Burning issues

[Vivi]

Hi there teachers!

I am new to the forum and would welcome some advice from you all.

I am from a "business " background and will shortly be applying for a role on a (secondary) schools senior management team as a Chief Operating Officer. The role is non-teaching and the idea is to develop the school and make it "fit for the future" as schools seek to survive/ thrive in an ever-changing financial, economic, social climate. I'd like to think about some of those challenges and horizon-scan for upcoming challenges for secondary school management teams .

Could I possibly pick your brains to ask what keeps you awake at night? What are the big " business " issues that may threaten the viability of your school ? Are these issues likely to be common to other schools? Finances must be one of those issues but what specifically challenges the income for schools. The school is L.A maintained and in a major City in England but hopefully the issues are common to many schools.
I'd like to consider these issues and chew them over with some strategic thinking before I apply for the role.

Can anybody help me ? Bullet points would be fine. No great in depth essay needed!

Thanks