Published at 15:41, Wednesday, 24 February 2010

A TRAILBLAZING school business manager from West Cumbria is among the very first in the country to graduate with a prestigious new national qualification.

AWARD: Dawn Boyes, business manager at Cockermouth School

Dawn Boyes, Cockermouth School’s business manager, will bring new levels in financial and commercial expertise to the school after graduating with one of the highest qualifications in school business management: the Advanced Diploma of School Business Management.

Across the country, just 72 school business managers have been awarded the ADSBM qualification by the National College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services.

The successful candidates received their awards at the inaugural ADSBM graduation ceremony at the National College’s Learning and Conference Centre in Nottingham.

Mrs Boyes, who lives in Cockermouth, was unable to attend the event in Nottingham.

Dawn said: “I am delighted to have achieved this qualification. It is a real step forward in the professional standard for school business managers and recognises the work we do with outside agencies and working in partnership with other schools.

”Although this was a challenging course, I thoroughly enjoyed it and felt that I gained both professionally and personally. I have now been accepted onto the pilot of the School Business Director programme.”

Geoff Walker, headteacher at Cockermouth School said: “We are very pleased that Dawn has achieved this prestigious qualification.

“It is well deserved and Dawn has worked hard to gain the advanced diploma while working full-time at her job here at the school.”

Last year, research by the National College also revealed that for the first time, the majority of schools in England (58 per cent) now have access to an SBM, with some 8,100 now working in schools.

Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk