National Network of Special Schools (NNoSS) – Summer Virtual Conference
Zoom
THIS IS A PAST WEBINAR
This Event is for members of The National Network of Special Schools for School Business Professionals (NNoSS) ONLY
NNoSS members are invited to come together for the final virtual conference of the 24/25 academic year.
The events will include: an update from Education Mutual on their School Business Leader Wellbeing Index 2025, a session on the Greener Schools Index, and a chance to hear from School Business Services about Integrated Curriculum and Financial Planning.
Want to find out more about NNoSS? Click here
Sponsorship opportunities available! For further info, please email events@schoolsnortheast.com.
Event Overview
Jordan Stebbings
Senior Membership Advocate, Education Mutual
As one of the longest-standing members of the team, he has played a key role in Education Mutual’s growth and success. Jordan brings a wealth of knowledge in helping schools, academies, and multi-academy trusts manage their staff absence protection needs effectively and identify tailored solutions that meet the specific requirements of each setting. Jordan is known for his forward-thinking approach to innovation within the education sector, particularly through the complexities of staff absenteeism. His commitment to ensuring budget certainty amid the expansion of academisation has positioned him as a trusted advisor to Education Mutual members seeking to optimise their procurement processes, secure dependable protection, and safeguard their long-term financial stability.
Helen Burge
Consultant School Business Leader, Castle Batch Primary School Academy
Helen is a Consultant School Business Leader with more than 25 years of experience working in operations and strategic management within the educational sector. She holds a master's degree in Strategic Educational Leadership and is a passionate advocate for sustainability in education. She is a Fellow and Trustee of the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) and co-chairs the UK Schools Sustainability Network (UKSSN) Operations Group.
Tarina Chow
Executive Business Manager, Esteem MAT
NNoSS member Tarina is an Executive Business Manager at a SEND MAT. Tarina brings a wealth of experience and a deep passion for sustainability. Her journey began at university with a degree in Environmental Science, which ignited her commitment to environmental stewardship. Today, she co-leads the Trust's sustainability initiatives, working tirelessly with a dedicated climate taskforce to drive meaningful change. Tarina has successfully built partnerships with local universities and other national organisations, fostering collaboration and innovation. Balancing her role as a busy Senior Business Leader, she strives to integrate sustainability into the Trust's broader mission, ensuring that environmental responsibility remains high on the agenda.
Zoe Allcott
Trust Business Manager, Thrive Education Partnership
NNoSS Member Zoe is Trust Business Manager at Thrive Education Partnership. Zoe leads the sustainability strategy, embedding environmental responsibility across estates, governance, culture, and new school onboarding. Driving initiatives like the trust's Climate Action Plan and Sustainability & Climate Change Strategy, Zoe ensures sustainability is central to growth. Alongside this, Zoe oversees key operational functions including governance, compliance, risk, marketing, and trust expansion, aligning sustainable development with operational excellence to support a values-drive, future-focused trust.
Connor Wilson
Head of Sales, School Business Services
Connor is Head of Sales at School Business Services and has 10 years' experience working within the Education sector with MAT leaders, SBMs and Head Teachers. Connor has a passion for the sector and enabling schools and MATs to flourish and improve pupil outcomes, through effective education management.
Helen Dowsett
Product Specialist, School Business Services
Helen is Product Specialist at School Business Services, with over nine years of experience in school finance. Having worked her way up from Finance Assistant to Financial Controller within a Multi Academy Trust, she brings a deep understanding of the financial challenges and opportunities in education. Passionate about supporting schools to make strategic, informed decisions, she now helps institutions optimise their financial processes and drive impact through innovative solutions.
Mark Linney
IT Manager, Durham Trinity School
Mark is a seasoned IT professional with over 26 years of experience across the education sector, including 12 years in his current role. Mark has worked across all sectors of IT, bringing deep expertise and a hands-on approach to every challenge. His work involves supporting school staff, solving complex technical issues, and driving innovation in IT systems and technology. Mark thrives on tackling new problems and is passionate about delivering solutions that make a real difference in the school community.
Pauline Aitchison
Deputy Director, Schools North East & NNoSS Network Lead
Pauline joined Schools North East in July 2017 as Business Manager and was appointed Deputy Director in 2020. She also leads the National Network of Special Schools for School Business Professionals (NNoSS), a network representing 400 schools in the specialist sector across England.
Prior to joining Schools North East in 2017, Pauline was a School Business Manager and has more than 25 years experience of working in education. She has a wealth of knowledge with an in-depth understanding of the challenges faced by schools and is committed to making a difference to the learning chances of all pupils.
Pauline is also experienced in school governance having served on various governing bodies and is currently a trustee of a special school trust and a committee chair. She has an MBA in strategic leadership and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management.
School Business Leader Wellbeing Index 2025 – Jordan Stebbings, Senior Membership Advocate, Education Mutual
Join Education Mutual as they unveil the findings of their annual School Business Leader (SBL) Wellbeing Index for 2025. This session will guide delegates through key insights into the current state of wellbeing among school business leaders across the education sector.
Drawing on year-on-year data, the presentation will highlight evolving trends, reveal whether meaningful change is taking place, and assess the sector’s progress in addressing the wellbeing needs of its SBL community. Comparisons with previous years will shed light on persistent challenges and emerging improvements. New for 2025, the report includes an exclusive Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) edition, offering tailored insights and benchmarking data specific to MAT environments. Delegates will gain actionable recommendations to better support and sustain the wellbeing of SBLs within their organisations.
Accelerating Your Sustainability Journey with the Greener Schools Index – Helen Burge, Consultant School Business Leader, Castle Batch Primary School Academy, Tarina Chow, Executive Business Manager, Esteem Mat & Zoe Alcott, Trust Business Manager, Thrive Education Partnership
Discover how the Greener Schools Index (GSI) can become a powerful tool in your school’s sustainability journey. This session will explore how the GSI helps schools assess their current performance, identify practical opportunities for improvement, and track progress towards net zero and climate action goals.
You’ll hear from Helen Burge, one of the architects of the free tool, alongside Tarina Chow from Esteem MAT, reflecting on one year of using the index, and Zoe Allcott from Thrive Education Partnership who is just getting started and using it to drive next steps.
Through their case studies, you’ll discover how they are using the data and insights to:
- Prioritise actions with the greatest environmental and financial impact
- Inform the development of a Climate Action Plan
- Engage Staff and students in sustainability efforts
- Secure leadership buy-in and integrate climate goals into Trust-wide strategy
- Benchmark sustainability performance
Discover just how easy the GSI is to use, what information you need to get started, and examples of quick wins you can expect to uncover.
This session will highlight the benefits of using the Greener Schools Index s a foundation for long-term change and share information on other free tools, resources and CPD to help you take meaningful climate action. Whether you’re just getting started on your Climate Action Plan, or looking to refine your school’s strategy, this session offers practical insight and inspiration.
SBS ICFP: Benchmarking Apples to Apples – Connor Wilson, Head of Sales & Helen Dowsett, Product Specialist, School Business Services
Join Connor Wilson, Head of Sales, and Helen Dowsett, Product Specialist, for a look at SBS ICFP. Taking benchmarking to the next level and allowing you to compare apples to apples, giving you powerful benchmarking data, applicable to your organisation.
SharePoint Ordering Site Demonstration – Mark Linney, IT Manager, Durham Trinity School
To round off the morning, join Mark, IT Manager at Durham Trinity School, for a quick run through of the SharePoint Ordering Site he put together to help the school manage purchasing and track orders more easily. Mark will talk through how the system works, some of the steps involved in setting it up, and how you could adapt it to suit your own school’s needs. There’ll also be time for questions if you’re thinking about building something similar.