STAEG to host “Understanding School Finances” on Thursday 6 November
St Albans Education Group is partnering with Philip Avery (The Business Mechanic) to deliver a one-day course on Thursday 6 November to help school leaders decode the numbers and make confident, strategic decisions.
School leaders don’t need to be finance experts, but they do need to understand what the numbers are really saying. The one-day course has been designed specifically for Heads, members of senior leadership teams and governors who want to develop their financial fluency and strengthen strategic oversight. The course will help school leaders to ask the right questions, challenge assumptions and make informed decisions to safeguard their school’s future.
“Understanding School Finances: A Practical Course for School Leaders” will be held from 09:00 – 16:00 on Thursday 6 November at the National Liberal Club in Whitehall, SW1A 2HE.
Philip Avery (The Business Mechanic) brings over 20 years of commercial law experience and extensive business finance training expertise to help school leaders unlock the strategic value hidden in their financial data. As a former commercial lawyer who transitioned into business operations, Philip approaches financial management from a uniquely practical perspective. Rather than getting lost in accounting theory, he focuses on what leaders need: clear, actionable insights that drive better decision-making.
Philip served as lead instructor in business finance and business operations at Bristol Management Centre from 2008 to 2022, where he specialised in teaching financial management to professionals with no business background. This experience honed his ability to start from first principles and make complex financial concepts accessible to anyone.
Philip’s experience spans diverse industries and sectors, including commercial businesses, charities, and other organisations. This broad perspective brings valuable insights to any financial management challenge. His ability to distil universal business principles and adapt them to any sector, combined with his talent for starting from first principles, makes him uniquely positioned to help leaders see their financial challenges through a fresh, practical lens.
