Finance Services
The central finance team is crucial to support our Academies with their day-to-day financial operations, allowing our Academies to focus on delivering outstanding education.
Central Finance Team
The central team work effectively to support the financial sustainability of the Foundation, driving value for money savings into our Academies through a range of initiatives such as collaborative procurement and effective cash flow and investments. This collaborative approach to finance aims to maximise the finances available to our Academies giving them the opportunity to direct more funding into the classroom.
The team is led by an experienced Finance Director, providing leadership and oversight to ensure financial sustainability, regulatory compliance and value for money across the trust. The Finance Director works closely with the Chief Financial and Operating Officer to set the financial visions, ensuring that resources are maximised to support educational excellence.
For prospective partners who are considering joining our trust, we offer a team of experienced financial professionals who understand the regulatory environment Academies work within and how to connect this to the day-to-day operations of Academy life. This offers Academy leaders reassurance that they are always supported to meet their financial responsibilities.
The central finance team is made up of the following:
The transactions team are responsible for handling the trust’s accounts payable, receivable and treasury functions. The team work together to ensure that invoices and other transactions are processed with accuracy and in accordance with the financial regulations. Working closely with the Academies in the Foundation, team members may have designated days they are present on Academy sites to allow them to support students, staff and other stakeholders with any financial queries.
Supporting individual academies the Finance Business Partners, acting as strategic advisors to school leaders. Experienced in academy’s budgets and the challenges, they work to bridge the gap between the financial data and operational decision-making. The business partners aim to support academies to make informed, financially sound choices that are sustainable and compliant, aligning financial and educational priorities. The Business Partners provide our Academies with monthly management accounts, sharing insights with leadership teams and governing bodies to highlight any risks and/or opportunities.
A key member of the team is the Financial Accountant, this role is in place to ensure that our responsibilities for financial reporting and compliance are met. The Financial Accountant makes sure that the Foundation adheres to statutory reporting requirements, supporting external audits to run smoothly. This technical accounting role supports a range of activities, such as consolidated VAT returns and pension returns, taking the ownership away from individual academies allowing them to focus on their day-to-day operations.
Finance Organisational Structure
