There is a particular kind of professional you only fully appreciate when they are not there.
Not because they are difficult to work with. Because when they are present, everything runs. Problems get solved before most people know they exist. Decisions get made with care and skill and no fanfare. The building functions. The budget holds. The staff feel supported.
And then they are absent for a week, and suddenly everyone understands.
School Business Leaders across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire are those people. Hundreds of them are doing exactly that work right now. Quietly. Consistently. Without nearly enough acknowledgement.
Why recognising School Business Leaders matters
School business leadership is a profession built on invisible expertise. The financial decision that protects three members of staff. The compliance process that keeps the school on the right side of an audit. The HR conversation that nobody else was going to have. The estates issue that got sorted before it became a crisis.
When these things go right, nothing happens. Life continues normally. The school runs. Children are taught. Staff are supported.
That invisibility is not a measure of the work being unimportant. It is the mark of it being done well.
But there is a cost to sustained invisibility. People who rarely hear that what they do matters tend, over time, to doubt it. In a profession already stretched by workload, compliance pressure and the isolation of being the only person in the building who truly understands the role, the absence of recognition is not a neutral thing.
It compounds.
The ABLE SBL Recognition Awards 2026: what they are and who they are for
Now in their second year, the ABLE SBL Recognition Awards exist to give the East Midlands school business community a formal, public moment to say: we see you. We know what this takes. And we think it deserves to be named.
There are five categories, each reflecting a different dimension of outstanding school business leadership across the East Midlands.
School Business Leader of the Year recognises the person whose contribution spans the whole role. Not one area of excellence, but the full breadth of what it means to keep a school or trust running. Sponsored by Atom IT.
The Rising Star Award is for someone earlier in their career who is already exceptional. Who stepped up before they felt ready and handled it. Sponsored by Breedon.
The Wellbeing Advocate Award recognises the person who makes sure everyone else is okay. The one who notices. The one who builds the structures that protect the people around them. Sponsored by Schools Advisory Service.
The Financial Expertise Award is for the person whose skill and judgement protects the school’s financial future. The work behind the spreadsheets that most people never see. Supported by the Department for Education.
The Operational Excellence Award is for the person who makes the impossible look straightforward. Who rebuilt a system, solved a problem, or turned something that was barely functioning into something the school now depends on. Supported by ISBL.
Nominations are judged on evidence and impact. Seniority and visibility are not factors. When someone wins, their school receives a £250 contribution as a thank you for the environment that has allowed them to thrive.
How to nominate a School Business Leader
Anyone can nominate. A headteacher. A colleague. A peer from another school. Someone who has worked alongside this person and seen what they do.
You can also nominate yourself. There is no hierarchy to this process and no requirement for the nominee to know they have been put forward.
The nomination form takes about two minutes. No word count is needed, and no formal structure is required. The most effective nominations sound like a colleague speaking honestly, not a performance review.
If someone came to mind reading any part of this post, that instinct is worth following.
Nominations close 22 May 2026
The awards ceremony takes place live at the ABLE Summer Conference on Thursday 11 June 2026, 1:30pm at Eastwood Hall, Nottinghamshire. Winners are announced in the room on the day.
If your nominee becomes a finalist, you will receive a free place to attend the ceremony. Use code AWARDS when booking your conference place.
Nominate here: School Business Leader Awards – Able | Association of Business Leaders in Education
Conference booking: https://ablepro.info/conferences/