As 2024 gets under way, as with most people it is time to reflect own the year ahead and what the education world faces. The news that the election may not happen until later in 2024 is welcome news to the majority of independent schools and it gives a little more time to plan what happens if VAT is imposed on school fees.
Making yourself as efficient as possible is one of the simplest things to look at. The use of benchmarking information helps point towards areas that might be considered, but it is not a cure-all. Make sure that contracts are negotiated robustly and opportunities to tighten belts, while not affecting the education of kids, are taken.
In other areas, there is still pressure on potential rises in Teachers’ Pensions increases and colleagues in school not on the business side struggle to understand the challenges. One Christmas card received talked of the unfeeling approach of management in wanting to change pension arrangements. It’s not something done lightly or for the fun of it. It is vital to schools, particularly smaller schools, and is not linked to whether a school is a successful academically or not.
On other matters, and talking of belt tightening, the newspapers are full of guidance on healthier lifestyles, weight loss, reduced alcohol intake and mental wellbeing, highlighting successful schemes that are impossible for most of us. All are important and indisputable. Other resolutions may be to be more kind, phone your parents more often, give more to charity or not to get cross about ridiculous newspaper articles from biased reporters.
Whatever your resolution or your challenges, I hope that all my colleagues have a wonderfully positive, healthy and profitable 2024 and most importantly that those in independent schools remain working in schools that thrive in spite of external pressures.
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