In Australia’s quickly evolving educational setting, school business leaders are being asked to do more with less, all while navigating rising costs, increasing compliance and growing expectations from families and boards. For Matthew Duke, Business Manager at Presbyterian Ladies’ College Melbourne, the key to meeting these challenges lies in thoughtful innovation, strategic leadership, and data-driven decision-making.
In our recent webinar, Leading the Future of School Operations: Enhancing Efficiency Through Innovation and Technology, Matthew shared actionable ideas for streamlining processes, improving collaboration and fostering a culture of continuous improvement to build a future-ready school.
The rising cost of running a school
One of the most pressing challenges facing schools today is financial sustainability. “The cost of just operating is a big one,” Matthew says. “Salaries are going up quite high, and along with that comes a whole lot of other areas that are catching up. It’s very difficult to make sure you’re balancing the budget.”
In an environment of high inflation, families are making conscious decisions to invest in independent education. That makes it even more important for schools to demonstrate value and efficiency in their operations.
Data, compliance and the burden on staff
Beyond financial pressures, schools are also grappling with the growing complexity of data collection and compliance. “There’s so much compliance now,” Matthew notes. “Teachers are required to do so much more from an administration point of view, and that can lead to a lot of burn-out.”
Technology, when implemented thoughtfully, can help alleviate that burden. “If technology can assist them to do their job better—which is teaching the students—then we should look into that.”
Real-time data and ESG reporting
As schools look to the future, access to real-time data is becoming essential. Not just for enrolment and finance, but for emerging areas like ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) reporting.
“We need access to real-time data,” Matthew says. “And ESG reporting is coming. It’s easy to get data from a power meter, but how do we measure carbon from our uniform suppliers or the canteen? That’s going to hit us hard, and we need to start preparing now.”
Leadership and the culture of innovation
Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation; it starts with leadership. “It definitely needs to come from the top,” Matthew says. “But leaders also need to collaborate with all stakeholders. It’s important they don’t make decisions without talking to the different teams that will be impacted.”
He emphasises the importance of alignment: “We often have that strategic vision at the top, but how do we roll it out? It’s about constantly asking: is there a better way to do this? A smarter way? A more cost-effective way?”
Making the case for change
For schools that aren’t yet innovation-focused, Matthew suggests starting with real-world examples. “Sometimes people don’t know what they don’t know,” he says. “Case studies can be really helpful. Show them a school that’s similar in size or resources and what they’ve been able to achieve.”
He also encourages collaboration across the sector. “Schools are amazing at sharing information. Reach out to another school that’s modelling what you’d like to achieve.”
Create space for ideas and use data to prioritise
To foster innovation, schools need to create environments where ideas can surface. “You want to create an environment that is adaptable,” Matthew says. “Maybe it’s a workshop with no limits and blue sky thinking to start.”
But ideas alone aren’t enough. “You also want a lot of data to inform decisions. Maybe a problem is only impacting one or two people, so it might not be the priority. Use data to drive focus.”
Align innovation with strategy
Innovation should never be innovation for its own sake. “Come back to the strategic plan,” Matthew advises. “School boards will want to know how a project aligns with strategic objectives.”
He also stresses the importance of proper scoping. “I’ve seen projects where the scoping was insufficient. You make a decision, then realise you didn’t have the right angle. Invest time upfront in defining the problem and how you want to solve it.”
Incremental vs. pioneering change
When it comes to implementing change, Matthew sees value in both incremental and pioneering approaches.
“Incremental change can be very helpful,” he says. “We’re rolling out more dashboard reporting with BI tools. You start with one department, get feedback, then expand.”
But some projects require a more decisive approach. “If you’re moving from spreadsheets to a full asset management system, you need to go all in. Maybe you stage it, but you can’t be half in or half out.”
Managing risk and ensuring sustainability
Finally, Matthew highlights the importance of risk management in any innovation strategy. “You don’t want a product that might not be there in a couple of years, or one that changes so rapidly your school can’t keep up.”
He encourages schools to regularly reassess their solutions: “Is it still meeting our needs? Can we still resource it? Risk needs to be a large pillar in planning and scoping.”
Watch the full webinar
Eager for more insights on this topic? Leading the Future of School Operations: Enhancing Efficiency Through Innovation and Technology is an on-demand webinar that you can watch anytime. You can view it here.
