Lead Career Pathway

What is the career pathway for LEAD practitioners?

As a Lead practitioner you, are likely to:

  • be a practising School or Trust Business Leader, Regional Business Leader or specialist lead (e.g. Head of Finance, HR Manager)

  • begin to demonstrate an ability to operate, plan and think at a strategic level. There will be levels of complexity associated with your areas of direct responsibility.

  • critically analyse information and evaluate data to make informed, evidence-based decisions

  • report to the senior leadership team within the school or trust

  • be qualified to (or working towards) level 5/6 or above.


If you are not already a member of ISBL and feel that this is the right fit for you, then you can apply for Full membership of ISBL, click here for more information.

As a Lead practitioner, there are many opportunities for you as a member of ISBL – you may want to further develop your knowledge and experience through taking advantage of networking or mentoring opportunities or else undertaking accredited training or qualifications to gain formal accreditation. A number of benefits and opportunities are set out below:

  • The first stage of ISBL membership is to undertake a self-assessment against the ISBL Professional Standards to verify that you are operating at Lead Practitioner level.

    As a member, you have free access to the ISBL self-assessment tool, which allows you to carry out a diagnostic assessment of yourself and reflect on your areas of responsibility, experience and expertise across the various discipline areas of the ISBL Professional Standards. 

    On completion of the self-assessment, you will be provided with a report that summarises where you are currently in relation to each discipline area, identifies your overall practitioner level, and highlights professional development opportunities that you may want to consider to improve your knowledge, skills and experience within the relevant discipline area or to progress to a strategic level. Further details of the self-assessment process can be found by clicking here. 

    This assessment should be carried out as a continual process and as a member of ISBL on at least an annual basis.

  • ISBL recognises that there are many forms of development not only achieved through training and qualifications; examples can be viewed in our CPD guidance.

    As a lead practitioner, there are many opportunities that you can take advantage of as a member of ISBL to connect with ISBL, expert practitioners and other school business professionals. Some of these are identified below:

    • Professional development advice – If you would like personalised advice and guidance on your career development (or your team's), then you can set up a meeting with our Director of Professional Development by emailing training@isbl.org.uk.

    • Mentoring opportunities – If you would like to be set up with a mentor to help you develop strategically or else would like to act as a mentor to a less-experienced SBP, then email training@isbl.org.uk.

    • Access to funded SBP programmes – Priority access to free and subsidised bursary funded programmes developed in consultation with key sector stakeholders including the DfE.

    • Accredited training – Member rates for contextualised accredited training are available across the discipline areas and delivered by subject matter experts.

    • Accredited qualifications – Relevant generalist, specialist and apprenticeship accredited qualifications are available for SBPs, at levels 5–7 at member rates.

    • Access and contribution to a repository of resources – Access and opportunities to contribute to ISBL's good practice library and member repository library.

    • Policy influence – ISBL acts as the conduit between policy and practice by testing government thinking with frontline practitioners.

    • Free attendance at ISBL regional events – Network with other local professionals and benefit from specialist training, advice and the latest guidance relevant to your local area. Click here for more information.

    • Member rates for the ISBL national conference – Attend our two-day showpiece event with training, expert advice and personalised workshops, presentations from policy experts and inspirational speakers. Take the opportunity to network with forward thinking, innovative peers and celebrate the great work of the profession at our annual gala dinner. Click here for more information.

    • Professional support – Access to a member-only LinkedIn group where you can share best practice, ask questions and have professional discussions.

  • If you are a Full member of ISBL, then you can apply for formal Lead Practitioner Level Accreditation against the Professional Standards. For membership details and rates, please click here.

    To do this, you will need to provide three pieces of evidence:

    1. Your self-assessment report confirming that you operate at lead practitioner level.

    2. A signed employer statement verifying that you work at a lead level.

    3. Proof of relevant qualifications at level 5 or above.

    On completion of this process, you will be accredited as an ISBL Lead Practitioner and will be sent a certificate and digital badge to confirm your status. For more information on the accreditation process, click here.

  • If you want to become more strategic in your role and progress towards Strategic Practitioner level, you may want to consider developing your knowledge across the strategic level descriptors of the Professional Standards. A good starting point to help you to improve your knowledge or progress to a higher level is to complete a Personal Development Plan (PDP) to identify 3–5 areas where you may wish to improve your knowledge and experience. You can download the ISBL PDP template by clicking here.

    To become more strategic in your role, you may also want to consider undertaking any of the following qualifications:

    • CIPFA Diploma in School Financial and Operational Leadership – A level 7 equivalent diploma qualification that focuses on Financial and Operational Leadership in an educational content. More details can be found by clicking here.

    • Certificate in Strategic Educational Leadership – A level 7 postgraduate module delivered by the University of Chester for practitioners who want to demonstrate their strategic leadership. More details can be found by clicking here.

    • CIPD Level 7 Advanced Diploma in People Management for School Business Professionals – A postgraduate equivalent qualification ideally suited to people professionals wanting to refine their strategic capability and thinking. More details can be found by clicking here.

    • Level 7 Senior Leader Apprenticeship (SLA) for SBPs – An apprenticeship providing learners with an opportunity to evaluate, develop and strengthen their business and leadership skills. More details can be found by clicking here.


    As a Lead practitioner, you can also apply for Fellowship of ISBL and consider becoming an SRMA, or you may want to take advantage of other system leadership and policy consultation opportunities that we make our members aware of.

    Additional accredited qualifications at level 7 can be viewed by clicking here.

    If you wish to view the Strategic career pathway, you can do so by clicking here.

The people we support

  • "Becoming accredited at Lead level has been massively beneficial for me - not only does it mean I have an industry-wide respected accreditation, it has also been a great tool to use when speaking to other school leaders about the importance of SBL's. I recently used my self-assessment and accreditation as part of my appraisal as evidence of where I am currently operating. It is also really helpful in finding knowledge and skill gaps, to help identify possible CPD opportunities - for example I have recently started my CIPFA Level 7 course. Overall I would highly recommend going through the accreditation process with ISBL!'

    Amy Bignell, Academy Operations Manager

  • "Gaining accreditation at lead practitioner level has significantly enhanced my professional standing within my current role, especially with the executive leadership of the trust that I work for. The rigorous accreditation process highlights my expertise across key areas of school business leadership, as well as areas that I might want to develop further, and demonstrates my commitment to excellence, which has already opened doors to new opportunities and responsibilities in my current role. "

    Helen Child, Operational Services Lead

  • "Looking ahead, my ISBL accreditation provides a strong foundation for career advancement, whether pursuing more senior leadership positions or specialist. The ongoing professional development and networking opportunities offered through ISBL will allow me to stay at the forefront of changes in education policy and management practices, ensuring I can continue to make valuable contributions to school operations effectiveness and student outcomes throughout my career."

    Helen Child, Operational Services Lead

Related Qualifications at Level 7

  • CIPFA Diploma in School Financial and Operational Leadership

    This qualification has been developed for current and aspiring chief finance and operations officers. The qualification equips 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.

    Read more

  • Certificate in Strategic Educational Leadership

    A short, accessible level 7 module delivered by the University of Chester, for school business professionals who want to demonstrate their strategic educational leadership. This module provides a valuable opportunity for participants, either individually or as a group, to reflect critically on an area of personal or professional practice by engaging with appropriate literature and research in the 'negotiated field' to be agreed.

    Read more

  • CIPD Level 7 Advanced Diploma in People Management for SBPs

    This qualification is ideally suited to people professionals wanting to refine their strategic capability and thinking. Ideal for those who have worked in HR for a number of years and are wishing to support their experience with a qualification and gain a pathway to CIPD Chartered Membership. This programme will help you to acquire a wide range of relevant, practical skills and strategies that can be applied in your school or trust.

    Read more