- School Business Services (SBS) supports schools and Multi-Academy Trusts across England with budgeting software, expert finance, Internal Scrutiny, MIS, ICT, and strategic consultancy services.
- Our mission is simple: to help trusts make confident, informed decisions through accurate data, joined-up systems, and expert support, freeing up leadership teams to focus on delivering better outcomes for pupils.
- Designed by sector experts, our services and solutions are built around the scale and complexity of modern trusts. Our MAT-led financial planning software, SBS Financial Planner, is used by hundreds of trusts and integrates with leading finance systems including Sage Intacct, Iris, Iplicit and Xero. The system brings together planning, reporting, and insight in one place, setting the new MAT standard.
- We are proud advocates of the school business profession and the vital role it plays across trusts, from operational teams through to CFOs and COOs.
Our teams are made up of education-experienced professionals, many of whom have held senior roles within trusts. We provide flexible, scalable support that adapts to your needs.
- SBS Financial Planner & SBS ICFP
SBS Financial Planner is a MAT-led budgeting and forecasting solution, built to replace disconnected spreadsheets with a single, integrated planning environment.
Designed to support the full financial cycle, it provides central oversight, scenario planning, and real-time reporting across your trust, helping you plan with confidence and respond to change with clarity.
Working alongside this, SBS ICFP connects your financial planning directly to curriculum and staffing decisions. Together, they provide a joined-up approach to resource planning, aligning educational intent with financial sustainability.
- Finance
We support trusts at every level, from strategic financial leadership to operational delivery. This includes CFO-level support, interim cover, budgeting, financial reporting, and day-to-day processing services. Our focus is on creating confidence in your data, strengthening financial sustainability, and enabling better decision making.
- Internal Scrutiny
Our Internal Scrutiny service goes beyond compliance to deliver meaningful insight and assurance.
We work in partnership with trusts to provide an independent, risk-based programme of reviews that strengthens financial oversight, governance, and controls. Our approach is collaborative and transparent, designed not just to identify risks, but to add value through practical, actionable recommendations.
With a team of experienced education finance specialists, we bring sector-specific insight and a clear understanding of Academy Handbook expectations. We help trusts move from assurance to improvement, supporting stronger systems, better processes, and increased confidence at board level.
- MIS Support and Training
Our MIS services ensure trusts have complete confidence in their data and systems. From full MIS management and statutory returns to service desk support, we provide resilience, continuity, and strategic guidance. We support all major MIS platforms, including SIMS, Arbor and Bromcom.
- ICT Support and Procurement
We deliver strategic and operational ICT support to help trusts build secure, scalable, and cost-effective infrastructures. From audits, cyber security and transformation planning to fully managed services, we ensure your technology enables (not limits) your ambitions.
At SBS, we are committed to delivering meaningful impact for trusts, their communities, and the wider education sector. Our approach is rooted in partnership. We work alongside leadership teams to strengthen financial sustainability, improve operational effectiveness, and support better outcomes for pupils.
We are a values-driven organisation, focused on integrity, collaboration, and making a genuine difference. Beyond service delivery, we actively contribute to the sector through community engagement and by supporting initiatives that benefit children and young people.
Our people are at the heart of what we do. We invest in their development through professional qualifications and hands-on experience, ensuring trusts benefit from expert, up-to-date support. With many of our colleagues also serving as governors and trustees, we bring a practical, current understanding of the challenges facing schools today, all underpinned by a commitment to responsible and sustainable business practices.
