Home of the School Experts
Our team are working in schools or on schools every working day.
School experts who can help you re-engineer and transform your School.
Our software Strategic Partners collaborate, because of our expertise.
Payroll experts managing your payroll, using your software.
Professional HR support for schools, helping you manage staff, compliance, and processes with confidence.
School technology audits that ensure your systems and processes are in tip-top shape.
Practical operational support for Early Learning Centres.
School experts who can help you re-engineer and transform your School.
Keeping your school cash flow positive!
Working with independent schools across Australia and New Zealand
Supporting Business Managers and their teams across the whole sphere of their school operation
Providing virtual and on-site Consultancy, Finance, Accounting and Software services
Our team has vast educational industry experience and are well trained in meeting the desired objectives required by schools when facing complex challenges. We are an organisation driven by efficient use of technology and implementing effective innovation, but also hold on to ethics that are our core of commitment, responsiveness, quality and collaboration.
Many schools have benefited from outsourcing their Finance and Business functions to us.
See what schools have to say about the services we have provided to support their teams and operations.
Sharing experiences and enjoying professional learning are an important part of growth and improving how schools operate. Our Cole Connect events provide topical information, personal development opportunities, demonstrate products and services and present a unique opportunity for school Business Managers, Leaders, Finance & Admin Staff to network, discuss issues and share effective solutions to common challenges.
Discover “The Business of School” Podcast. Unveiling the synergy between education and business. Engaging insights, expert advice, and more.
We’re a leading consulting firm specialising in accounting and financial services for the Independent Education sector.
Think: payroll, debtor management, consulting, and software services. We have a team spread across Australia and New Zealand, providing comprehensive support to schools of all sizes and at all levels of financial management and software professional services.
Our mission is to empower your school to not only get by, but to thrive. For too long, we’ve seen schools pushed to the brink: stretched too thin, staff burned out and stuck in survival mode.
By offering tailored solutions and personalised support, we give you the tools to focus on what matters most: providing a high-quality education.
We specialise in supporting independent schools and early learning centres across Australia and New Zealand.
We consult with Boards, Business Managers, Principals, and finance teams.
Think of us as an extension of your team, helping your operations run smoothly and efficiently.
Our services are completely scalable: from consulting all the way to implementation, depending on your needs and resources. We get alongside and help you sort out various functions from bookkeeping and accounting to finance reporting, software optimisation, payroll, HR, debt recovery, and strategic projects.
It’s simple, really. We live and breathe school finance and operations.
With over two decades of dedicated experience working side-by-side with schools, we bring a deep understanding of the unique challenges your school faces, particularly when it comes to your operational, compliance, and reporting requirements.
What really sets us apart is our hands-on approach to the technical details of your finance function. Whether it’s navigating complex funding models, integrating financial systems, or staying on top of the latest rules and regulations, we have the experience to handle it quickly and accurately.
Not anymore! While Cole School Experts is built on a strong foundation of accounting and finance support, we’ve expanded our services to meet the evolving needs of schools. Today, we also provide strategic support in educational services—helping school leaders navigate change, plan effectively, and improve outcomes.
We also specialise in guiding schools through the increasingly complex process of software and EdTech vendor evaluations. With so many options on the market, selecting the right tools can be overwhelming. We help you cut through the noise and choose solutions that align with your vision, workflows, and stakeholder needs.
Whether you’re reviewing your current systems or looking to implement something new, we’re here to help you make confident, informed decisions.
It’s easy to start working with Cole School Experts. Just reach out via phone, email or our website. We’ll arrange an initial chat to learn about your objectives and current challenges. From there, we’ll tailor a roadmap that addresses your goals and gets things happening.
Payroll is running, everyone’s getting paid and nobody’s complaining. So everything must be fine… right? Not necessarily. Drawing on eight real school Payroll Health Checks, this article uncovers the common risks hiding behind seemingly smooth payroll processes, and why better systems, controls and checks matter more than simply checking harder.
If you’ve been asked to participate in a school software review, it’s worth remembering that schools aren’t just evaluating your product.
They’re assessing how you communicate, respond to questions, respect the process, and whether you’re the kind of partner they can trust long term.
