Strengthening Governance and Inclusion: Keystone’s Impact at Pickwick Academy Trust

Explore how Keystone's insightful internal scrutiny services gave Pickwick Academy Trust detailed governance reviews, EDI-focused evaluations, and confidence in compliance, helping the Trust drive continuous improvement with clarity and assurance. 

The Client

Pickwick Academy Trust is a primary-only multi-academy trust of 21 community and church schools across Wiltshire and North Dorset, organised into three hubs. Established in 2017 by four founding schools with a shared commitment to collaborative working, the Trust is dedicated to school improvement, professional development, and robust governance. The Trust wanted to go beyond basic compliance checks and instead receive constructive, sector-specific insights that could directly inform and improve practice. Following sector changes that required the separation of internal and external audit providers, Pickwick needed a partner who could combine compliance oversight with deep knowledge of the education landscape. Keystone Knowledge stepped in to provide exactly that.

The Client's Challenges

Before working with Keystone, Pickwick Academy Trust's internal assurance reports often felt like "tick-box exercises." Despite being technically compliant, they lacked depth and actionable insights. This left Trustees uncertain about whether their practices were truly effective, particularly around governance and EDI.

"We were looking for a provider to go beyond the tick-box exercise, to really get to know the Trust, and to help ensure we were performing at a high level."

Emma Oldale, CFOO, Pickwick Academy Trust

The Trust needed a partner who not only understood compliance but also offered meaningful feedback tailored to the education sector.

The Solution

Pickwick Academy Trust chose Keystone Knowledge based on peer recommendations and the strong reputation of Keystone's consultants for being approachable, sector-savvy, and willing to go above and beyond.

Keystone provided:

• Detailed governance and EDI reviews – highlighting strengths and identifying opportunities for improvement
• Actionable reporting – with clear recommendations rather than generic compliance checklists
• Sector-specific expertise – helping Trustees make informed decisions with confidence

"The knowledgeable, friendly and helpful consultants have at times gone way above the requirements of a regular Internal Assurance provider to satisfy the requests of our Trustees."

Emma Oldale, CFOO, Pickwick Academy Trust

The Results

Working with Keystone has given Pickwick Academy Trust the confidence to validate current practices and the clarity to implement changes where necessary.

Key benefits include:

• In-depth reporting: Comprehensive reviews, particularly around governance and EDI, have provided clear evidence for change and improvement.
• Strategic insight: Trustees now have a stronger basis for reflection and decision-making.
• Trusted partnership: Keystone's understanding of the sector and day-to-day pressures means reports are both relevant and practical.

While most reviews to date have focused on compliance and governance rather than operational efficiency, Keystone has already begun working with Pickwick to refine trustee reporting structures, offering the potential for further process improvements.

"Keystone's extensive knowledge of the education sector as a whole and the impact of its constantly changing landscape has really supported our Trust during its growth. Their team are friendly, helpful, and also has an understanding of the day-to-day pressures. This experience and knowledge provide our Trust with in-depth reports, allowing us to reflect on current practice and implement change where necessary to drive improvement."

Emma Oldale, CFOO, Pickwick Academy Trust

Keystone Knowledge has helped Pickwick Academy Trust move beyond compliance-driven scrutiny towards a model of constructive, insightful internal assurance. With Keystone's detailed reports and sector-specific expertise, the Trust can continue to grow with confidence, knowing its governance and EDI practices are not only compliant but also effective and continually improving.