CIPFA Diploma in School Financial and Operational Leadership

Overview

The CIPFA Diploma in School Financial and Operational Leadership has been developed by ISBL and CIPFA for current and aspiring chief finance and operations officers.

The qualification equips School Business Professionals (SBPs) to effectively manage trust finances and respond to the complexity of regulatory requirements. It aims to ensure that SBPs meet the highest professional standards when it comes to overseeing (amongst other things) finance, corporate governance, risk management and strategic procurement.

This innovative programme is underpinned by the ISBL Professional Standards and is recognised by the Department for Education (DFE). It is referenced in the Academy Trust Handbook in the Skills and Experience section for Chief Finance Officers (CFO).

The Diploma has been mapped by CIPFA as broadly equivalent to a level seven (post-graduate) qualification in relation to degree of challenge.

Learning Outcomes

The course enables participants to develop their skills in:

  • Financial management and reporting

  • The education funding environment

  • Writing business cases and taking investment decisions

  • Governance, accountability and assurance

  • Liaising with, and providing information to, internal and external auditors.

  • Procurement and contract management

To download a copy of the CIPFA overview brochure, click here

About the qualification

  • To participants - This qualification will help colleagues to progress in their careers, with the confidence that they are meeting the highest level of requirements within the ISBL professional standards. Should participants wish to pursue a professional accountancy qualification in the future, this programme has been designed to facilitate that pathway.

    To employers - This high quality programme will provide employers with the confidence of the capability of their finance lead.

    For more information about the programme, you can download a course brochure by clicking here.

  • The programme is delivered either fully virtually online or through a blended approach of face-to-face sessions and online sessions. Each cohort will specify the method of delivery.

    Each module starts with a day of learning, either face-to-face or online. On the blended programme, there are face face-to-face sessions over the 12 months, and each cohort is located in a UK city for these face-to-face sessions. The course is made up of practically assessed assignments and remote tutor support and delegates also have access to the CIPFA Learning Platform and use this to upload their assignments.

  • Completed over a 12 month period

  • There are two routes available on this programme:.

    • Full (Foundation) programme

    • Practitioner programme

    There are no specific entry requirements for this programme, however if you are a qualified accountant then you will be eligible for the Practitioner programme. The programme brochure which you can access by clicking here, provides more information about the exemptions accepted.

    Each cohort contains a mix of delegates taking both the Foundation programme and the Practitioner programme. For SBPs undertaking the Practitioner route, this means that the programme will still take 12 months to complete, but there will be some modules that you are exempt from and so you will have some short breaks from your studies during the programme (although you can still attend the webinars).

  • Whilst there are no specific entry requirements, we would anticipate that this programme would be most applicable to those who are undertaking, or have in the past undertaken, a School Business Professional or education finance role.

    If you have a professional accountancy qualification then you will be eligible for the Practitioner programme. You can find out more in our course brochure by clicking here.

  • The course is assessed through a mixture of reflective activity / portfolio work plus an exam for the ‘Certificate in Financial Reporting for Academies’.

    To gain accreditation, participants are required to complete or pass:

    Multiple-choice exam – Certificate in Financial Reporting module.

    Written assessment – Procurement and Contract Management module.

    Portfolio of evidence – A record of evidence of learning and critical analysis, and how the skills developed have been translated to the working environment. Accreditation will require participants to complete reflective activities on each workbook, and this will also be covered in the face-to-face sessions.

  • There is an ISBL member rate and a non-member rate for all our training programmes. All rates quoted below are inclusive of VAT and per person:


    Foundation programme

    ISBL member rate: £3780

    Non-member rate: £4,368


    Practitioner programme

    ISBL member rate: £2,460

    Non member rate: £3,132


    One of the benefits of being an ISBL member is being able to access the member rates for training and conferences. If you are not a member, you can find out more about joining ISBL by clicking here.

    To be able to access the ISBL member rate, your membership needs to be active before you book your place on the programme.

    The full cost must be paid in full before you start the programme. Our Terms & Conditions can be found here.

Testimonials

  • “Even in the short period since I achieved the qualification, I feel more confident in all aspects of my role. Each unit I covered was relevant to my role and gives me the confidence to join in conversations, challenge, advise my colleagues and others, knowing I have this qualification to support me.”

    Ally Bigwood

  • “It’s made MAT strategic thinking click into place and I’ve got a greater appreciation of how the aspects of financial and operational leadership relate to each other. It has helped me as I transition from academy to MAT Central Team. I was also able to network with a new group of School business professionals, which was great.”

    Helen Burge

Upcoming cohorts and bookings

Please be aware that spaces on programmes are limited and book up quickly. If a ticket option is showing booked (e.g. Foundation member rate) but other rates are available (e.g. Practitioner member rate) then please contact us and we can potentially open up the specific rate for you.

Upcoming cohort dates are listed below, click on the specific cohort to be taken to details of how you can book onto the programme:

28th September 2026 (Sold Out)
2nd December 2026 (Virtual)

For any enquiries, please contact: training@isbl.org.uk