Solent Academies Trust Dividend

We are committed to ensuring that all our academies receive a range of added value for their communities because they are in our family of schools. This means that over and above the excellence in the quality of education and the curriculum offer in each setting, pupils, staff and wider partnerships benefit from our Trust dividend.

From the central service perspective, the information described below details some of the ways in which our teams of highly skilled professional support our academy staff to remain focused on our core priority in high quality education. In addition to this, please click on the video link to hear from a range of staff their thoughts on their experience of being part of our multi academy trust and the many benefits from sharing our breadth of expertise.

Central Services Added Value

We add value to schools by drawing on system support in the following ways:

Mobilising specialist support & Specialist Leaders of Education consultants to support others to rapidly improve teaching, learning, curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, behaviour & attendance
On site leadership mentoring from our our Executive Principals
Rapid action plan implementation & monitoring from our executive leaders
Software to effectively track & evidence pupil progress, behaviour, safeguarding
Ongoing support from our Trust Safeguarding Lead
Access to external Safeguarding Supervision Support for Designated Safeguarding Leads and Family Support Workers
Fully centralised business service including the services below to liberate education staff and ensure that they can focus on raising standards in education:

Human Resources

Our Trust has a strong Central Team who provide an excellent professional service supporting our Academies and allowing them more time to focus on teaching and learning. We have a strong Human Resource team supporting our Principals and our wider Trust with recruitment, contracts, employee relations, strategic planning, organisational change, continuing professional development, wellbeing, policy development, absence management, TUPE and much more.

Human Resources team - functions covered:

- Recruitment

- Contracts

- OHU facility

- Trust wide People Strategy

- Absence management

- Guidance for case work

- Single Central Records support

I would like to give a shout out to the HR team. I really appreciate them, they are very supportive, informative, flexible and kind. They are always available to answer our questions, to listen to concerns and will give their time to provide an excellent service to the staff of Littlegreen Academy. There are too many occasions to mention. I absolutely could not have done my job without them. Our pupils benefit from having well supported staff and they also appreciate the relationships that are nurtured through community activities such as the business breakfast and the Bake Off Louise Isa-Grada, Littlegreen Principal

Finance Offer

Reserves are prioritised for strong sustainability & direct benefit for pupils
Increased economies of scale through bulk purchase
Reduced cost of initial investment for new systems
Procurement management centrally
Lower service cost for existing Academies/Trust
Integrated HR/ Finance budgeting software
Efficient use of software to reduce human workload
Accurate, efficient managed payroll service, Payroll Assurance Scheme approved (Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals)

Finance function – centralised function:

- Processing orders/ invoices

- Financial processing

- Management accounts

- 3 year strategic budget planning

- Half termly risk & resources forum

- Education and Skills Funding Agency compliance

- Annual audit

- Central bank account

- VAT administration/ submissions

- Funding monitoring/ returns

- Central contracts to ensure value for money

- Academies Trust Handbook compliance

Advancing Technologies

In-house specialist IT provision with rapid response
Extensive IT experience supporting special schools
Integrated trust based management information systems facilitating efficiencies & reducing staff workload
High quality experience for all stakeholders
Strategic focus ensures fit for purpose infrastructure now and in the future
Technologies that support agile/ blended learning & working
Expert management of the life cycle of all equipment linked to our strategic financial planning
Robust asset management
Management Information System strategic management

Compliance Support

Access to expert legal advice
Dedicated Data Protection Officer
In-house Health & Safety/ Compliance Lead facilitating site/school leaders to implement robust systems that meet regulatory & statutory compliance
Governance Professional: advice, support & clerking for local governance and the Trust Board
Website compliance checks, internally & externally through School Improvement Partner
In-house audit & review
Specialist Health & Safety Consultancy
Dedicated Trust Health & Safety and Compliance Officer

Additional Offer

In addition to this we offer:-

Offer schools the opportunity to access support, collaboration & partnership through the Trust School Improvement Offer & directly through our links and networks, locally and regionally
Support increased specialist places through free school bids and continuous review of need with local authorities
Support the Regional Schools Directorate by considering sponsorship of schools requiring improvement
Welcome collaborative projects with schools seeking to develop innovative opportunities for pupils with SEND to flourish and achieve their full potential
Executive Leadership School Improvement Support
Enrichment Leader facilitating the wider curriculum development offer & offsite curriculum enrichment
Trust Estates Lead
Media/Press Office Support
Trust Admin Lead
Legal support
Press office support
Data Protection Officer
Policy management/compliance
Fundraising/bid writing support
Collaboration with Challenge Partners Hub (National & Local Network of Excellence)
Partnership with our local STEM Enthuse Partnership