The new Procurement Act 2023, initially scheduled to take effect from October 2024, finally came into force on 24 February 2025. This Act aims to upgrade the procurement regulations and practices by introducing more flexibility and strategic changes. With budget restrictions and increased financial scrutiny from regulators and stakeholders, your pr...
Stephen is an experienced leader in education, and the CEO of Keystone Knowledge. He has worked as CEO, CFO, COO across academies since 2012 and delivered programmes of change and rapid organisational improvement.
He holds an MBA with a thesis on improving the quality of management in education, is currently working on his Doctorate, and is a national lead assessor on the School Resource Management Advisor (SRMA) programme for the DfE. He regularly speaks at national conferences on a range of topics relevant to the education sector.
Strategic Financial Planning for Multi-Academy Trusts: Short, Medium & Long-Term Horizons
The UK's education landscape is witnessing a widespread transformation with schools, academies, and trusts trying hard to keep up with the changes. Multi-academy trust (MAT) leaders, in particular, are under increasing pressure to balance immediate needs with future financial goals. This emphasises the importance of creating a bulletproof MAT finan...
Key Strategies for Budgeting and Forecasting in MATs
Multi-academy trusts (MATs) are under increasing pressure to maintain financial sustainability while continuing to deliver high-quality education. This is especially true in today's climate, as MATs face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies, rising operational expenses, and unsteady government funding streams. Even with ongoing uncertainties, ...
5 Essential Steps for Multi-Year Financial Planning in Academy Trusts
As an academy trust, planning and managing school and academy finance go beyond balancing the books. Financial planning for schools is about creating a promising future that supports your academy trust's goals, staff, and students. All this can be achieved with multi-year financial planning. This is more than just a tool for tracking money - it's a...
Internal Scrutiny for Academy Trusts - Are You Measuring What Really Matters?
Internal scrutiny for schools, academies, and trusts is often seen as a compliance exercise, but it's essential for driving improvements across your academy and trust's operations. The Academy Trust Handbook (ATH) requires all academy trusts to have a programme of internal scrutiny in place to provide independent assurance on the effectiveness of r...
Going Beyond the Audit: How Keystone Drove Strategic Growth at Robert Carre Trust
Explore how Keystone's tailored internal scrutiny approach provided strategic clarity, increased confidence, and invaluable guidance for sustainable growth at Robert Carre Trust. The Client Robert Carre Trust is a multi-academy trust compromising two schools: Carre's Grammar School and Kesteven and Sleaford High School. Both institutions share a co...
Unlocking Potential: Streamlining Operations at OWLS Academy Trust
Explore how Keystone's expertise and tailored solutions alleviated administrative burdens, streamlined processes, and provided invaluable guidance for sustainable growth. The Client OWLS Academy Trust is a multi-academy trust compromising nine primary schools in the Leicestershire area. Dedicated to providing high-quality education, OWLS Acad...
Health and Safety Compliance Basics for Academy Trusts: A Simple Guide
As an academy trust, the safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors are paramount. But navigating the world of health and safety compliance can feel like a daunting task, especially with all the regulations and rules to follow. The good news? Getting it right doesn't have to be complicated! In this blog, we'll walk through the basics of ...
10 Steps to Build Resilient Schools: A Proactive Risk Management Checklist
Managing risks in schools, academies, and multi-academy trusts (MATs) isn't just about meeting compliance requirements. It's about creating a forward-looking environment where pupils and staff can thrive. At Keystone Knowledge, we understand the dynamic challenges schools face and provide the tools to build resilience and success. Why Proacti...
Employment Law Update 2025 for UK Schools and MATs
Schools, academies, and multi-academy trusts (MATs) can expect a busy period of legislative change that will affect policies, budgeting, and staff welfare. While 2024 brought several important adjustments, the bigger reforms could land in 2025 if the government's proposals become law. One such key UK government reform is changes to the employment l...
Free: Local Governance - Role & Impact In Academy Trusts - 9 June, 2-2.30pm
Join us for an essential webinar designed for senior leadership teams (SLTs) in academy trusts. This session will explore the critical role of local governance, how it supports trust operations, and its impact on accountability and community engagement. Time Monday 9 June 2025, 2-2.30pm Location Online Course Content Understanding the purpose and p...
Free: The Pros & Cons of GAG Pooling for Multi-Academy Trusts - 25 September, 2-3.30pm
Join us for an in-depth webinar designed for MAT CFOs, CEOs, and executive leaders. This session will offer a balanced evaluation of GAG pooling, exploring its potential benefits and the challenges that come with it, to help you make informed decisions for your trust. Time Thursday 25 September 2025, 2-3.30PM Location Online Course Content A look a...
Free: Business Continuity: Preparing for & Responding to Emergencies (MATs) - 10 October, 2-2.45PM
Join us for an essential webinar designed for MAT CFOs, CEOs, and executive leaders. This session will provide practical guidance on business continuity planning, helping you prepare for and respond to emergencies effectively within your trust. Time Friday 10 October 2025, 2-2.45PM Location Online Content Understanding the fundamentals of business ...
Working With Your Internal Scrutiny Partner: A Guide for Academy Trusts
Effective internal scrutiny is critical for ensuring compliance, financial integrity, and strong governance within academy trusts. Whether your trust is new to internal scrutiny or seeking to enhance its current approach, working effectively with your internal scrutiny partner can deliver real value. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you maximise...
Procurement Reform: A Guide for Schools and Trusts
The Procurement Act 2023 represents a significant shift in how public sector organisations, including schools and trusts, manage their procurement processes. Designed to improve transparency, efficiency, and value for money, the Act introduces new requirements and opportunities that all educational institutions should understand. This guide provide...
Cyber Security Arrangements: How to Prepare for Internal Scrutiny in Trusts
As education institutions increasingly rely on technology to manage sensitive data and deliver effective learning outcomes, safeguarding digital infrastructure is more crucial than ever. With the rising volume of data and reliance on digital platforms, cyber security for schools has become a top priority. To add to the challenge, many trusts are no...
A Tiered Approach to Risk Management in Multi-Academy Trusts
In the ever-evolving educational landscape, managing risks effectively is a critical responsibility for trusts. With tighter regulations in place and increasing expectations from stakeholders, adopting a tiered approach to education risk management can be a game-changer for trusts. What Is Education Risk Management? Education risk management involv...
2024-25 Updates to Academies Chart of Accounts
Like any corporate organisation, an academy needs to be in the pink of its financial health. However, in an era of rising costs, staff salary demands, and an evolving economic climate, the pressure to sustain and maintain finances in the education sector has become more intense than ever. Like every year, academies and multi-academy trusts (MATs) h...
The Impact of Thoughtful School Design on Student Learning Outcomes
A school can be like a second home for students, spending a considerable amount of time learning and absorbing information, developing thinking capabilities, and picking up valuable skills. With teachers and academics to guide them, schools need to be an inclusive environment where holistic learning and personality development are encouraged. The c...
Shaping The Structure of The MAT Sector To 2030
The Multi Academy Trust (MAT) sector has made great strides over the past decade, evolving into a robust and agile system. As we look toward 2030, MATs face new challenges that will shape the future of education in the UK. Keystone Knowledge's latest white paper, Shaping the Structure of the MAT Sector to 2030, dives into the key issues affecting M...