School Business Leader Awards 2026

The ABLE SBL Recognition Awards. Celebrating the people who keep schools running across the East Midlands and beyond.

For the people who hold everything together.

School Business Leaders are the people who keep schools running. They manage the budgets, the buildings, the staff, the compliance, and the hundred things that nobody else sees. They are often the first in and the last to leave.

And they rarely hear the recognition they deserve.

The ABLE SBL Recognition Awards exist to change that. Five categories. Nominations from anyone. A judging panel that looks for evidence and impact, not seniority or visibility.

The ceremony takes place live at the ABLE Summer Conference on 11 June at 1:30pm at Eastwood Hall, Nottinghamshire. The winners are announced in the room, in front of the network.

Five categories. One of them fits the person you have in mind.

School Business Leader of the Year

Sponsored by Atom IT

The person who holds it all together when no one else notices.

Every school has a person who holds everything together. Not the most visible person. The one whose departure would expose just how much was quietly resting on their shoulders. Finance, facilities, HR, compliance, and everything in between. This award is for them.

What the judges are looking for:

Sustained, high-quality contribution across the whole role, not just one area. Evidence of impact that the school depends on. A few honest sentences describing what this person does, and what would be different without them, is all you need.

Rising Star Award

Sponsored by Breedon

Already exceptional. Already making a difference.

For the person newer to the role who is already performing at a level that demands recognition. They took on responsibility before they felt ready. They handled challenges most people at their stage would not be ready for. And they are already the person colleagues turn to.

What the judges are looking for:

Evidence of stepping up early. Specific examples of challenges handled beyond their expected experience. The positive difference they are already making to the people and school around them.

Wellbeing Advocate Award

Sponsored by Schools Advisory Service (SAS)

The person who makes sure everyone else is okay.

They notice when someone is struggling before that person says a word. They create an environment where staff feel seen and safe. They do this while managing their own workload, which is never small. The best Wellbeing Advocates do not make a display of this. That is precisely why they deserve to be seen.

What the judges are looking for:

Sustained care for colleagues, not a single event. Evidence of noticing and responding before being asked. An honest picture of what this person gives of themselves.

Financial Expertise Award

Supported by the Department for Education (DfE)

The numbers that protect the school’s future.

The school budget is not an abstraction. It is staff jobs, resources for children, and the decisions that determine what a school can and cannot do. The person managing that with skill and judgement is doing something that affects everyone in the building. And almost nobody knows their name.

What the judges are looking for:

Strategic thinking beyond day-to-day budget management. A specific financial decision or challenge and its outcome. Evidence of impact on the school or trust.

Operational Excellence Award

Supported by the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL)

Making the impossible look straightforward.

They rebuilt a system that was not working. They solved the problem no one else could solve. They make the school run with a smoothness that nobody can quite explain but everyone benefits from. Operational excellence is not glamorous. It rarely makes headlines. This category acknowledges it.

What the judges are looking for:

A specific operational challenge and how it was tackled. Lasting change, not a one-off fix. The wider benefit to staff, leadership, and the school.

Meet the Judging Panel

Nominations are judged on evidence and impact, not seniority or popularity. Each judge scores independently before results are compiled. The panel includes ABLE’s own leadership alongside a specialist judge from each category sponsor, bringing sector expertise and fresh perspective to every category.

How Judging Works

Independent

Every judge scores nominations independently before any results are shared. This prevents group bias and ensures each nomination is assessed on its own merits.

Evidence-based

Judges score against specific criteria for each category. What someone has achieved and the impact it has had matters more than their job title or how long they have been in the role.

Confidential

Finalists are notified personally before the ceremony. Winners are not told the outcome in advance. The announcement happens live in the room at Eastwood Hall on 11 June.

Emma Cripwell, Chair, ABLE

Emma has been a driving force behind ABLE since 2017, bringing over a decade of hands-on experience in education business support. Her career includes key roles within Nottingham City Council’s Traded Services Team and SAAF Education, developing expertise across operations, finance, and membership management. As Chair of ABLE, she leads the network with purpose and vision, championing the vital role business professionals play in schools, academies, and multi-academy trusts across the region. Emma hosts the awards ceremony and oversees the judging process.

Frances Rowland, Director, ABLE

Frances has supported school business managers in various forms since 2007, including over a decade at Nottingham City Council’s Traded Services Team. She joined ABLE in 2012 and has been a committed member of the committee ever since, playing a key role in shaping the conferences and community the network is known for today. She is currently Chair of Governors at Haydn Primary School in Nottingham and brings experience across sales, marketing, procurement, and contract negotiation to her work with ABLE. Frances manages all communications with the judging panel throughout the awards process.

Shenara Pennycooke, Head of the School Business Capability Unit (which includes School Business Professional Policy) at the Department for Education

Shenara has worked in the Department for Education for nearly 20 years in a range of roles including Head of the University Technical Colleges Team and Head of the North East Region in the Schools Financial Support and Oversight Directorate. Shenara previously worked in a number of private offices both in the Department and for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector for Ofsted.

Bethan Cullen, Deputy CEO, ISBL

Bethan has worked for the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) since 2010 and lead the operational transition of the organisation from the National Association of School Business Management (NASBM) in November 2017. Prior to this she held senior roles in marketing and operations in the commercial sector across B2B and B2C channels in varied sectors including automotive, retail and reward programmes.

Bethan engages directly with the sector through her governance role as a Trustee of a small trust and prior to this as a Chair of Governors at a three-school maintained federation. She has undertaken a governance role since 2011. Bethan is passionate about ensuring that the key roles of leadership are engaged in strategic discussions across all schools and trusts. Bethan oversees the delivery of professional learning and development programmes for the institute, which look to develop shared understanding of the interdependencies of these roles.

Ruth Humphries, Sales Manager, Schools Advisory Service (SAS)

Ruth has worked at Schools Advisory Service for 14 years, leading the sales team to drive positive outcomes for our clients. Prior to her role at SAS, Ruth worked in the charity sector supporting victims of human trafficking. This experience deeply shaped her commitment to make a meaningful impact and is a driving force in her current role to improve the wellbeing of staff and pupils within the education sector.

How to Nominate

Step 1

Think of the person. You probably already know who it is.

Step 2

Open the nomination form. It asks for their name, their school, the category that fits best, and a short description of the impact they make. A few sentences is enough. There is no minimum length and no required format.

Step 3

Submit. That is it.

What Winners and Runners-up Receive

The recognition is what matters. Everything else is a way of saying it properly.

The Awards are Announced Live. Be in the Room.

The ceremony takes place at 1:30pm on Thursday 11 June at Eastwood Hall. Finalists do not know in advance whether they have won. The winners are named live, in front of the network.

Anyone who wants to be there needs to book a conference place. Bookings close at 11pm on Friday 5 June.

ABLE Summer Conference — Thursday 11 June 2026

Venue: Eastwood Hall, Mansfield Road, Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, NG16 3SS

Registration: From 8:30am

Awards ceremony: 1:30pm, hosted by Emma Cripwell, Chair of ABLE

Chosen charity: NSPCC

• Morning keynote: Ben Waldram, serving Ofsted inspector. ‘Headteachers might be responsible for running the school but Business Managers make sure they can.’
• Morning workshops: Ofsted preparation, Cyber Crime Escape Room, or Retirement Planning
• Lunch, networking and exhibition
• Awards ceremony at 1:30pm
• Afternoon workshops: Risk and Preparedness, Just Say No wellbeing session, or Delegate Networking

How to book your place

ABLE members

Your place is included in your membership. Use code ABLEMEMBER1106 when booking.

Non-members in a school business role

Your first ABLE conference is free. Use code ECCOMP. You can share this code with a colleague from another school too.

Nominators and headteachers of finalists

If your nominee becomes a finalist, you will receive a personal invitation with a free place. Code: AWARDS when booking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can nominate someone?

Anyone. You can nominate a colleague, a peer from another school, or yourself. Headteachers can nominate their School Business Leader. Self-nominations are welcome and treated exactly the same as any other by the judging panel.

Do I need the nominee’s permission?

No. You can put someone forward without telling them first. The panel may contact nominees during shortlisting but you do not need their permission to nominate them.

How long does the form take?

About five minutes. There is no minimum length and no required format. A few honest, specific sentences will always be more effective than a long, general description.

When do nominations close and when are winners announced?

Nominations close at 11pm on Friday 22 May 2026. Finalists are notified before Wednesday 4 June. Winners are announced live at the ABLE Summer Conference on Thursday 11 June at 1:30pm at Eastwood Hall. Finalists do not know the outcome in advance.

Do I need to be an ABLE member to nominate or attend?

No. Anyone can nominate. For the conference, non-members in a school business role attend free using code ECCOMP. Current members use code ABLEMEMBER1106. Anyone who nominates a finalist receives a free place using code AWARDS.

What do winners and runners-up receive?

Winners receive ABLE membership for 2026-27, ISBL membership for 2026-27, a personalised award, and a bottle of champagne. Their school receives a £250 contribution. Runners-up receive ABLE membership for 2026-27, chocolate and prosecco. All finalists are recognised live at the ceremony.

If someone came to mind reading this page, that is telling you something.

Nominations close at 11pm on Friday 22 May 2026.