Integrated Curriculum and Financial Planning (ICFP) is transforming the way Multi-Academy Trusts plan, allocate, and optimise their resources. But what exactly is ICFP, and why are so many Trust leaders making it central to their strategy?
In this article, we break down the fundamentals of ICFP, explain why it matters, and show how it can help your Trust balance educational quality with financial sustainability.
What is SBS ICFP?
At its core, ICFP is a strategic approach that links your curriculum planning directly with your financial planning. Rather than treating staffing, budgeting, and timetabling as separate silos, ICFP integrates them - allowing you to understand how every curriculum decision affects your budget, and vice versa.
By aligning teaching delivery with financial realities, Trusts can make more informed decisions that enhance both learning outcomes and operational efficiency.
Why ICFP Matters for Trust Leaders
For CFOs and School Business Managers, the pressure to deliver more with less has never been greater. ICFP provides a smarter way to respond.
With benchmarking tools, real-time dashboards, and multi-year scenario planning, modern ICFP tools help MAT leaders:
- Identify inefficiencies in staffing and resource allocation
- Benchmark performance against 20,000+ schools
- Model future financial scenarios with accuracy
- Make data-informed decisions that balance educational and financial goals
In short, ICFP empowers you to move from reactive to strategic financial planning.
Key Features That Set ICFP Apart
The SBS ICFP solution is built specifically with MATs in mind. Here’s how it changes the game:
One Clear View Across Your Trust
Our consolidated dashboard brings your entire Trust’s financial and curriculum data into a single, real-time view. No more juggling spreadsheets or chasing updates from multiple schools.
Financial Health Ratings Across 16 Key Metrics
Instantly assess each school’s performance on critical areas such as staff costs, pupil-teacher ratios, and budget efficiency. Visual indicators show where you’re excelling - and where targeted improvements can yield savings.
Filterable, Like-for-Like Benchmarking
Unlike other ICFP tools that compare your data to national averages, SBS ICFP lets you filter benchmarking data by school phase, size, region, SEND profile, and FSM levels - so you're comparing your Trust to truly similar schools. That means more accurate insights and more meaningful decisions.
Prioritised Saving Opportunities
Not all savings are equal. ICFP highlights the highest-impact areas first, so you can reduce costs without compromising on educational quality.
Multi-Year Feasibility Analysis
Plan for the future, not just the present. With scenario planning tools, you can model different strategies over a five-year horizon and understand how decisions today will shape your Trust tomorrow.
How ICFP Impacts Educational Outcomes
ICFP isn’t just a financial tool - it’s a bridge between pedagogy and sustainability. When used well, it helps ensure:
- Class sizes are appropriate and cost-effective
- Staff workloads are balanced and manageable
- Curriculum breadth is maintained without overspending
By surfacing clear, actionable insights, ICFP supports MATs in achieving better outcomes for both pupils and staff — all while keeping budgets on track.
Getting Started with ICFP
Whether you’re new to ICFP or looking to take it further, now’s the time to adopt a smarter, more integrated approach.
The SBS ICFP tool gives Trust leaders the clarity and confidence to make aligned, strategic decisions — and when paired with SBS Financial Planner, you get end-to-end control of both high-level insights and detailed budget planning.
Smarter planning. Better outcomes. Stronger Trusts.
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