Effective School Management

Teaching staff/equipment/ancillary staff choices
In choosing equipment for the office or classroom, cost/benefit analysis should
be a normal routine. Will a new telephone system really bring savings in staff
time and/or some benefit that we can use in terms of our goals? If we get an
interactive whiteboard, how will it improve the quality of our teaching, either
directly or by freeing staff time? In the case of equipment, it should not be
forgotten that the true figure for comparison will usually be the cost over a
period of, say, a year. This will be a ‘depreciation’ cost (usually about a quarter
of the capital cost) plus a maintenance cost.
There is, of course, no justification for saving staff time, unless that time
can be put to other productive use or unless the net result is that we can cut
staff numbers. Turning the argument the other way, of course, if staff cuts are
imposed, an investment in equipment may be needed to maintain the quality
of teaching.