life chances on children. Many training and other development opportunities are available to help support this including the Certificate and Diploma of School Business Management. This workshop examined the wide variety of CPD opportunities available; the key role SBMs can play in making CPD a reality - particularly for support staff; and the benefits and barriers to achieving an inclusive approach to CPD for all school staff. Delegates also heard from SBMs who have made CPD a truly school-wide process and how this has made a real impact on pupil standards and well-being in their schools.
View the slides from the TDA workshop (492kb, 28 pages).
This workshop discussed what sustainability means and considered ways in which schools can become more sustainable. It shared the findings of a research study conducted by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to explore what sustainability currently looks like in schools and considered the skills and characteristics of those who are leading this important agenda. The workshop also shared the findings of another piece of research, which focuses on leading sustainable building projects in the light of Building Schools for the Future and the Primary Capital programmes.
The workshop also shared the new NCSL sustainability toolkit that aims to help schools audit their current position and provide ideas for action that will help schools to operate in a more sustainable way.
View the slides from the NCSL and WWF workshop (500kb, 14 pages).
It is recognised that enhanced business support could have a significant impact on school effectiveness, be at least cost-neutral and should free up funds for reinvestment in teaching and learning.
Research conducted by NCSL shows that there is potential for around a third of headteacher's time to be freed up to allow increased headteacher focus on teaching and learning - headteachers of small primary schools are likely to particularly benefit. As an additional benefit, the headteacher role should become more attractive as many of the factors that cause demotivation and attrition in headteacher numbers are addressed.
NCSL has been asked to organise and evaluate 24 demonstration projects in a series of waves throughout 2008-9, which test the concept of the advanced school business manager/school business director in a range of settings and geographical contexts.
This workshop provided an overview of the projects and how they will contribute to the further professional development of school business managers. The workshop included the opportunity to hear from key individuals involved in two of the early projects and how these projects have developed as they talk about their individual settings.
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