School Bursar

at  St Marys School

The Bursar is responsible for the financial and non-academic management of the school and reports to both the Head and the Governing Body. The Bursar is part of the senior leadership of the school and submits regular reports to the Governing Body.

Key areas of responsibility are:

• Finance, Accountancy and Fee Management
• Health and Safety Compliance
• Estates management and maintenance
• General Management and Administration, including managing the school office team, finance team, reception staff and Estates Manager
• Strategic Planning
• School Transport
• Data Protection Compliance

Where these responsibilities are supported by members of staff, the Bursar will be responsible for support staff management, e.g. objective setting and appraisals, training and development.
The Bursar is expected to play a full part in strategic planning with particular reference to the areas of responsibility listed above. The Bursar is responsible for ensuring that financial forecasts properly reflect the income and cost implications of the strategic plans, and to be active in using those plans for any fundraising required as a result.

Finance, Accountancy and Fee Management

• Advising on general financial policy within the school.
• Preparing annual estimates of income and expenditure to include the preparation of departmental budgets within the school, the latter in consultation with the head or senior academic staff.
• Monitoring income and expenditure in relation to budget and presenting regular management reports to the governing body.
• Keeping the accounts of the school and preparing Statements of Financial Activity and balance sheets in accordance with the charities Statement of Recommended Practice.
• Maintaining cash flow projections for the current and future years.
• Collection of fees, including outstanding fees.
• Payment of all salaries and wages, including PAYE, Superannuation and National Insurance Contributions and compliance with regulations.
• Administering pension schemes for teaching and non-teaching staff.
• Preparing pupils’ bills and collecting all fees and extras.
• Scrutinising and passing for payment all invoices received in the school.
• Preparing forecasts for the future financial performance of the school; usually over a period of five years.
• Advising on taxation matters generally and ensuring compliance with regulations for VAT.
• Dealing with the school’s business rates.
• Advising on scholarship and bursary funds and undertaking assessments of parents’ income and assets prior to making bursary awards.
• Relationships with Banks, auditors and other financial stakeholders.
• Supported by a Finance Manager, two Finance Assistants and a PA.

General Management and Administration

• Ensure all Data protection (GDPR) policies and procedures are up to date and followed by all in the school community.
• Ensuring compliance with all relevant aspects of employment law.
• Acting as the head’s adviser on employment matters including disciplinary procedures and ensuring that the school has appropriate disciplinary and grievance procedures.
• Ensuring that all relevant staff have contracts of employment and keeping the school’s standard contracts up-to-date as new legislation takes effect.
• Managing the employment, terms and conditions of service, supervision and welfare of all non-teaching staff.
• Purchasing, either directly or through a purchasing group, all goods and services for the school.
• Oversee periodic reviews of key suppliers into the school e.g. utilities, telecoms, cleaning, catering.
• Management of the letting of property to school employees and third parties; ensuring that the appropriate leases and licenses to occupy are signed by the tenants.
• Acting as correspondent with the Department for Education (DfE) and being responsible for the records and returns required.
• Advising on and taking the appropriate physical security measures within the school for protection of both staff and pupils.
• Maintaining contact with the statutory authorities, the Charities Commission and other organisations.
• Catering which may be contracted out.
• Cleaning which may also be contracted out.
• Management of sports equipment and facilities.
• Minibuses and transport - compliance with the regulations for the operation of minibuses; driver training and assessments; servicing and vehicle inspectorate tests.
• Supported by the Bursar’s PA and Admin Team.

Please refer the Job description for details