Keystone Insights Blog
Expert advice and strategies for academic success and personal growth.
Cyber security in schools and academy trusts: Is your trust prepared?
Most trust boards would say they take cyber security seriously. They will probably have policies in place, staff will have completed phishing training, and somebody will be responsible for software updates and backups. But could the trust continue op...
The Payroll Problems Schools Don't Talk About
Payroll in schools is expected to be straightforward: staff are paid correctly, on time, every time. But in reality, it's one of the most complex and high-risk administrative functions in education - and one many schools quietly struggle to...
Should you engage a school consultant?
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 hav...
Acronyms in School Business Management
Keystone has recently taken on a new marketing executive who has come from outside of education. The first thing she said was, "It's amazing how many acronyms there are. It's like you're talking another language made entirely out of letters!" Schools...
Changes to the Harassment Bill 2025 - What Schools & Trusts Should Know
As employment law continues to evolve, employers in the education sector need to stay updated on legislative changes to ensure compliance and maintain a safe working environment. A key area undergoing significant reform is harassment legislation, which introduces new preventative responsibilities for employers. The Employment Rights Bill was introd...
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...
8 Steps to Prepare for Cyber Security in Trusts
As educational 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, cybersecurity for schools has become a top priority. To add to the challenge, many trusts are n...
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...
The Link Between Effective HR Practices and Better School Outcomes
Like business organisations, schools and academies are people places. Managing and communicating with your staff, teachers, students, and other stakeholders is a key function of human resource management (HRM). Effective HR practices are important in designing education quality and learning outcomes in schools and MATs. Common HR practices in schoo...
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...
How Risk Assessment for Schools in the UK Helps Identify Vulnerabilities
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...
Avoiding Fraud in Schools: Top Tips from Keystone Knowledge
At Keystone Knowledge, we understand the critical importance of safeguarding educational institutions against fraud. To help schools navigate this complex issue, we've compiled essential tips from the UK Government's guidance on potential fraud. Our National Assurance Director, Matthew Clements-Wheeler, shares his insights on the best practices for...
Navigating HR Challenges in Schools: Insights and Future Trends
As schools prepare for the new academic year, HR strategies are more critical than ever. In a recent Keystone Knowledge webinar, Pip Lloyd, Head of HR at Keystone, shared invaluable insights into crafting effective HR strategies and navigating the evolving landscape of education. Here's a comprehensive summary of the key takeaways and actionable in...
Scale up Your School Operations for the 2024/25 School Year
As your school grows, you'll realise that scaling education and operations is necessary to stay competitive. However, scaling and upgrading school operations within the education sector can be a challenge as education costs continue to rise. Becoming more cost-efficient is a common challenge that almost every school or MAT faces when upgrading oper...
Key Changes in the 2024 Academies Financial Handbook: An In-depth Look for MAT Leaders
The UK government has recently unveiled the 2024 edition of the Academies Financial Handbook, bringing forth crucial updates and simplifications aimed at enhancing governance and financial management within academy trusts. This comprehensive guide explores the significant changes and their implications, offering insights for Multi-Academy Trust (MA...
4 Tips for Effective Financial Management in MATs
An ever-evolving financial climate in the education sector poses certain challenges to schools and multi-academy trusts (MATs). The demanding nature of the education finance sector continually tests the abilities and resilience of management, teaching and non-teaching staff in MATs. Introducing actionable measures to mitigate financial difficulties...
What Are The Benefits of Outsourcing HR Services for Schools?
A reliable HR department is instrumental to the success of any organisation, no matter the size. From hiring staff to absence management and grievances, the human resource department is key to maintaining employee relations within any organisation. Likewise, the department of human resources for schools and Multi Academy Trusts plays an integral ro...
