Making a Difference Every Day: NSBL Day 2024 Winner Tracey Parsons Reflects on 10 Years in the Role

Making a Difference Every Day: NSBL Day 2024 Winner Tracey Parsons Reflects on 10 Years in the Role 

National School Business Leaders’ Day is an annual event created by School Business Services dedicated to recognising and celebrating the pivotal role of School Business Leaders in the UK's education sector. Friday, 6th June 2025 marks the fourth year of the celebration. 

SBLs are integral to the strategic and operational success of schools, overseeing budgets, managing operations, and supporting leadership teams to ensure optimal outcomes for pupils. A highlight of NSBL Day is the National School Business Leader of the Year award, which honours an outstanding SBL who has made a significant impact through innovation, resilience, leadership, or community engagement. This award serves to spotlight the exceptional contributions of SBLs to the education sector. 

In 2024, Tracey Parsons from Brockmoor and Brierley Hill Primary Schools was the esteemed recipient of this award, recognised for her exemplary leadership and dedication. Her achievements have set a benchmark for excellence in the field. 

We met with Tracey one year on to learn more about her journey, exploring the initiatives and strategies that led to her recognition. It also provides insights into the significance of NSBL Day and the National SBL of the Year award, highlighting the vital role SBLs play in shaping the future of education. 

A Decade of Change  

Tracey is a School Business Leader whose journey into education began, unusually, in the Department for Work and Pensions. After over a decade in the civil service, Tracey became a School Governor, but it was a vacancy for a School Business Manager at the same school that set her on a new path. 

“The SBM role seemed like such a varied job. A role with real purpose and meaning” she explains. 

Now approaching her 10th anniversary in the role, Tracey has seen the job evolve dramatically. “As budgets have tightened, the strategic responsibility has only increased. I feel like my role enables our leadership team to focus on what matters most: teaching, learning and safeguarding”.

That sense of purpose is woven through everything she says. “We work in a deprived area – and I truly believe that the more we can do with our budgets, the better outcomes we can support for our children” she says. “Where you start in life doesn’t have to define where you end up”.

This belief has driven decisions like hiring apprentice sports coaches, an initiative that’s improved children’s physical development while also releasing teachers for planning time. 

Tracey’s school recently became part of a federation, a strategic move that has enabled greater collaboration, resource sharing, and a more unified approach to leadership and school improvement. 

The Power of Recognition

Winning the NSBL Day award came as a complete surprise to Tracey. 

“My Headteacher never told me he’d nominated me – he just turned up with the award!” she laughs. “It was emotional, because someone I respect took the time to acknowledge my work. It made me feel genuinely appreciated”.

The recognition didn’t just boost morale, it changed her perspective. “It gave me the confidence to take on a new challenge, I’m now studying for a Chartered Accountancy qualification. I realised I’ve still got a lot more to give – not just to my schools, but to my own development too.”

Advice for New SBLs 

So, what would she say to someone just starting out in the role? 

“Find your network,” she says. “The SBM community can be such a powerful source of support, ideas and motivation. Especially in schools where you are the only SBL, where it can feel lonely – it makes a huge difference to have people you can ask if you're unsure about something”.

Looking Ahead 

Tracey's story is a reminder of the impact one person can make through dedication, strategy, and heart. As she marks a decade in the role and looks to the future, her journey continues to inspire others across the sector. On NSBL Day and beyond, her leadership is a powerful example of why School Business Leaders deserve to be celebrated – not just once a year, but every day.