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Posted on 12th May 2026
Phishing Emails Targeting Schools: What Education Staff Need to Know
Schools and trusts are being targeted by increasingly sophisticated phishing emails designed to steal credentials and compromise systems. Learn how staff can identify suspicious messages, reduce cyber risk, and strengthen security awareness across their organisation.
Posted on 11th May 2026
Reducing Pressure and Creating Capacity: A CFO’s Perspective on Virtual Finance Assistant
In our recent webinar, David Bond, Chief Financial and Risk Officer at Lion Academy Trust, shared how SBS’ Virtual Finance Assistant has helped create strategic capacity, reduce operational pressure, and strengthen financial resilience across the trust.
Posted on 7th May 2026
Funding updates: the checks that help schools stay in control
At SBS, we support schools and trusts to make confident decisions about where money goes next. We’ve set out the key checks that can help you stay in control as you plan ahead. None of these are silver bullets, but together, they create headroom and reduce surprises.
Posted on 30th March 2026
The Good, The Bad and The Deficit: What MATs Need to Know About Budget Setting
The Good, The Bad and The Deficit explores what effective budget setting looks like, the pitfalls trusts should avoid, and the sector‑wide trends shaping financial strategy for 2026/27 and beyond.
Posted on 30th March 2026
Raising the MAT Standard: Insight from the Sector and Shaw Education Trust
The session featured Michelle Williams, CFO at Shaw Education Trust, who shared her experience of leading finance across a 31-school trust in the West Midlands.
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Posted on 5th March 2026
Estates Risk in the Spotlight: Why This Should be on Every Trust’s Internal Audit Plan for 2026
Estates management is moving up academy trusts’ 2026 internal audit agendas amid rising costs, safety risks and stronger expectations from the Department for Education. Insights from Stephanie Steadman at School Business Services show how effective scrutiny strengthens governance, financial planning and long-term estate strategy.
Posted on 11th February 2026
How Trusts are Responding to Financial Pressure in 2026
Drawing on insights from School Business Services’ fourth annual MAT Leaders Survey, this article explores how trust leaders are adapting their financial strategies, balancing short-term efficiencies with long-term sustainability, and using planning, centralisation and stronger oversight to navigate an increasingly complex landscape.
Posted on 21st January 2026
Fielding Primary School: SBS Financial Planner Case Study
Since implementing SBS Financial Planner, Fielding Primary School has benefited from more efficient budgeting, reliable forecasting, and highly responsive customer service.
Posted on 13th January 2026
Attenborough Learning Trust: SBS Financial Planner Case Study
Attenborough Learning Trust shares how moving to SBS Financial Planner gave its central team the visibility, control and confidence they needed to manage budgets across a rapidly expanding multi-academy trust.
Posted on 4th December 2025
The MAT Standard: Why MAT Finance Leaders Need More Than Traditional Budgeting Tools
Education finance is changing fast and many finance leaders are asking for more from the tools they rely on every day. They need systems that give clarity, confidence, and control, not just more data to process. Meet the MAT Standard - for finance leaders who expect more.
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Posted on 20th November 2025
How a Finance Service Desk Supports Schools & Trusts: A Day in the Life of a Finance Team
This article explores how the SBS Finance Service Desk provides immediate, expert support when it matters most, from troubleshooting system glitches to guiding best practice.
Posted on 22nd October 2025
Time For Dynamism in Trust Management Accounts
Kelly Crawford of School Business Services on why a shift to more responsive management accounting could aid trusts as they navigate through difficult times.