Developing Sponsorship Offer

The offer made to sponsored academies is outlined in this section. It should be noted; the Trust is still in early days of development and will evolve the offer over time.

As the Trust evolves its financial arrangements to a GAG Pooling Policy it will no longer be necessary to take a physical management charge of 7% of an Academy income. It should be noted for the purpose of transparency; the Trust Corporate and Operational Sponsorship Services require 7% of all Academy income to operate effectively and efficiently and develop wider services based on the priorities of our academies.     

Professional Development and Peer Support

• Opportunities to work collaboratively with partner academies.
• Data collection and analysis reports coordinated across the Trust to protect teachers and leaders time to improving   outcomes for our pupils
• Challenge and Support of Principal’s and School / system leaders from the CEO and established Principals.
• Access to internal and external National Leader in Education (NLE) time
• Access to central professional development support through our partner Teaching School Alliance
• Trust-wide moderation opportunities
• Executive Triad programme
• Coordination of shared best practice Trust events and Academy visits
• Compulsory attendance and participation in Trust-wide professional networks
• Access to the Staff Wellbeing, Mental Health and Career Development Strategy
• Opportunities for Trust-wide moderation partnerships
• Developing partnership opportunities with local universities

Core Leadership Support

The Trust sets its leadership bar high and with good reason. Our behaviours and attitudes will model the outstanding expectation we have for our pupils. As a family of schools, we are committed to collaborative ways of working.  To support this, Principal’s will meet every four weeks, rotated across the Academy estate. These meetings are compulsory and offer the opportunity for the CEO to direct educational developments with the Education Group and coordinate strategic improvement planning and intervention from the Trust Development Leads.

 There will be fortnightly visits from the CEO, set against an agreed agenda focused on improvements. Time will also be allocated for the CEO to meet the Academy Council or pupils’ representatives on a half termly basis.

In addition to the above offer, support with harmonisation of policies and procedures across the Trust and ongoing email and telephone support will be provided.

Trust Development Leads

As with all of our work, affordability will drive the timed expansion of this group. Key deployment areas include:

SEND, Attendance & Inclusion, Data & Assessment, Safeguarding & Child Protection, Pupil Wellbeing, Learning & Development and Curriculum

Extensive Financial Service

• Provision of accounting software and training for school finance staff working within a Pooled Reserve Policy
• Provision of Budget planning and monitoring software
• Preparation of monitoring reports on Budget v Actual expenditure, including detailed salary monitoring
• Annual budget setting and development of 3-5-year financial plan, including deficit recovery if required, with linkage to the School Development/Improvement Plan
• Submission of all statutory returns to Central Government
• Completion of VAT claims and returns to HMRC
• Management Accounts preparation
• Year-end accounts preparation and liaison with external auditors
• Standardised set of accounting policies and school finance policy documentation
• Attendance at governor and finance committee meetings, as requested
• Flexible telephone and email support services including access to  CFO , Finance Manager and administrative team
• Set up and maintenance of a fixed asset register including depreciation
• Invoice transactions
• Arrange insurance Inc. RPA, Travel and Minibus
• Assistance with close down of school finance system post conversion
• New Academy banking arrangements.
• Opportunity to bid for pooled reserve monies based on agreed reserve distribution formula.
• Procurement
• Internal Audit
• ParentPay

GAG Pooling Policy

Standing united makes us stronger and trustees unanimously agreed to develop a financial model that ensures all income works in the best interests of all academies. In a climate of economic uncertainty, we hold the belief that we are stronger by tightening our belts as a single entity. If one child fails in any of our academies, we all fail. Reserves are reallocated following a formula agreed annually by Trustees in line with 2019 Finance Policy.

Payroll Services

• Trust Payroll link (via phone and email)
• Calculations and contributions for HMRC
• All statutory PAYE, NI, Pensions, Court Order Payments
• Audit of historical payroll data
• Production and submission of P60’s
• Submission of HMRC RIT and EPS
• Act as a BACS bureau on behalf of the School
• Monthly data collections—Teachers’ Pension Scheme, Local Governance Pension School uploads
• Provision of payslips for individuals

Business and Facilities Support

The driving principle behind our business and facilities service is to address academies’ business needs and allow Principals and Local Governors to focus on teaching and learning.

• Statutory Maintenance compliance – each school will fund their own requirements through central annual budget setting. This will be monitored to ensure compliance through the trust
• Statutory H&S Compliance – Policies, risk assessments and   documentation to ensure compliance with HSE requirements
• Access to trust wide capital funds for condition and Health and Safety needs. The trust has access to formula-based funding from the EFA through the Schools Condition Allocation programme
• This funding is allocated on a priority basis across all sites based on condition and risk assessment
• Site Condition Survey
• Health and Safety training. Training in mandatory subjects such as Asbestos, Legionella, working at height (general work up to and including ladders), manual handling (general requirement for those staff who carry out regular work i.e.      caretakers, site staff, catering staff) and Fire Safety
• Management of capital projects and refurbishment work
• Health and Safety advice available via telephone or site visits
• Site maintenance advice via telephone or site visits

Human Resource Service

Accurate and timely advice and support is critical to ensure Principals are not distracted from their core purpose to raise achievement in their academies. The offer includes:

• Access to the Trust absence management system and the preparation of monthly absence analysis reports
• Professional HR advice and guidance in line with employment legislation including advice on the interpretation and application of pay and conditions of service for teachers and support staff
• Advice on managing the employment process from beginning to end including consultation requirements, notification and involvement of staff and unions, redeployment, early retirement and redundancy arrangements and estimates
• Supporting change processes which may include preparation for and implementation of proposals for new staffing structures
• Advice and guidance on the recruitment, selection and appointment of teaching and non-teaching staff
• Providing advice and support in managing short- and long-term sickness absence, including outcomes from Occupational Health referrals
• Supporting referrals to the Occupational Health Service to facilitate the resolution of health and absence issues impacting on schools
• Bespoke HR-related training as required
• Support in delivering exit strategies
• Employment policy cycle