Sharing Good Practice expertise needed . In addition , we can see that peripatetic staff are used for specialist music lessons . Why shouldn ’ t other administration tasks , often subject to peaks and troughs , also be outsourced ?
Here are some areas for consideration : -
• Information Technology ; offers latest technologies and economies of scale to access state of the art systems which have been tested and often designed specifically for schools , e . g . school management information systems
• Marketing and Public Relations ; solutions for latest trends in digital communications ( e . g . website design ). Marketing is more than creative activity . It requires analysis of marketing activities and undertaking market research (“ left-brain marketing ”) to pinpoint effective targeting and use of budgets ; a top quality website is essential for the global reach of an international school because prospective overseas parents may not see local adverts or editorial about the school
• Finance ; payroll systems , auditing and stock control
• Enrichment / Extracurricular ; to improve the range of academic and non-academic opportunities on offer
This list is by no means exhaustive and is dependent of the needs of the school . Outsourcing can bring a wider breadth of skills to a modern school at a fraction of the fulltime or employed cost and , moreover , they add value to the school ’ s core offering by allowing teachers and leaders to focus on teaching and learning .
However , many remain uneasy about outsourcing for a number of reasons and are reluctant to cede tasks . This reluctance stems from perceptions of : -
• Costly hourly fees
• Loss of control
• Performance Measurement
Such concerns can be addressed by assigning specific leaders or managers to the role of overseeing outsourcing . Careful selection of the right partner then reduces costs associated with employment , eliminates “ empire building ” – where long-term salaried staff outcomes are linked to the size and complexity of bureaucracy and not the goals of the institute and includes a well considered Service Level Agreement so that goals are understood .
Effective outsourcing examples I found include : -
• A UK-based Academy with outsourced legal advice services that guarantee 24hr response with the most up to date advice
• A UAE-based school outsources management of alumni data
• The supply and sales of school uniform , transport and school catering onsite
• Use of cutting edge digital technologies – management information and strategic communication systems that allow a variety of users to contribute safely
• Strategic school marketing and PR
• Use of third party software to manage data for rewarding and incentivising students or staff
The obvious barrier to outsourcing is the perceived loss of control . However , the right partnerships seek to ensure that the Service Level Agreement is achieved .
Outsourcing is not for everyone but if you are contemplating it , here are my
Top 10 Tips
1 . Undertake a Skills Audit of your own staff and foreseeable plans and a cost benefit analysis including possible training costs to upskill versus outsourcing .
2 . Plan and communicate carefully with potential outsourcers to ensure your Brief is clear and is understood . Remember you are in control .
3 . You never have to worry about recruiting too many or too few employees when you outsource ; you can adjust the levels as the job progresses , meaning you have greater control over costs .
4 . Compare the cost of purchasing or hiring your own equipment and necessary storage , insurance and maintenance budget with outsourcing equivalents .
5 . Interact . Conduct regular meetings or communication with your remote worker ( s ). Give your senior leaders responsibility for maintaining regular communication .
6 . You don ’ t have to worry about funding for the latest market research , techniques or technologies as it will be the responsibility of your outsourced service . Ask them what ’ s new .
7 . Consider the cost of direct advertising versus a considered PR programme . Social media campaigns and editorial opportunities are low-cost and highly effective means to communicate . Advertising can follow after analysis .
8 . Potential shortages of skilled teaching staff means that leaders have to put resources in to more Quality Assurance ( QA ). Outsourcing frees managers ’ time for QA .
9 . It sometimes appears difficult to evaluate third-party success . But outsourced services can provide you with tools to analyse the effectiveness of results against goals . One such tool in marketing , for example , is Google Analytics . This helps to gauge the effectiveness of your online presence and presented as a basic or in-depth report .
10 . Your Service Level Agreement is central to good outcomes . Train your senior leaders to manage the process .
Conclusion
With proper planning , clearly defined goals and having the confidence to delegate responsibility , outsourcing can be a less expensive solution . It allows managers of teaching and learning to focus on their key specialist areas . That is not to say , school leaders are not capable of managing finance , marketing or IT , but the complexity of demands on today ’ s Headteachers are such that alternative solutions are necessary .
Outsourcing is not about losing control , it ’ s about controlling outcomes differently .
Carmella Hunt is formerly head of communications and marketing for an independent school in the UAE and is now a freelance marketing and PR consultant working with schools in the UK and UAE
Class Time | | Nov - Dec 2017 | 17