Our Trust offer

This gives a flavour of the support that schools benefit from when they join Excel Learning Trust.

It is not an exhaustive list and the support we offer is constantly evolving and developing. 

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

• Dedicated leadership and support from the CEO, an experienced National Leader of Education
• Comprehensive school improvement support from a Director of School Improvement, Director of SEND and Safeguarding, Director of Personal Development and School Improvement Partner
• Strategic and operational support for all aspects of school improvement, including:
  – teaching and learning
  – SEND provision and EHCP
  – personal development
  – attendance
  – safeguarding
  – curriculum offer; both academic and wider curriculum
  – behaviour and attitudes
• ‘Excel Learning Trust Development’ – our holistic staff development programme for colleagues at all levels including an annual trust conference, senior and middle leadership development
• Head Teacher/Heads of School leadership support
• Weekly Principal/Heads meetings and sharing practice
• Trust development plan and support with school development plans
• School improvement and self-review / quality assurance
• Leadership coaching
• Development of Senior and Middle leaders
• Establishing vision and values alongside culture and ethos.
• Reading strategy to create and enhance a culture of reading across the curriculum
• Specific and specialist support for schools judged to be RI/inadequate
• Inspection preparation and support during the inspection process
• Regular trust-wide curriculum development and planning days to develop the curriculum and share best practice
• Trust teaching model
• Regular School Business Team meetings and sharing practice

FINANCE

• Dedicated finance support from an experienced Chief Finance Officer
• Compliance with financial academies handbook and master funding agreement
• Curriculum Led Financial Planning
• Budget setting and approval
• Provision of management accounts
• Cashflow management
• KPI and budget analysis
• Finance transaction processing
• Contract management
• Payroll management
• Pay statements
• Pension reporting
• Internal and external audit
• Completion of 3 year financial forecast
• Year-end accounts
• Education and Skills Funding Agency communication and compliance
• Service level agreements management and delivery
• Procurement and value for money support
• Fraud management
• Debtor management
• CPD for all staff involved with finance
• Strategic benchmarking
• Monthly cash flow forecasting
• Attendance and presentation of finance reports at LGB and board meetings
• VAT reports and reclaiming of VAT
• Liaison with HMRC
• Assistance with income streams e.g. Nursery funds, LAC, SEND etc.
• Regular budget review meetings with Head Teachers/Heads of Schools
• All finance policies produced for adoption
• Updates and advice on local and national funding issues
• Advice on best practice in procurement and obtaining and evidencing value for money
• Regular contract reviews

ESTATES

• Dedicated support with all aspects of estates and health and safety from an experienced Director of Estates
• Risk assessments
• Premises management
• Contract management
• Assistance with risk register
• Business continuity plan
• Accessibility plan
• Estates strategy
• Land and building collection return
• Planned preventative maintenance
• Project Management
• Energy efficiency
• Compliance with health and safety law and other relevant laws and regulations​
• Emergency Planning
• Asset management planning
• Strategic estates planning
• Access to estates and compliance tool

IT

• Data management system (Progress Teaching)
• Capital project applications management ICT
• Hardware managed service
• Network development and support Hardware maintenance
• Software licences
• Trust and school website provision and maintenance
• Website compliance
• Graphic design
• ICT helpdesk
• Telephone systems
• Broadband
• ICT development
• Network security and auditing
• GDPR support
• Hardware purchasing
• Google for Education support and development
• Microsoft Office support
• MIS and FMS support
• Managed print/printer hardware support
• Internet safeguarding and filtering,
• Audio/visual maintenance and support

HUMAN RESOURCES

• Dedicated HR support from an experienced HR Director
• Management of recruitment processes, from advertising to appointment and all pre-employment checks
• Maintenance of single central records
• Support with staff absence management and attendance
• Support with disciplinary, conduct and capability processes and meetings
• Trade union consultation and negotiation, and attendance at meetings with trade union representatives
• Support with contracts of employment and variations
• Advice and support on terms and conditions of employment, in particular STPCD, the ‘Burgundy Book’ and the ‘Green Book’
• Provision of example job descriptions and person specifications
• Support the Governors and Directors with performance management
• Support with workforce planning and staffing reorganisations
• All HR policies provided for adoption
• Advice and support with employment guidance and changes in legislation
• Support and attendance at HR meetings with employees
• Storage and maintenance of employee records
• Occupational health service

GOVERNANCE

• Clerking of Governors’ meetings
• Support with governance policies and processes including Terms of Reference and Scheme of Delegation
• Support with recruitment of new Governors 
• Access to an extensive training programme for all Governors 

TIME TO JOIN US?

If you are interested in finding out more or would like to discuss joining our family of schools, please contact Zoë French, Director of Trust Services & Executive Assistant to the CEO, and we will arrange to meet with you to discuss this further.

We are also able to offer aspects of this high-quality support to schools who are not part of Excel Learning Trust. If this is something you feel you may be interested in, please contact Zoë French, Director of Trust Services & Executive Assistant to the CEO.