ASTREA ACADEMIES PROSPECTUS 2016-17
01 INTRODUCTION 03 VALUES 05 BUILDING EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE MATS 06 FOCUS ON QUALITY OF LEARNING 07 CURRICULUM 09 CLEAR GOVERNANCE 11
EXPERT GOVERNANCE
13
OPERATING MODEL
15
ORGANISATION CHART
17
CENTRAL SERVICES SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
Introduction Astrea Academy Trust www.astreaacademytrust.org was launched in January 2016. Led by CEO Libby Nicholas, Astrea has been established as part of the ‘Northern Power House’ initiative to contribute to raising educational standards in primary and secondary schools in the Midlands and North of England. An aspiration of the Astrea family is to deliver an all through 2- 18 education for children and young people. The Astrea mission: ‘Inspiring Beyond Measure’, reflects Astrea’s approach that an exceptional education is rich and empowering beyond the narrow confines of formal examination success.
“Reach for the top of the tree and you may get to the first branch but reach for the stars and you’ll get to the top of the tree.” Lemn Sissay, MBE
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Astrea Value Partners
The work of the Astrea Academy Trust is underpinned by five core Value Partners, which are equally applicable to pupils, staff and the work of the Trust itself. Each pair of Value Partners is accompanied by a call for action in the form of a hashtag, which is used in verbal, digital and hard copy communications. The Value Partners can be used as a measure of individual, school and Trust progress and as a guide to inform the direction of change.
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Responsibility and Leadership
Individuals in the Astrea community are accountable for their own decisions and actions and are supported by strong leaders, while trailblazers are encouraged to develop skills and talents in others. The Trust has a strong commitment to developing and nurturing our own leaders. #4equity
Aspiration and Development
Every member of the Astrea community, from the youngest pupil to the oldest member of staff, is encouraged to cultivate opportunities to grow. We achieve excellence by being inspired to become the best we can be. The progress and well-being of pupils is our top priority, at the centre of every decision. #Astreathestars
Honesty and Integrity
Enjoyment and Innovation
We know that everyone learns best when they enjoy what they do and are in a position to follow their innate desire to achieve. Astrea pushes boundaries so that pioneering ideas are tried and tested and consequently our academies remain leaders in the advancement of teaching and learning methods. #go4it
Collaboration and Inclusion
Astrea honours and applauds the differences that make us unique whilst actively seeking and celebrating the common ground that binds us together as a strong community. We work together in a productive environment where dynamic ideas are shared in partnership, so that every member of the community may thrive. #all4one
We are honest and open. Astrea decisions and responses are grounded in time-honoured moral principles that remain constant in the face of challenges and change. #4good
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Building Effective and Sustainable MATs While Astrea has demonstrated how to develop an effective and sustainable multi academy trust, it is clear that others have fallen short in this venture. Reform, a non-party research organisation that focuses on the delivery of public services, published Education in Chains in 2015. This publication considered research into what characterised MATs that had succeeded and failed in the recent past. Astrea has considered the findings of the report in the context of what has supported the high level of success of Astrea Academy Trust.
A relentless focus on the quality of learning Clear governance structures Capacity and affordability built through economies of scale
Talent management and professional development for all Trust functions – an effective operating model Expert governance
Astrea has already put these principles into practice. New Trusts inevitably start small on day one. However, Astrea will have a strategic clarity of what they are aiming to build over the next five years. The staffing structures and operating models will be built up incrementally, to reflect affordability, as they grow into sustainable and self-sufficient MATs.
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Focus on Quality of Learning
At the heart of the Astrea approach to education improvement is a relentless focus by every layer of the organisation on the quality of learning that is taking place in every classroom. This means that systems, procedures and relationships must ensure that we all know our academies. Those systems and processes include:
Professional development and support to ensure consistent standards and approach across the Trust Agreed common timescales and methodology of assessment for effective progress monitoring Common ‘Assessment Without Levels’ approach Common risk management assessment and escalation procedures for education performance Deployment of Regional Key Stage / Subject Leads to support academies Joint accountability and responsibility of Directors of Education and Principal for the academies education performance Moderated Trust Inspections to moderate on-going quality of provision assessment Routine management analysis of performance by Regional Lead and the Headteacher / Principal Common virtual education performance database deployed across the Trust to support interrogation and analysis of education performance Education performance sub-committee of the Trustee’s Board and eventually Regional Boards to focus on: education performance, risk assessment, and intervention strategies Peer-to-peer support facilitated by the Trust Capacity to intervene when necessary
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Curriculum Astrea academies have a curriculum that is values-led: It engages, motivates and inspires students, giving them opportunities to translate learning into real and relevant skills application. The Astrea curriculum prepares students for life and work and enables them to achieve their potential both academically and creatively. Astrea takes an evidence-informed approach to curriculum development and innovation and teachers use evidence and data to be informed both in terms of pedagogy and outcomes. The curriculum fosters the Astrea Teacher as a graduate professional rather than an “intellectual navvy”, therefore the curriculum is owned by all teachers. It is designed on a macro-level by leaders but is designed on a micro-level every day by teachers and teaching teams in classrooms. Astrea academies determine the curriculum for their local and unique context and co-create best practice within the trust.
Astrea academies seek to cover the requirements of the National Curriculum as a minimum. As stated in DfE guidance “all academies must offer a curriculum which is balanced and broadly-based and which: promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of students at the academy and prepares students for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.” Being academies, we have the autonomy to be innovative in our approach to the curriculum, for example in the areas of bespoke projects and qualifications, our approach to high-stakes assessment at Key stages 4 & 5 and our offer of enrichment activities. As part of the Astrea family of trusts, we believe that there is a vital and substantial core curriculum that works across all types of settings. We ensure consistency of approach across all our schools through regional teams of teaching and learning specialists Directors of Education (Primary and Secondary), Deputy Director of Education, Director of Inclusion and Regional Leaders Maths, English, Science, who deliver training, carry out moderation, lead on “joint practice development” and curriculum innovation. Astrea Academy Trust | Page 7
Astrea’s vision is for all students in our academies to experience being “Inspired Beyond Measure”; as such we view the “curriculum” as a suite of five aspects: Academic - Our Academic Curriculum Plan ensures learning and teaching reflect our vision and ethos. The starting point for learning is a positive ethos and climate of respect and trust based upon shared values across the school community, including parents. We believe that there is no contradiction within a curriculum that rigorously instills the basics of English and Mathematics whilst at the same time offering a broad range of learning experiences. Through our support for pedagogical excellence, we focus on engaging delivery of the curriculum so that students are excited by learning. This will include project-based learning as well as practical, experiential tasks. We are keen for students to develop a good understanding of their local context. Thinking Skills and Growth Mindset - The way that we learn is emphasised in conjunction with what we learn and the belief that there is nothing that necessarily limits learning. We coach students to recognise when one mindset is producing self-limiting behaviour and enable them to “talk back” to this approach and foster an alternative which enables challenges to be overcome. In a similar way, “Thinking Skills” are mental processes we use to do things like: solve problems, make decisions, ask questions, construct plans, evaluate ideas, organise information and create objects. Character Development - A high emphasis is placed on explicit opportunities to develop good attitudes to learning and on personal development. From significant amounts of time spent on the personal, social and emotional development of students through to discrete lessons on citizenship, and team building curriculum events such as residential journeys, our model systematically ensures students develop responsible attitudes toward themselves, others, the wider environment and society in general. We emphasise the “5 Cs” of character: Confident, Caring, Contributing, Committed, Courteous Enrichment - Students of all ages deserve memorable and life-enriching experiences which will shape their character, develop their talents and build self-confidence. Participation in a wide range of activities beyond the academic curriculum is an essential part of the success of students. Enrichment links to our curriculum principles because it brings breadth to the students’ educational experience, promotes enjoyment, brings additional challenge and allows for a more personalised experience. Local, National and Global Perspectives - By recognising and planning learning around different experiences that are available, students come to understand the richness of learning opportunities in different contexts. We are innovative in our approach to building relationships with all possible learning partners in order that our students develop their understanding of the local, national and global community. Through this, our students are equipped to make an important contribution to community and wider cohesion. “The world is the true classroom. The most rewarding and important type of learning is through experience, seeing something with our own eyes.” Anon Every school is individual, therefore our curriculum approach is trust-wide but with individual tailoring, giving our academies freedom to contextualise the five aspects. Crucially, the curriculum specifies a minimum (core) requirement for all academies, constituting the educational offer.
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Clear Governance
The Astrea Governance Structure is based on the same principles established in the Astrea Governance Charter. The Astrea Charter sets out the fundamental principles of the organisation and lays down the rules for its governance. The governance scheme consists of the Charter, the Trust Articles of Association and the detailed Scheme of Delegation. The governance principles recognise the importance of developing relationships with common purpose as much as they are about developing processes and structures. The 21 questions that every multi-academy trust should ask itself, set out by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Education Governance and Leadership (January 2015), provide a foundation by which we will assess the effectiveness of our governance. Financial governance must as a foundation, be compliant with the principles and regulations set out in the Academies Financial handbook. The trust aims to go beyond this foundation to provide excellence in its governance. Governance is underpinned by a common understanding about who is responsible for providing valuable input to decision making and who has the decision-making responsibility. Effective governance in the Trust will be supported through the following tiers:
a. Trust Members – the guardians of the constitution
b. Trust Board – the Directors / Trustees
c. Trust sub-committees
d. Local Governing Bodies (LGBs) – The Academy Governors
e. The Executive Team - the Chief Executive Officer (the «CEO») and other senior managment
As the Trust grows, the capacity for governance, overview and scrutiny of LGB decisions will be increased through the development of Regional Boards. The middle tier of governance will then be Regional Boards and their sub-committees. To avoid confusion with the role of Board Trustees and LGB Governors, the regional board members will be known as ‘Regional Ambassadors’. Regional Boards will not be a necessary tier of governance until the scale and geographical reach of the Trust requires them. Until that point the MAT Board will assume all of the functions of the Regional Board. The Trust Board has overall responsibility and ultimate decision-making authority for all the work of the Trust, including the establishment and maintenance of the Academies.
Regional Boards will have three key functions:
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Astrea Academy Trust Board
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REGIONAL BOARD
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a. Provide regional overview, scrutiny and challenge of academy education and financial performance; b. Support regional locality forums for academy leaders and governors to shape and influence Trust thinking; and c. Ensure an effective flow of communication between the Local Governing Bodies, Regional Boards and the Trust Board
The governance of each Academy shall be delegated to the relevant Local Governing Body.
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Expert Governance Astrea’s founding Members and Trustees are:
With degrees in English & Philosophy, Libby wanted to teach and help young people, She completed her PGCE and progressed quickly from teaching English to increasingly senior roles in positions such as Head of Year, Assistant Head, Headteacher, Deputy Director of Education at the Girls’ Day School Trust and Regional Director of Education for the South & West at the Academies Enterprise Trust. Libby Nicholas CEO
Having worked in further and adult education and schools for 15 years, John has a vast amount of International experience having worked all over the world. Today John is the Leadership consultant to CBE Nederland in Amsterdam having previously been a coordinator of the European School Leadership Project. Prof John West-Burnham TRUSTEE
Jonathan is Head of the Education Unit at Policy Exchange, where he directs research on all aspects of education including Early Years, schools, skills and HE. He is a frequent commentator on television, radio and newspapers and writes a weekly column in the TES newspaper on politics and education policy. Jonathan Simons TRUSTEE
James is a senior executive in the automotive sector, having been CEO with regional and global responsibilities, notably as President of Mazda Europe and President of SEAT S.A. He is based at VWGroup (Germany) in charge of global national sales companies. James' expertise lies in leadership, people development, establishing new businesses and performance improvement. He is a member of the supervisory board of Volkswagen Financial Services. James Muir TRUSTEE
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With a degree in French and PGCE in modern languages. Valerie has worked in maintained and independent sectors for over 30 years and is currently the Headteacher at independent Sheffield High School where she has been since 2004. Areas of expertise include strategic planning, leadership development and the delivery of school improvement. Added to this, Valerie has also been a schools inspector for 15 years in the UK and abroad. Valerie Dunsford TRUSTEE
A Gatsby Scholar with a degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge, Matthew is a leading consultant in the education sector. Matthew is currently the Managing Director at Parthenon and has worked in the education support services sector, leading teams working on school improvement, the ‘Building Schools for the Future’ programme and on children’s services technology and management information. Matthew Robb TRUSTEE
Simon is Director and Dean of Education and Quality (Midlands and East) at Health Education England. He is also Honorary Professor at Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia (UEA) and Visiting Professor at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and the University of Pavia, Italy (teaching appointment), and a Fellow of Homerton College, Cambridge. Outside of medicine and education, Simon’s interests include numerous governance and development roles for the Scout Association. Professor Simon Gregory TRUSTEE
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Operating Model A Director of Education (Primary) and a Director of Education (Secondary) have a proven track record of school leadership and education performance improvement. They line manage the academy Principals in their sector and have a full-time team of key stage or subject leads to support academy development.
The management staffing structure for Astrea’s operating model is shown overleaf.
A central team provides the key support services including financial, HR, payroll, estates, systems, communications, policy, governance support, project management and marketing. Central services also supply specialists to the regional teams such as a Regional Business Manager, Regional HR Advisor, Regional Estates Surveyor and Regional Governance Support. This approach ensures that multi-disciplinary regional teams consistently work with and support the academies in their region.
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The operating model identifies those functions that are most effectively and efficiently managed centrally by the Trust and those that are most effectively and efficiently delegated to the individual academies. A detailed relationship between centrally managed and academy managed services is set out in the ‘Central Services Specifications’ at the end of this document. Trustees would review the delegation of services annually. The capacity of the Trust must exceed its central service however. This capacity is built up through the development of effective academies that provide peer-topeer support and challenge. Our purpose is to collaborate to meet the aspirations and needs of our pupils and students.
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CEO Libby Nicholas
Executive Director of Operations Adam Goldstein
PA TO DIRECTORS Lucy Betteridge
EXEC PA TO CEO Emily Sharp
Director of Inclusion Nicola Crossley
ASL Safeguarding & Family Liaison Nicola Law
Director of Estates
Project Manager Jamie Gibbs
Head of HR
Carl Bingham
HR Manager Beth Laidlaw
ICT Manager
Head of PR Amy Leonard
Dave Wilson
Senior Governance Advisor
Dr Aoife McGuinness
HR Assistant
Ingrid Chambers
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Director of Finance Laurence Mosley
Director of Education Primary Benedick Ashmore-Short
Director of Education Secondary Dean Anderson
Deputy Director Education Andrew Redfern
Educational Data & Systems Manager Lisa Thompson
Regional Leader EYFS & KS1 Head of Finance
Regional Leader Maths Vivienne Preece
n
Regional Leader KS2
Regional Leader English
Susie Wilson
Regional Sports Development Officer Chris White
Regional Leader Science James Furness
Regional Business Manager
Ann-Marie Jones
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Central Services Specifications
INTRODUCTION Astrea Academy Trust is funded by the Education Funding Agency (EFA) to operate academies. The EFA provides the Trust with a General Allocation Grant (GAG) for each academy that it operates. This is a mechanism for calculating the Trust’s total GAG and not a mechanism for determining the funding for individual academies. It is a matter for the Trust to determine what functions are carried out across the whole Trust and what functions are delegated to the level of the individual academy. Astrea Academy Trust will delegate around 6.5% of functions to central departments and 93.5% to individual academies. Delegated budgets mirror the functions. Trustees govern the effectiveness and efficiency of central department use of resources. LGBs govern the effectiveness and efficiency of individual academy use of resources. The following table sets out the scope and specification of the central services and how they interact with individual academies. Academy Principals have the responsibility to manage the resources delegated to their academy, line managed and performance managed by a Director of Education Primary / Secondary. The executive may vary or change these services at any time to meet the needs and priorities of the Trust.
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SERVICE Service Detail/ DETAIL/ ACTIVITY Activity
CENTRAL FUNCTION Central Function Liaise with the Education Funding Agency (EFA) and Charities Commission to ensure that the Trust’s governance structure is clear, compliant and effective. Trustees set the values and strategic direction and policies of the Trust.
GOVERNANCE
Trustees determine the governance structures for the Trust and determine the governance scheme of delegation. Support Trustees in the recruitment and appointment of new Trustees and Regional Ambassadors, maintaining a skills audit of Trustee expertise to ensure a balance of relevant expertise at Board level. Support the cost of training of Trustees and Regional Ambassadors.
INDIVIDUAL ACADEMY FUNCTIONS Individual Academy Functions References to the Local Governing Body (LGB) also apply to local Transition Boards and Intervention Boards. The LGB sets the values and strategic policy of the academy within the limits sets within the scheme of delegation. Ensure compliance with the Trust’s scheme of governance and scheme of delegation. Support Governors in the recruitment of new LGB members for approval by the regional board. Support the induction of LGB governors. Support the cost of training of LGB members.
Ensure that meetings of the Trust Board, Regional Boards and their sub-committees are fully supported and appropriately clerked and organised.
Ensure that meetings of the LGB and their sub-committees are fully supported and appropriately clerked and organised.
Proactively ensure that the Trust Board, Regional Boards and their sub-committees have access to all necessary data and information, as and when they require it, in order to discharge their duties as Trustees and Regional Ambassadors in providing overview and scrutiny of the Trust’s activities and in holding the Executive to account.
Proactively ensure that the LGB and their sub-committees have access to all necessary data and information, as and when they require it, in order to discharge their duties as Governors in providing overview and scrutiny of the academy’s activities and in holding the academy leadership team to account.
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SERVICE Service Detail/ DETAIL/ ACTIVITY Activity
CENTRAL FUNCTION Central Function
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
Maintain and performance manages an executive leadership team that is suitably experienced and qualified. The Trustees will appoint the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The CEO will be the Accounting Officer for the Trust and personally accountable to Parliament for the performance of the Trust. The CEO will be the executive officer on the Board of Trustees. The CEO and Trustees will appoint the Executive Directors. The Executive Directors will make up the executive team and include the CEO, Finance Director, Operations Director, Director of Education (Secondary), Director of Education (Primary), and Director of Inclusion. Directors of Education Primary / Secondary will act as the executive for the respective Regional Board. The Executive Team will be responsible for establishing and maintaining an operating model and staffing structure that delivers all of the necessary functions of the Trust effectively, efficiently and affordably. The Executive will be responsible for establishing and reviewing the management scheme of delegation. Provide a national voice for the Trust managing reputation and identity with national and regional partners including Ministers, DfE, EFA, RSCs and NSC, Charities Commission, Ofsted, HMRC, Local Authorities, Higher Education providers and other MATs.
INDIVIDUAL ACADEMY FUNCTIONS Individual Academy Functions Principals, including Heads of School and Executive Principals, are appointed and performance managed by the Trust’s executive team. The LGB will participate in the process of Principal appointment and performance management at the request of the Executive. The Principal is line managed by the appropriate Director of Education Primary / Secondary. The Principal will be the executive officer on the LGB. The Principal, in consultation with the regional Executive Principal and LGB will appoint the senior leadership team of the academy.
The academy senior leadership team will be responsible for establishing and maintaining an operating model and staffing structure that delivers all of the functions delegated to the academy effectively, efficiently and affordably.
Provide a local voice for the Trust and the academy managing reputation and identity with local and regional partners including the Local Authority, Child Protection Agencies, RSC offices, other academies and communitybased groups.
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ACADEMY MANAGEMENT
REGIONAL AND
Service Detail/ Activity
Central Function Appoint, employ and performance manage the Directors of Education Primary / Secondary. Directors of Education will line and performance manage academy Principals. The Regional Directors of Education will be line managed by the Deputy Director of Education. The Directors of Education Primary / Secondary will maintain a dedicated team of specialist key stage Associate School Leaders (ASLs). ASLs will be deployed into academies to provide assessment and support for improving impact on learning. The regional Director of Education will manage a multidisciplinary ‘matrix team’ to coordinate academy support. This will include business management, HR, procurement, policy and governance support.
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Individual Academy Functions Principals, including Heads of School and Executive Principals, are line managed by the respective Director of Education. The Principal is responsible for the line management of the school’s senior management team.
The Principal will be responsible for ensuring that an appropriate and effective staffing structure or operating model is in place to deliver a high quality learning environment for all pupils with effective educational outcomes.
The Principal will be responsible for maintaining the appropriate business functions in the academy to secure its effective and efficient management in accordance with the Trust’s scheme of delegation.
CURRICULUM
Service Detail/ Activity
Central Function
Individual Academy Functions
Provide the template of minimum expectations in all Astrea academies of pupils experience in terms of curriculum, behaviour, attendance; extended learning experiences; and meeting the diverse needs of children with different needs and different cultural backgrounds.
Develop the school curriculum to meet the needs of the community that the academy serves. A curriculum in each academy that is recognisably Astrea but still individual enough to meet the specific needs of the community that it serves.
Recognise that academies serving different communities will need to create their own curriculum tailored to the needs of the community.
Within the academy’s curriculum include the Astrea minimum expectations of pupils’ experience.
Astrea has a deeply held ethos of inclusivity that underpins our approach to curriculum development including our approach to admissions, exclusions and support for children with physical or learning disabilities.
The academy’s curriculum will fundamentally reflect the inclusive nature of the Astrea approach to serving the local community and all pupils.
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Service Detail/ Activity
Central Function
Individual Academy Functions
The Trust will provide whole career support for continuing professional development:
Continuing professional development is an expectation for professionals within the Trust:
Investment Courses – bespoke academy leadership development course with monthly sessions for 2 delegates per school funded centrally. Challenge Partners – training that complements and extends the investment training of Principals of academies judged to be good or outstanding. Leadership development – a bespoke programme to take leaders to the next level of system leadership. Future Leaders Programme – supports the preparation of aspirant school leaders in being ready to take on the challenge. Bespoke Leadership coaching. Development Courses – Access to the ECM Development Courses and Endeavour Teaching School Alliance Programmes. Bespoke Teaching Programmes and Middle Leader Development programmes in all regions. School business management training programme provided centrally by the Trust. Initial Teacher Education – The Trust is in negotiations with UCL Institute of Education to develop a MAT wide SCITT to support the needs of Astrea Academy Trust in preparing new entrants to the profession for qualified teacher status.
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Two leadership delegates from the academy, one of which will be the Principal, will attend and engage with the Trust’s investment course.
Principals of good or outstanding academies will participate in the challenge partner training to contribute to the Trust’s peer review process.
Participation in the Leadership Development Programme is optional and funded by the academy.
Future Leaders Programme is optional and funded by the academy to support talent management and development.
Each academy will commit an element of its annual budget to the professional development of its staff.
Service Detail/ Activity
Central Function The Trustees will determine key statutory policies including: HR Policies
The LGB will determine local policies not set by Trustees including:
Whistleblowing
Curriculum
Pay
Religious Education
Pensions Appraisal and Performance Management Capability Disciplinary Admissions
POLICY
Individual Academy Functions
Complaints Policy Safeguarding Policy Health and Safety Policies Financial Scheme of Delegation Reserves and Balances Policy Governance Scheme of Delegation FoI and Data Protection Assessment without Levels Insurance
Sex and relationships education SEN Attendance & Behaviour Management Pupil Premium Home School Agreements Equality Policy (within Trust framework) Charging and remissions (within Trust framework) Lettings Health and Safety (within Trust framework) Premises management (within Trust framework). The school will operate within the policies and procedures set out by the Trustees.
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EDUCATION PERFORMANCE
Service Detail/ Activity
Central Function
Individual Academy Functions
Set out the education performance management systems, procedures and policies for the whole Trust. Set targets for the Trust as a whole and individual academy targets. Education targets will be achievable and aspirational.
Operate within the Trust’s performance management framework, contributing to its development and implementation. Contribute to the processes of identifying achievable and aspirational performance targets.
Directly intervene to provide support and challenge where individual academies are at risk of underperformance.
Cooperate with Trust central teams where support, challenge and intervention is put in place to mitigate risk of underperformance.
Provide a group wide data system that collects pupil data from across the Astrea chain. The system will allow integration of the data to identify performance and performance trends of pupils and specific groups of pupils.
Commission ‘Moderated Trust Inspections’ (MTI) to provide an independent assessment of each academy’s: pupil achievement; quality of teaching; behaviour and safety; leadership and management.
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Maintain a pupil performance data system at the level of the individual academy. Provide access to that system for the Astrea group data system. Update the performance database as required by the Trust’s policy.
Cooperate with the Moderated Trust Inspection and respond to the findings of the MTI through the development and implantation of an academy improvement plan.
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND AUDIT
Service Detail/ Activity
Central Function
Individual Academy Functions
Provide the financial procedures and scheme of delegation. Ensure that the policies and procedures are maintained and up to date in accordance with the EFA’s latest version of the Academies Financial Handbook.
Operate the academy within the Trust’s financial procedures and scheme of delegation. Operate the academy in accordance with the EFA’s latest version of the academies financial handbook.
Procure and provide the financial management system and financial planning systems for all academies. The FMS will be a cloud-based system to allow real time support and control for all academies by the central accountancy team.
Maintain an accurate and upto-date financial management system as required by the procedures and policies set out by the Director of Finance.
Procure and establish the banking system for all aspects of the Trust’s work. Employ a central accountancy team under the leadership of the Finance Director. The team will include a Regional Business Manager (RBM) for each geographical hub within the Trust. The RBM will support and performance manage the individual school business managers (SBMs). Provide local, regional and national training opportunities for academy SBM. Provide procedures manual for academy finance team. Provide: on-line; e-mail; telephone and on-site support for each academy’s financial team through in-house or out-sourced provision.
Manage the resources of the academy within the limits set out in the authorised budget. Utilise the on-line banking arrangements to monitor and manage bank accounts to ensure sufficient cash exists to manage financial liabilities. Inform the Director of Finance immediately if there is a risk of a significant deviation from the authorised budget plan or a concern about cash flow. Employ the School Business Manager under the terms set out by the Director of Finance. Ensure SBM engages with training and conference opportunities provided by Astrea. Ensure staff are completely familiar with the Trust’s financial procedures and processes.
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AUDIT
Service Detail/ Activity
Central Function
Individual Academy Functions
Appoint the External Auditors for the Astrea Academy Trust.
Pay for the school’s element of the audit.
Provide support to each Academy in fully managing the audit processes. Support each academy in the preparation for the annual audit.
Provide the auditors with access to all information and systems, as they require.
Astrea Board will consider the annual audit findings and management reports for changes or improvements to financial procedures at all levels.
Provide an Internal Audit function that is independent of the finance function.
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The LGB will consider the audit report and management response for the individual academy in requiring changes or improvements to the implementation of financial procedures.
Comply with all requirements and any investigations instigated by the Trust’s internal audit function.
HR AND PAYROLL
Service Detail/ Activity
Central Function
Individual Academy Functions
Negotiate with national Trade Unions on the development of consistent HR policies and procedure changes. Manage and liaise with trade unions where there is a risk of industrial dispute.
Implementation of Trust HR policies and liaise with local relevant Trade Unions under guidance from the central HR team. Ensure local compliance with the Trust’s trade union recognition agreement.
Provide HR advice and support for academies on demand. Provide HR Advisor support on site, where necessary, for formal procedures including capability, grievance and disciplinary through in-house or out-sourced capacity.
Ensure staff are familiar with, and comply with, all HR policies through appropriate training and development. Seek HR advice at the earliest opportunity before initiating a formal HR procedure or policy.
Astrea will directly manage HR procedures that may lead to employment termination of Principals, Directors of Education and centrally employed staff.
Principal and LGB manage procedures leading to employment terminations of staff below the level of Principal under advice from the Group HR Team and Employment Legal advisors.
Provide group wide recruitment strategy. Commission active recruitment capacity in-house or out-sourced to deliver effective and best value recruitment support for academies.
Purchase recruitment marketing that includes the full utilisation of the recruitment processes put in place by Astrea to ensure that the academy has sufficient and appropriately qualified staff.
Provide a centrally managed payroll service for the Trust including all academies.
Ensure accuracy of monthly payroll data for academy staff in line with the financial procedures.
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Service Detail/ Activity
CENTRAL FUNCTION Maintain a central property asset register including asset valuation.
ESTATES
Identify and carry out due diligence on energy efficiency and carbon reduction schemes, grants and commercial providers on behalf of the Astrea Academy Trust. Maintain a central property condition database and prioritise on a transparent and agreed methodology capital improvement projects through the EFA delegated capital improvement fund. Provide the lead design, project management and legal support for academy capital projects. This may be provided through in-house or out-sourced professional services. Ensure that commercial interests, insurances, warranties, risk assessments, design and build are executed to secure the best interests of the Trust and its educational vision. Coordinate bids for capital funding to extend or improve the capacity and condition of the Trust’s academies.
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Individual Academy Functions Provide Astrea with all property data and access to premises on request.
Academy will take all opportunities, within a planned budget, to utilise and manage energy efficiency to optimise the running costs and carbon footprint.
Maintain the academy premises for routine condition, repair and decoration within the allocated resources of the academy including devolved formula capital.
Work with architects and project managers assigned by Astrea to support capital bids for EFA funding.
Service Detail/ Activity
CENTRAL FUNCTION Employ a Health and Safety Coordinator for the Trust.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Develop Health and Safety policies.
Provide a cloud based health and safety management reporting system.
Provide and facilitate health and safety training.
Individual Academy Functions Identify a lead within the academies management team to coordinate health and safety compliance.
Implement Trust health and safety policies.
Maintain the data on the health and safety management and reporting system.
Participate in health and safety training.
Provide templates and guidance on risk assessment and mitigation.
Carry out and manage risk assessments as appropriate within the Trust’s framework.
Provide critical incident support and intervention.
Inform the Trust of critical incidents immediately.
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Service Detail/ Activity
CENTRAL FUNCTION
PROCUREMENT
Maintain a contracts database for Astrea. Prioritise contracts, in terms of impact on academies, for group wide procurement and management. Assess whether each contract secures best value if negotiated at the local level or as part of a group approach.
Individual Academy Functions Provide relevant contract and service level agreement (SLA) data to Astrea as requested. Keep the Astrea Procurement office informed of all new contract purchases and seek advice prior to contract agreements. Follow the advice given by Astrea.
Support the academy through competitive processes for locally negotiated contracts.
Inform the Astrea Procurement Office about any commercial contractual agreements that are under consideration.
Negotiate directly with suppliers, on behalf of the academy, for high value contracts.
Contract disputes referred to Procurement Office and the school support legal help line.
Engage legal team ‘school support service’ for commercial legal advice if required. Negotiate directly with contractors where the academy or RBM/SBM considers there to be a risk to the academy.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Secure higher level of legal support for contract disputes likely to lead to a contract termination or penalty.
Manage the press and public relations for the Trust. Provide support and advice to individual academies in managing public and press relations. Manage the Trust’s web site and ensure statutory compliance.
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Manage the press and public relations for the academy under advice from the Trust’s central communications team. Manage the academy’s web site and ensure statutory compliance.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT LEGAL SERVICES
MARKETING
Service Detail/ Activity
CENTRAL FUNCTION Supply newly designed logo combining academy name with Astrea branding. Supply letterhead design, for print or onscreen use.
Individual Academy Functions Ensure that both the academy’s and Astrea “brands” are accurately and consistently portrayed in all marketing communications.
Advise on all marketing and branding areas, including signage, uniform, recruitment adverts, open day promotional materials, prospectus, banners, school newsletters, branded merchandise, social media, digital / online presence, etc. Negotiate and procure the legal service contract for the Trust to ensure best practice:
Procure school support legal advice within the framework agreement procured by the Trust.
Corporate and charity governance compliance legal advice. Employment legal advice Commercial and contractual legal advice. Education legal advice. The Trust will maintain an inhouse project management team to manage all aspects of academies joining the Trust including: Conversions; Sponsorships;
New schools seeking to join the Trust will simply need to cooperate with the Trust’s internal project management team, making all necessary information available, so that the Transition into the Trust has minimal impact on the day-today capacity of the school.
Trust-to-trust re-brokerages; Trust-to-trust transfers; New school provisions including free schools. The project management team will coordinate the due diligence assessment for potential new academies joining the Trust.
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NOTES
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Astrea Academy Trust | Page 34
Astrea Academy Trust 28 Leman Street London E1 8ER
Tel: 020 7706 8981 info@astreaacademytrust.org
Company Number 9791051
www.astreaacademytrust.org