Studley High School

Ridgeway Academy

Webheath Academy Primary School

Feckenham CE Primary School

Role	Name
Leadership
Chief Executive Officer	Lee Gray
Chief Financial Officer	Katharine Sanders
Chief Operations Officer	Kirsty Anthony
Finance
Senior Finance Administrator	Sarah Hawkes
Finance Administrator	Samantha Billingsley

This Services Framework applies to all academies and Central Service departments within the Shires Multi Academy Trust (Shires MAT / The Trust).

This Framework must be read alongside the specific process and procedures documents available on request from Central Services.

Shires MAT seeks to add value to its academies through the provision of core centralised  functions and services.

Central Team Leaders will lead high-performing teams which create the environment in which others thrive. The core purpose of Shires MAT Central Services is to unburden, and return capacity to, academy leaders, thus enabling them to concentrate on pupil outcomes.

Shires MAT is determined to be a Trust where everyone is deeply committed to the very highest outcomes, regardless of their role, recognising the strength of collective contribution and effort.

Shires MAT is determined to provide a level of service to its academies which will allow them to achieve more by being a Shires MAT academy than would be possible as a local authority school, or as an academy operating within another Trust.

This document defines processes and procedures considered to be contained within the core functions and services provided by Shires MAT Central Services to the Trust’s academies.

This document defines, and delineates, the areas of responsibility specific to the delivery of processes and procedures considered to be contained within the core functions and services provided by Shires MAT Central Services to the Trust’s academies.

Core functions will be carried out by Shires Mat Central Services on behalf of its academies in order to achieve consistency in practice and economies of scale through the provision of services including but not limited to:

• Trust-wide policies and procedures;
• Trust-wide governance framework and oversight;
• Trust-wide Education Improvement Service (including SEND, Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Teacher frameworks);
• Financial services;
• HR services;
• IT services;
• Estates services;
• Defined Trust-wide operating processes and procedures designed to ensure consistent delivery of the services outlined above.

Core functions as detailed in paragraph 3.1 will be kept under constant review as part of the regular communication between the Executive, Central Team Leaders and academy Principals.

The provision of Trust-wide policies and procedures will allow economies of financial, procedural and administrative scale by avoiding the duplication of work across the Trust’s academies and by standardising certain operational procedures.

The provision of the Trust-wide Education Improvement Service will allow opportunities for consistency of approach and impact as well as economies of scale in training, staff recruitment and staff sharing.

Financial, HR, IT, and Estates services will return capacity to academy leaders by avoiding the duplication of work across the Trust’s academies through the Trust-wide deployment of an expert and skilled Central Team.

Financial, HR, IT, and Estates services will fall into three categories:

• Centralised;
• Localised;
• Aligned.

Most importantly, the guiding principles of the provision of core functions by Shires MAT Central Services to the Trust’s academies, and their delivery, will be:

• Professional;
• Accessible;
• Consistent;
• Effective.

Centralised, for the purposes of this document, is defined as a process and procedure which is carried out in its entirety by Shires MAT Central Services on behalf of the Trust’s academies.

Localised, for purposes of this document, is defined as a process and procedure which is carried out in its entirety by a Shires MAT academy.

Aligned, for the purposes of document, is defined as a process and procedure which is carried out by a Shires MAT academy within a framework provided by Shires MAT Central Services.

Core Functions, for the purposes of this document, are defined as:

• Education Improvement Service;
• Estates;
• Finance;
• Governance;
• HR;

In addition to the content of this service framework, the Trust will meet a range of statutory requirements (determined and monitored by the sector’s regulators) on behalf of all academies in the Trust. These include, but are not limited to:

• Appointment of executive roles;
• Appointment of a governance professional;
• Annual financial audit;
• Financial and non-financial returns;
• Statutory policies.

The Trust is also responsible for setting a clear strategic direction and focus, and supporting academy leaders to meet local strategic aims through the provision of proportionate and appropriate governance structures, systems and oversight.

Strategic activities are procured and managed centrally on behalf of all academies, any centrally provided services additional to strategy and governance represent the service offer from Shires MAT, the Shires MAT service offer, and how this marks us out in relation to other School Trusts, is outlined in this document.

It is the responsibility of the CEO and those to whom they delegate the authority, to ensure that the principles and procedures of this framework are adhered to. The use of this framework will be subject to routine monitoring to ensure its fidelity in practice. The evidence gathered from monitoring shall inform any reviews and future revisions to the framework, which will be carried out at regular intervals.

Shires MAT recognises its statutory responsibilities as a School Trust as defined by the Trust’s regulatory bodies and organisations and undertakes to fulfil these as part of the centralised, localised and aligned functions which form its service offer as referenced in paragraphs 5.3 and 5.4.

N.B. Where a responsibility is “aligned”, a template will be produced by Shires MAT Central Services that MUST be populated with academy-specific information at a local level.

Education Improvement Service

Responsibility	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Accessibility Plan			x
Provider Access		x

Estates

Responsibility	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Premises Management documents –           Asbestos Management plan –           Water Risk Assessment –           Fire Risk Assessment –           Building Emergency Evacuation Plan –           Condition Improvement survey and reports –           Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan			x
Compliance Tracker			x
Maintenance Schedule			x
Display Screen Equipment annual questionnaire			x
Fire Evacuation Procedures		x

Finance

Responsibility	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Statutory reporting	x
External audit	x
Internal audit			x

Governance

Responsibility	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Code of conduct	x
Register of interests			x
Risk register (Trust)	x
Risk register (Academy)			x
Scheme of Delegated Authority	x

HR

Responsibility	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Single Central Record and recruitment vetting checks			x
HR Statutory Requirements means that policies and processes are in place to ensure the following: ·       We pay at least the minimum wage across the Trust; ·       Checks are in place to ensure the employee has a legal right to work in the UK; ·       All employees receive an itemised payslip; ·       Contract with a statement of particulars covering all terms and conditions is issued to the employee within 1 month of their start date; ·       Employees have a safe and clean working environment; ·       Employees that work over 6hours per day receive at least a 20-minute break; ·       The working time directive is adhered to ensuring that employees are not working any more than 48hours an average week unless opted out; ·       Adhere to our statutory requirements for, Holiday allowance, Notice period,  Sick pay, Redundancy, Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Shared parental leave.

IT

Responsibility	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
FOI Scheme – Freedom of Information Policy	x
School information published on website			x
Statutory website compliance			x

In keeping with Shires MAT’s desire to unburden academy leaders and return capacity to its academies, the Trust endeavours to fulfil additional responsibilities as part of the centralised, localised and aligned functions which form its service offer as referenced in paragraphs 5.3 and 5.4.

N.B. Where a responsibility is “aligned”, a template will be produced by Shires MAT Central Services that MUST be populated with academy-specific information at a local level.

Education Improvement Service

Responsibility	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Academy Strategic Plans			x
School Improvement Strategic Plans	x
SEND Strategic Plan	x
Safeguarding strategic Plan	x

Estates

Responsibility	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Asset Management Plan			x
Estates Plan Trust	x
Estates Plan Academy			x

Governance

Responsibility	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Trust Board Monitoring templates: ·       Pupil premium ·       Attendance ·       H&S ·       Safeguarding ·       Single Central Record	x
Shires MAT Strategic Plan	x
Shires MAT system of governance	x
Shires MAT Terms of Reference	x

HR

Responsibility	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
HR Strategic Plan	x

IT

Responsibility	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
IT Vision and strategy five year plan	x

Shires MAT recognises its statutory policy responsibilities as a School Trust as defined by the Trust’s regulatory bodies and organisations and undertakes to fulfil these as part of the centralised, localised and aligned functions which form its service offer as referenced in paragraphs 5.3 and 5.4.

Statutory policies to be produced by the Trust on behalf of its academies are listed below.

N.B. Where a policy is “aligned”, a template will be produced by Shires MAT Central Services that MUST be populated with academy-specific information at a local level.

Education Improvement Service

Policy	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Early Career Teachers	x
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities	x

Estates

Policy	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Business Continuity and Critical Incident			x
First Aid in school			X
Health & Safety			X
Sustainability	x

Finance

Policy	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Gifts and Hospitality	x
Finance Policy and Handbook	x
Charging and Remissions	x
Governance Expenses	x
Investment	x

Governance

Policy	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Child Protection(including Statement of Procedures for dealing with allegations against staff)			x
Complaints	x
Equality	x
Exclusions	x

HR

Policy	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Capability	x
Staff Conduct	x
Disciplinary	x
Grievance	x
Pay	x
Whistleblowing	x

IT

Policy	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Data Protection (including Privacy Notices and Protection of Biometric Information)	x

Academy

Policy	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Admissions		x
Behaviour		x
Careers Guidance		x
Children with health needs who cannot attend school		x
LAC		x
EYFS		x
Equality Information and Objectives		x
Supporting pupils with medical conditions		x
Register of Pupil’s admissions to school and attendance		x
Relationships Education (Primary) and Relationships and Sex Education (Secondary)		x
16-19 Bursary Fund		x

In addition to its statutory policy responsibilities as a School Trust as defined by the Trust’s regulatory bodies and organisations, and detailed in Appendix 3, the Trust also undertakes to provide additional policies for use across the Trust’s academies . These policies add value to the Trust’s academies by using the knowledge and experience of the Shires MAT Executive/Central Team Leaders in creating Trust-wide policies, procedures and frameworks.

Additional policies currently produced by the Trust on behalf of its academies are listed below.

N.B. Where a policy is “aligned”, a template will be produced by Shires MAT Central Services that MUST be populated with academy-specific information at a local level.

Education Improvement Service

Policy	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Accessibility Policy	x
Remote Learning			x

Estates

Policy	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health			x
Home Working			X
Lone Working			X
Minibus		x
Site Maintenance			x
Risk Assessment			x

Finance

Policy	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Finance Policy and Handbook	x
Reserves	x

Governance

Policy	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Freedom of Information	x
Governance Recruitment	x
Media	x
Quality Assurance	x
Risk Management	x
Subject Access Request	x

HR

Policy	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Appraisal	x
Leave of Absence	x
Safer Recruitment	x
Sickness Absence	x

IT

Policy	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Acceptable Use Policy			x

Estates

Site Management	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Supervision of site team		x
Supervision of cleaning team		x
On-site weekly testing			x
Contractor management			x
Compliance			x
Equipment maintenance			x
Fixing minor works		x
Actioning of remedial works		x
Waste management		x
Asbestos Survey		x
Asbestos removal		x
Minibus licensing and maintenance		x
Record keeping			x
Asset Management			x
DfE Land & Buildings collection tool	x
DfE Condition Data Collection	x

 

Health & Safety	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Annual external audit	x
Local Governing Body audit		x
Termly site walk		x
Termly fire drills		x
Local Asbestos Management Plan		x
Water Risk Assessment		x
Fire Risk Assessment		x
Site specific Risk Assessments			x
Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan		x
First Aid Management		x
Fire Evacuation Procedure		x
Writing of Fire Evacuation Procedure		x
Display Screen Equipment survey			x
Annual classroom inspection checklist			x

 

Contract Management	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Cleaning		x
Catering			x
Utility		x
Compliance			x
Lettings		x
Maintenance			x
Site SLA’s		x
Apprenticeship Scheme		x
Alignment	x
Capital Projects	x

 

Finance	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Central contract procurement	x
Academy contract procurement		x
Funding applications	x
Budget writing for site			x
Final approval of payroll	x
Lettings income		x
Apprenticeship Levy	x

 

Training	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Fire Marshal		x
IOSHH		x
Evac Chair		x
Minibus		x
COSHH		x
First Aid		x
Safeguarding			X
H&S			X
GDPR			x

Site Management

Site managers are employed at each school and usually managed by the School Business Manager or Business Administrator.

Site managers need to be aware of compliance and H&S law within schools and carry out their duties in accordance with regulations including weekly onsite testing, contractor management, compliance and equipment maintenance.

Site managers and business managers are responsible for creating a schedule of works within their school, ensuring premises services, minor works and remedial works are carried out.

The central team will provide each school with a compliance tracker and maintenance schedule to complete and maintain. Each school is responsible for maintaining their records

Health & Safety

The central team appoints an external provider to carry out an annual health & safety audit within each school, the company currently employed to undertake this task is Worknest. After each visit the school will be provided with an audit and action points, it is down to each individual school to complete an action plan and timeline for completion of action points in accordance of priority, the central team is available to support this plan.

Each school should have health and safety as a standing agenda item on their SLT and Local Governing Body meetings, each year the nominated H&S governor should conduct a walk around and report back on their findings, a template document for this can be obtained from the central team.

Management of compliance areas including assessments being completed by competent persons, remedial actions and record keeping is the responsibility of the site and business function within each school, this includes but is not limited to fire drills, asbestos, legionella, fire and first aid.

The academies are responsible for implementing control measures.

Risk assessments must be completed for site at each school, there are templates and examples available from the central team, these risk assessments must be shared with staff and reviewed annually or when a change occurs.

Display Screen Equipment (DSE) self-assessment surveys to be completed at school level, each school must review the findings and action where appropriate.

Annual Classroom Inspections, classroom inspection templates can be obtained from the central team the Academies hold responsibility for completing the Classroom Inspection Template, reviewing the findings and actioning as appropriate.

Contract Management

Each academy has autonomy when deciding on outsourcing provisions such as cleaning or catering, these contracts are managed at school level.

Premises contracts and service providers are selected locally, by 24-25 we will have aligned the providers across the trust on a rolling annual basis.

Capital projects are worked on collaboratively with school business staff and the Chief Operations Officer, estates plans are created locally and feed into the Trust Estates Plan, when the MAT is eligible for the School Condition Allowance the central team will enable a bidding system for projects within our schools and will be awarded based on priority level.

Finance

Each academy is responsible for setting their estates / site budget which is submitted for approval to the Trust Board each year, the budget should based on need and future requirements, allowing for contingency as based on previous years, school business employees should work closely with their site team to determine spends.

Procurement is managed locally  but will look to be aligned by the 24-25 academic year

Lettings are managed locally.

Training

Each academy is responsible for awareness around compulsory training for site teams, information can be obtained in relation to compulsory training through Worknest or the central team. The Academy holds responsibility for identifying training needs and recording completion, training records can be stores on our MIS system Arbor.  It is the down to the school to accommodate training within their budgets.

Central services can arrange training if there are multiple requirements across sites.

Finance Processes

Recording and Reporting	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Manage period close	x
Manage year end close	x
Generate statutory reports	x
Submissions	x
External Audit	x
Asset Management			x
Reconcile the bank	x

 

Purchasing	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Generate approved requisition		x
Authorise PO on Hoge		x
Issue PO		x
Goods receipt		x
Service Level Agreement Management		x
Process Invoices	x
Run payments	X
Vat reclaim	x

 

Income	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Monitor, track  and chase income due		x
Raise invoices for services		x
Manage debtors		x
Monitoring Parentpay		x
Parentpay reconciliation on Hoge	x
Post income on Hoge	x

 

Performance Management	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Monthly management account production, scrutiny and submission to central		x
Setting and monitoring the budget		x
Reporting to Local Governing Body		x
Working within the parameters of the finance handbook		x
Working to delegated authority amounts		x
Budget Approval	X
Budget submission to the DfE	x

Recording and reporting

The central team are responsible for closing periods and closing and running year end accounts, academies are responsible for advising the central team of any accruals, closing off any outstanding PO’s where goods will not be received by the year end providing updates as necessary. The central team do the yearly submissions to the DfE including the budget forecast return, submission of annual accounts and the AAR. The central team will do the majority of the work in relation to the year-end external audit, academies will need to provide documents or commentary as required. Asset management is accounted for centrally but academies are responsible for keeping their records and advising of assets as per the Finance Policy.

Purchasing

Each individual academy is responsible for ensuring the purchasing process is followed correctly, purchase order requisition forms are completed in school, authorised and then entered onto the finance system and allocated to the correct budget line, when goods are received, they will be goods receipted in the system by the school, invoices are then sent directly to the central team for processing and matching against the PO. The central team run the payment runs and reclaim any VAT due. All purchase orders and invoices are approved on the finance system in school by an authorised person, schools have autonomy to spend their funds as they have planned to.

Service level agreements, subscriptions and leased are all managed at school level, the Chief Operations Officer requires updated contracts registers on a termly basis to review and align contracts with providers used in several schools in the Trust. People with authority in each school to approve purchase orders and invoices will have differing spend limits, please refer to the finance policy and handbook and adhere to the processes including taking quotes and having spends approved at Local Governing Body level and Trust Board level.

Income

Each individual academy is responsible for ensuring their income is coming in as expected, the central team record income in your portal but do not chase or track monies owed.

Each school operates differently in regard to income generation, where a school has lettings, Wrap Around Care or Nursery facilities they are responsible for invoicing for these services at school level, the central team will record the income in your portal, the school is responsible for managing debtors and chasing outstanding monies.

Each school operates on ParentPay currently, each school adds their own trips or services and is responsible for managing income, the central team will reconcile payments on the finance system in your portal.

Performance Management

Each academy needs to produce, understand, forecast and comment on their monthly management accounts, meetings will be held in school to discuss and a further meeting will be held each month with the Chief Finance Officer to review management accounts, as the Trust operates autonomy for each school with their funds they are expected to know and understand their current financial position. Monthly management accounts should be shared with your Local Governing Body.

Each academy will set their own budget for the following academic year, the central team will update the assumptions being used across the trust for pay increases and CPI increases and will add these to the budgeting software to maintain continuity across the trust, the process for budget setting usually starts in February and the CFO will provide a timeline for submissions for draft and final budgets, each school will meet with the central team during this period. Academies must notify the central team in advance if they are looking at a forecasted in year deficit, the budget is a three-year forecast. Each academy must work within the parameters of the Academies Financial Handbook and the Shires MAT Finance Policy and Procedures Handbook.

Each academy must be aware of any instances that require them to report information to their Local Governing Body.

The budget once completed will be agreed by the academies Local Governing Body to be submitted to the Trust Board for approval, the central team will submit all budgets for academies to the DfE.

HR Process

HR Administration	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Line Management			x
Employment related letters			x
Starters and leavers			x
Creation and maintenance of personnel records			x
Safer recruitment checks			x

 

HR systems	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Supplier contract management	x
Employee records		x
Absence Management		x
Single Central Record			X
Case Management		x
Workforce Census		x

 

HR Reporting	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Reporting of KPI’s	x
Gender Pay Gap	x
Ad-hoc Reporting		x

 

Payroll	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Payroll data		X
Payroll data input		X
Local payroll approval		X
Payroll authorisation / run	x

 

Recruitment / selection and onboarding	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Identifying a vacancy		X
Agreeing recruitment strategy		X
Advertising			X
Application sifting		X
Co-ordination of interviews and assessments		X
Panel Interview		X
Job offer			X
Induction		X
Probationary period			x

 

Resignation / Termination	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Acknowledgment		x
Administration		x
Processing of leaver
Exit interview

 

Employee Wellbeing	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Management of Employee Assistance Programme	x
Promotion and rollout of EAP			x
Occupational Health offering inc referrals / reports		X	x
Stress risk assessments		X

 

Compensation, Benefits & Rewards	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Pension Management	x
Annual salary increase			x
Salary benchmarking	X
Review of benefits offering	x

 

Absence Management	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Before initial trigger point			x
After initial trigger point			x
Return to work			x

 

Performance Management	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Appraisal			x
Capability			x

 

Safeguarding	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Safer recruitment process implementation			x
Safeguarding training			x

 

Management of grievances and disciplinaries	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Initial investigation / outcome			x
Formal disciplinary			x
Appeal			x

 

Regulatory, statutory and legal	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
HR Policies	x
Employment law updates	x
TUPE, due diligence, advisory and transfer	x
Union relations	x
Employee relations			x

HR Administration

Employment-related letters include, but may not be limited to:

• Offer letter;
• Contract;
• Changes to terms and conditions and any other contractual amendments;
• Pay letters.

Each academy must complete all the necessary forms and documentation relating to employment related letters on the templates provided by the central team. Forms must be completed correctly and copies retained for personnel records.

Regarding starters and leavers, the academy is responsible for communicating with the new employee and agreeing a provisional start date, ensuring all relevant pre-employment checks are in place, formally confirming a start date and adding the new employee to payroll and relevant HR systems.

The academy is responsible for acknowledging resignations, processing the employee as a leaver, formally notifying the employee of their end of contract date and removing the employee from payroll and HR systems.

All template documents relating to HR are available from the central team.

HR Systems

Employee records are maintained at academy level.

Each academy is responsible for absence management including monitoring absence via Arbor, designated person in each academy is responsible for notifying line managers when absence triggers have been reached and ensuring meetings take place and are recorded, ensuring completion of return to work interviews with records kept on file, take relevant action in line with the SHIRES MAT Sickness Absence Policy, following up with referrals to Occupational Health.

The Single Central Record for each academy is maintained locally, the Trust Safeguarding lead will audit SCR’s intermittently, each academy in the SHIRES MAT will use CPOMS Staff Safe for their online SCR.

Case Management is done locally with the support of the central team as needed and with the support of the external HR provision.

The Workforce census is completed locally using Arbor.

 

HR Reporting

The reporting of KPI’s is completed centrally and monitored by the CEO and Trust Board.

Gender Pay Gap reporting will be completed centrally when the Trust reaches the required number of employees

Ad hoc reporting can be completed locally due to academy specific requirements in relation to identifying trends and emerging patterns. The central team can assist if required.

 

Payroll

Payroll data – the academy is responsible for producing payroll data to the central team by a set date each month in order for this to be processed in time for that month’s pay run, the dates will be sent at the start of the academic year by the CFO, it is the academies responsibility to ensure the data is correct. The information required includes but is not limited to:

• Overtime
• Absence
• TOIL
• Deductions
• Maternity and paternity

This list is not exhaustive, academies are to use the template provided by the central team to produce this information.

Payroll is to be approved locally, usually by the Head Teacher, the central team does not check the individual academies payroll for errors.

Payroll is run by the central team and salary payments are made around the 28^th of the month.

 

Recruitment and Selection

There is a comprehensive recruitment process in place and managers should adhere to this process when working through all aspects of recruitment, induction, probation and retention matters. This process can be found in the Shires MAT Recruitment and Selection Policy

Please refer to the SHIRES MAT Establishment Control Policy when recruiting for a vacancy.

Onboarding including induction and probation is managed at academy level, please refer to the SHIRES MAT Probation Policy for processes.

 

Resignation and Termination

It is a normal process for an employee to initially notify their line manager of their intent to resign, the academy line manager is required to pass the resignation to the business / HR lead within the academy to provide written acknowledgement of resignation and process the employee as a leaver.

Employee Wellbeing

The Trust provides a comprehensive wellbeing offer to it’s employees, Central and the academy have joint responsibility for promoting this benefit to all staff but also must recognise when it becomes appropriate or necessary to discuss the benefit in more detail with a specific employee.

Occupational health including referrals and reports, where it is appropriate for an employee to be referred to occupational health:

• The academy is responsible for identifying employees and submitting relevant referral forms to the provider decided by the Trust.
• The academy is responsible for completing the form with input from the employee and with any necessary support form the central team as required.
• The academy is responsible for liaising with occupational health and receiving, reviewing and actioning the assessment report.

Stress risk assessments are to be completed at academy level using the Trust template, the central team can support as required, the academy is responsible for completing the risk assessment correctly and for creating and implementing an action plan.

 

Safeguarding

In relation to safer recruitment, the academy has a responsibility for ensuring there is always a safer recruitment trained member on the shortlisting, interview and selection panel. The academy ensure they flag concerns related to safeguarding checks immediately within their school and at Trust level.

Safeguarding training is to be completed annually at all academies by all staff, the Trust will ensure that academies have access to relevant training materials and platforms. The academies are responsible for ensuring that all staff successfully complete their annual safeguarding training.

The academy and central team take joint responsibility for overseeing safeguarding training.

 

Absence Management, Performance Management and Management of Grievance and Disciplinary.

SHIRES MAT has a policy that relates to each of these areas and the policy should act as the guidelines for the process. The trust will provide template documents and advice as required but much of the ownership and processes belong at academy level.

The Trust employs an external HR provider for use by each academy in regard to any of these areas.

 

Regulatory, Statutory and Legal.

The Trust employs the services of an external HR specialist company who provide our HR policies, updates and updates in relation to employment law. The central team are responsible for reviewing the policies annually and sending out to each academy for circulation.

In regard to employee relations, the central team and academy are jointly responsible for the relationship between employee and employer, and for the promotion of collective and positive relationships.

 

IT Provision

IT Support	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Procurement of IT support services	x
Management of IT support services			x

 

Curriculum Delivery	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Hardware selection		x
Software selection		x
Services selection		x
Procurement of contracts		x

 

IT Infrastructure	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Core IT Infrastructure		x

 

Governance	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Writing of Trust wide policies	x
Implementation of Trust wide policies	x
Local academy policies		x

 

 

Finance	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
IT and printing budgets		x
Management of payment processes	X

 

Website	Centralised	Localised	Aligned
Website content updates		x
Website structural updates	x

 

IT Support

The Trust supports schools who employ their own IT Manager / technician, other schools who outsource their IT provision will need to align to the Trust provider when their contract expires.

Curriculum delivery

The Trust enable each academy to have autonomy in their IT curriculum delivery, academies have the ability to choose which hardware / software they wish to use. Each academy will meet with the Trust IT Director and COO to discuss IT Vision and Strategy.

IT Infrastructure

The academy is responsible for the planning and implementation of IT infrastructure projects in collaboration with the IT Director and COO.

Governance

The central team is responsible for writing Trust wide polices, the central team and academies are responsible for the implementation of the policies. Academies are responsible for writing any local policies specific to their site.

Finance

Each academy is responsible for setting their own IT and printing budgets for the academic year in advance with prior approval form the Trust Board. The central team are responsible for the management of payment systems, the academy will manage systems such as Parentpay.

Website

Each academy is responsible for producing content for their individual school and for ensuring compliance, the central team are responsible for structure updates.