Keeping up with the changes to school and trust legal and regulatory compliance can sometimes feel like a full-time job. Changes to the Academy Trust Handbook (formerly the Academy Financial Handbook) and other requirements can feel like they are never-ending and it's often a relief to be able to say: 'yes, we're compliant with the latest regulatio...

"If you're don't like change, you'll like irrelevance even less." So goes a quote I read several years ago and became one of those screenshots that I keep on my phone. Brutal, but true. And as school business management continues on its inexorable curve of seemingly getting harder, it's ever more important that we can find creative ways of approach...

In November, the government released a report entitled 'Schools' Views on the Perceived Benefits and Obstacles to Joining a Multi-Academy Trust.' The research comes from 700 schools across the UK. 300 of these have either joined or set up a MAT within the last 3 years, 300 are maintained by the local authority and are not interested in joining...

7 steps to effective internal scrutiny

Internal scrutiny can be so much more than a tick-box exercise to meet a regulatory requirement. With the right people and a strong plan in place, internal scrutiny becomes an effective tool which provides reassurance, unbiased advice and strategic recommendations for your organisation. Here at Keystone Knowledge, we believe that there are seven st...

Pip Lloyd is one of Keystone's resident HR experts. A L7 qualified CIPD practitioner, she has a passion for improving children's education through effective strategic planning and positive employee relations. A skilled mediator with a knack for keeping HR simple, Pip makes sure that all colleagues across the organisation can thrive a...

From caretakers to CEOs, schools are full of incredible people who feel a commitment to help educate the minds of the future. One of the common themes of people who work in schools is that we all want to be the best that we can be. Whether that's having books that balance, having wonderful staff who facilitate great teaching or having clean buildin...

The DfE released the new Schools Bill which outlines the government's plans to "help spread opportunity, level up the country and boost our economy". This follows on from the school's white paper which laid out the ambition to have all schools in a MAT by 2030. The draft bill compromises of 15 different sections, ranging from academy trust int...

When it comes to internal scrutiny, often the narrative is one of fear and apprehension, but this needn't be the case. In our latest video, Keystone's Education Leadership Consultant, Matthew Clements-Wheeler, outlines 7 ways you can foster a positive culture around internal scrutiny in your organisation. If you have any questions around internal s...

All schools, whether they are trusts or maintained schools, have a set of values that they aim to follow. The DfE and the ESFA tend to focus on the quantitative side of schooling with an overwhelming emphasis on exam or assessment results. Although these are incredibly important and help set us up to succeed in the professional world, they aren't t...

Schools and academy trusts are in the people-business; because an academy trust will only ever be as good as the people it employs. This means all MAT leaders have to attract, recruit and retain the best staff they can. When you understand how your arrangements to support and include a wide range of staff are working, or aren't, you have an opportu...

Internal scrutiny is usually seen as a mere compliance exercise, but it's more than a regulatory obligation. These education audits have a strategic intent, with the ability to drive improvement, accountability, and value for money across your academy trust's operations. Ideally, when done right, internal scrutiny should improve the governance, ope...

Keystone is a company focused on people.  Our approach has always been about creating a culture that genuinely values our team members, as well as being proud of their unique qualities, passion, insider experience and knowledge within the industry. For the first in our 'Meet the Team' series, we start with our Director...

7 steps to effective internal scrutiny (part 2)

Internal scrutiny is at the heart of risk management, providing oversight of your management controls, reducing risk to your trust and ultimately benefiting pupils by ensuring resources are protected and used properly. The first blog in this series focussed on the steps for effective internal scrutiny before any audits take place. In part two, we'r...

With today's difficult recruitment climate, retaining talented staff is more important than ever. Effective policies around wellbeing, workload and flexible working all help to improve staff morale and help retention, but at what point does staff engagement really start? The onboarding process? The interview process? Or even before candidates have ...

The growth of a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) is an exciting yet challenging journey. As more schools join the trust, the complexity of operations increases, presenting new risks and challenges.  Risks, Rewards & Realism Adding more schools to a trust brings practical and cultural challenges. The volume of routine 'day to day' activities goes ...

The latest version of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) has been published and comes into force on 1 September 2023. The changes made in KCSIE 2023 are mainly clarifications on existing guidance – the key change that jumps out is around the implementation of the DfE's 'Meeting digital and technology standards in schools and colleges' (the ...

The long-awaited updated Academies Trust Handbook has been released! Luckily there haven't been many changes to this edition but here are the amendments that you should know about and how they affect you. These changes came into effect on the 1st September and you should be aware of them as the 2022/23 year begins. Budget Forecast Return OutturnSta...

Standard internal scrutiny practices, including compliance checks against legislation and internal procedures, are essential for any multi-academy trust. They offer a critical check and balance, helping to ensure the trust's legal and operational health. However, what happens when these traditional approaches overlook hidden risks, those which lie ...

As schools and trusts grow and undergo changes, financial due diligence has become an invaluable exercise. Especially when budgets are tight, knowing how your school or trust stacks up financially is essential. Benchmarking is an impactful tool, providing leaders and governors with a clearer picture of how money is being spent, what is working, and...

Crises can strike without prior warning and be highly detrimental to any established business, especially in the current uncertain economic climate. This holds true for the UK's education sector, where schools and academy trusts are struggling to deal with multiple issues, from budget cuts to curriculum changes. The ideal way to mitigate any form o...