10. Janice Finnimore, School Business Manager, Eggers Secondary School, Alton, Hampshire
Release Date: 09/09/2019
DTT Edward Thomas Nov 2022
Developing the Trust
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20. Phil Reynolds; Formerly of Kreston Reeves and now PLR Advisory
Developing the Trust
For this episode Tim Warneford is in Sittingbourne in Kent to speak to Phil Reynolds. Phil has spent over 20 years specialising in academy schools accountancy firstly at pecialist accountants Kreston Reeves and now with his own consultancy PLR Advisory We explore how specialist accountancy can assist schools determine a trust strategy and how upskilling in house SLTT through training and development can achieve operational wins.
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19. James Robson, Chairman of Powerful Allies
Developing the Trust
For this episode Tim Warneford travels to Wiltshire to speak to Powerful Allies Chairman, James Robson, about the risks posed to academy schools for energy procurement in an un-regulated market place.
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18. CIF Update and How to Create a Successful Bid
Developing the Trust
The hot topic of conversation across the sector is the recent update from the ESFA, revealing that the much awaited publication of the 2021-22 round of Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) awards, have been postponed until ‘mid-June’.
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17. Harvey Sinclair, CEO E Energy PLC
Developing the Trust
On this episode Tim talks to Harvey Sinclair, a technology entrepreneur and CEO of E Energy PLC about the fast-moving world of lighting and also electrified heating discussing how schools can save energy and indeed costs by changing their electrics.
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16. Steve Bolt, Director of BCR Associates
Developing the Trust
Tim Warneford is in Alton, Hampshire, with Steve Bolt, director of BCR Associates, a cost management consultancy that support clients – including academies - to increase efficiency, manage risk, ensure compliance and rationalise procurement costs. Tim and Steve are also working on a collaboration with Lloyds Bank education team to support academy trusts seeking to assist academy trust to optimise resources and maximise potential.
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15. Kevin Yardley, Director of Income Generation of The Generations Multi Academy Trust
Developing the Trust
Tim Warneford is once again out and about now lockdown is easing – travelling and recording with all social distancing in mind of course - to speak to Kevin Yardley at The Generations Multi Academy Trust. Kevin is director of income generation and his role is to ensure the estates facilities yield substantial revenue streams through optimising letting opportunities and via external partnerships.
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14. Jeremy Pilgrim, School Property Matters
Developing the Trust
For this episode Tim Warneford is in Bedfordshire to speak to Jeremy Pilgrim from School Property Matters who are independent experts in pupil capacity and have worked with over 2500 schools so far.
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13. Graham Fitzgerald, General Practice and Audit Director at Baldwin Accountants, Baldwin Accountants
Developing the Trust
This week Tim Warneford is in Stockton-on-Tees to speak to Graham Fitzgerald, general practice and audit director at Baldwin Accountants. As well as dealing with commercial organisations, Graham specialises in the education sector, providing audit and advisory services and working with over forty academy schools including an increasing number of multi academy trusts.
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12. Lara Harvard and Zoe Forbes from Ecosphere and Gareth Williams from Eden Sustainable
Developing the Trust
Tim Warneford is in London’s West End with Lara Harvard and Zoe Forbes from Ecosphere and Gareth Williams from Eden Sustainable talking about how schools and academy trusts can both save money and also be much greener by installing better energy systems and also their exclusive offer available to both academy trusts and state schools.
info_outlineOn episode 10, Tim Warneford is in Alton, Hampshire, talking to Janice Finnimore, Schools Business Manager for Eggers Secondary School, about the challenges and lessons learned from being an early converter to a stand-alone academy and why Janice feels that being a stand-alone academy can offer a lot of benefit.
On this episode we cover:
The challenges of being part of an early converter to an academy
The lessons learnt from decisions made
Exploring the freedoms of converting to an academy
Additional funding initially being available
Benefiting from economies of scale in the local authority
Now feeling more confident about challenging services they buy into
Working on the maintained side and academy side
Learning a lot of things the hard way
But making some wise decisions
Juggling many plates now with the school being a business
Business managers most often being women
Being a close knit community doing lots of networking
Emerging of the security of the local authority umbrella
Engaging an independent health and safety manager
Engaging an independent fire risk assessor
Worrying findings in fire safety (that were not in consideration of the LEA)
Condition Improvement Funding (CIF)
Enjoying freedoms such as being flexible on the curriculum and changing the timings of the school day
Constraints, however, with the depth of the audits they are now exposed to
Audits going from once every three years to themed audits
Responsible officer visits and thorough checks on finances once a term
Having had successes with CIF funding
However a frustration being needing inject a contribution
Business managers allocating a lot of time to bid writing
Being very comfortable being a stand alone academy
Not aspiring to expand in the short-term
Having to make some very tough budget decisions
Reducing staffing through natural wastage
Such cuts impacting on staff morale and wellbeing
Seeing MATs as mini-local authorities
Newest acquisition being an astro-turf pitch
Raising around £25,000 year from letting a trampoline group use the sports hall
Very much seeing themselves as a community school
The local cadets using the hard courts free of charge
Launching a crowd-funding page for drama studio refurbishment
Funding a brand new refectory
The biggest obstacles in schools being lack of funding
The DFE feeling they are putting more money into schools but this is not the case in reality
Being very proud of the successful CIF bids
Appreciating the economy of scale that a MAT can provide but that MATs will be careful about which schools come on board