Presentation to Local Governing Bodies
Who are Equals Trust?
Equals Trust is a multi-academy trust which is comprised of seven primary schools. The Trust was founded in
September 2016 with the aim of allowing member schools to maintain their ethos and unique identities within a tight
local network, with strong mutual accountability, shared support services and a strong collaborative approach to staff
development and school improvement.
Equals Trust passionately believes that partnership working raises educational standards and improves life chances for
students within the partnership. The seven founding schools are:
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Burton Joyce Primary School
Cropwell Bishop Primary School
Crossdale Primary School, Keyworth
Heymann Primary & Nursery School, West Bridgford
Keyworth Primary & Nursery School
Robert Miles Junior School, Bingham
Tollerton Primary School
What is Equals Trust?
A primary multi-academy trust based on the principal of equality.
We work collaboratively together with a clear purpose and direction, where:
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teaching and learning is at the centre of all we do;
children enjoy, and are engaged in, a curriculum that challenges and excites them;
we develop responsible citizens who value diversity;
we ensure a culture of high expectations amongst all our children;
children value themselves and each other, developing the self confidence and resilience to
face future challenges;
• the contributions made by all stakeholders are valued.
What is Equals Trust?
We work effectively in school partnerships to enhance our provision by:
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Extending the learning opportunities and activities for pupils;
Enriching the curriculum through partnership working and shared resources;
Enabling the greater sharing of excellent teaching and learning;
Enhancing the professional development of teaching and support staff;
Building mutual support and accountability for Head Teachers and Governors;
Securing cost and resource efficiencies through joint commissioning.
Our Schools
Academy
Burton Joyce
Primary School
Cropwell Bishop
Primary School
Crossdale Primary
School
Heymann Primary
School & Nursery
Keyworth Primary
School
Robert Miles Junior
School
Tollerton Primary
School
Address
Padleys Lane,
Burton Joyce, NG14
5EB
Stockwell Lane,
Cropwell Bishop,
NG12 3BX
Crossdale Drive,
NG12 5HP
KS1: Swithland
Drive, NG2 7UN
KS2: Waddington
Drive, NG2 7 GX
Nottingham Road,
NG12 5FB
Market Place,
Bingham, NG13 8AP
Burnside Grove,
Tollerton, NG12 4ET
Pupils
353
198
193
591
130
245
195
Age Range
4 – 11 with onsite
nursery provision
4 – 11 with onsite
nursery provision
4 – 11 with onsite
nursery provision
3 - 11
4 – 11 with onsite
nursery provision
7 - 11
4 – 11
Classes
Reception – Year 6
Reception – Year 6
Reception – Year 6
Nursery – Year 6
Reception – Year 6
Year 3 – Year 6
Reception – Year 6
Head
Philip Palmer
(executive head)
Jenny Cook
(Head of School)
Philip Palmer
(executive head)
Louisa Hussey
(Head of School)
Peter Cresswell
(executive head)
Lynda Noble
Peter Cresswell
(executive head)
Rob Gilbey
Andrew Board
OFSTED
Good (June 14)
Outstanding (Dec
08)
Outstanding (May
07)
Good (June 16)
Good (July 14)
Good (June 13)
Outstanding (May
10)
Equals Trust Governance Structure
Board of Directors
Equals Trust Central Team
Equals Trust Leadership Group
Local Governing Bodies
What have we achieved since September?
• Speech and Language Therapist – access for all pupils across the Trust
• Collaborative work with the Rushcliffe Learning Alliance and Local
Authority
• Curriculum projects:
• Storytelling
• Sports programme – health and fitness for all children
• Inter Trust schools football & boccia tournament for boys and girls
• E-safety project – regular digital magazines
• Mathematics project with Southwell Minster Teaching School
• Principles for Assessment
• Moderation for standards
What have we achieved since September?
• Continued positive links with the Local Authority – CPD for teachers
and clerk
• Positive relationship with unions – Facilities agreement
• Staff wellbeing – access to ‘Cycle 2 Work’, gym memberships etc.
• Central Services Contribution strategy – transition model to a
substantive one
• Equals Trust Strategic Plan – aims, objectives & growth
• Trust offices to facilitate working of Trust team
• CEO role and LG relationship
• LGB Guidance and Checklists
• Admissions
What have we achieved since September?
• Trust Policy Schedule
• Consistent reporting formats
• Intuitive web sites – Trust website due for launch on Friday 9th
June!
• CIF – buildings grant for roof and drainage, circa £1.35m
LGB Presentation - Finance
Who is he?
- Started with Equals Trust in September 2016 as Trust Finance Manager
- Role encompasses the Chief Financial Officer role required by Academies
Financial Handbook
- ICAEW Chartered Accountant
- Previous experience working with a leading East Midlands practice, specialising
in the academy/education sector
Context
- NFF consultation
- Over 25,000 responses
- Outcome by end of Summer term….
- Decisions made by Autumn term…
- Narrowing curriculum
- Reducing enrichment
- Closing libraries
- Larger classes
- Reduced pupil support
- Any impact on schools likely to require 18 months to
work through in budgets
- What does it cost to run a school…..??
- It’s not all doom and gloom!
Strategy
• Stay solvent
• Implement good financial controls, processes and procedures
• Review levels of reserves
• Review budget assumptions and challenge forecasts
• Work collaboratively with professionals (auditors, accountants,
EFSA, DfE, LA)
• Develop a clear vitality plan
• A 3 to 5 year plan which addresses the key risk areas
• Create an income generation group
• Identify admissions trends across the Trust
• Passive income generation (low input max output)
• ‘Sweat our assets’
The Power of Lean
• A way of working that relentlessly seeks to create value for children’s
outcomes and eliminate activities that do not.
• It is a mindset of rethinking everything we do and supporting each
other to achieve this, enabling us to deliver outstanding services,
long-term success and motivated colleagues.
• It starts with each member school and LGB.
Implementation – 2017/18
• Reduction and changes in funding requires a new approach for funding the Trust
from 1st September 2017
• Best practice is to operate a Trust where member schools are charged a % of
general annual grant (GAG) for services
• The Board of Directors, in consultation with the Leadership Group, recognised
the challenges faced by all school budgets and have set the % contribution at 3%
for 2017/18
• This is subject to annual review by the Board of Directors, in consultation with
the Leadership Group, and directly linked to strategic plan and financial strategy
Do your schools benefit?
• Yes
• Central charge only covers trust staff wages, statutory audit and accountancy fees
and a small level of sundry office costs, such as stationery
• Core services, broadly HR, Legal, Governance, Payroll and Finance are all
purchased centrally to enable economies of scale to be achieved. The costs
however are recognised in each individual school budget
• These are mandatory services so no opt-in, opt-out but all member schools
benefit from savings
Challenges
• As an academy or LA controlled school there are challenges that all schools would have
faced regarding budgets;
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Staffing structures
Pension contributions
Capital projects
Funding cuts
• Top slicing is not without controversy and Equals Trust will remain open, honest and
transparent with regards to any changes to funding structures
• The future is uncertain in a lot of areas, however Equals Trust will control growth and its
own destiny in order to achieve the best outcomes for its children.
EQT Moving Forward
What next – EQT moving forward
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EQT Improvement Plan – review and development
10 year strategy
Risk Management Plan
Implementation and review:
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Strategic Plan and Expansion
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Assessment Principles
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LGB guidance and checklists
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Enrichment
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Maths Hub
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Singing
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Sports – health and PE
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E-Safety