How a 14-school trust set its top-slicing strategy: case study
Learn how one trust set its top-slicing strategy with a focus on investment. Get tips on designing the principles of your service, costing your investment plans and how to make this trust's approach work for you.
Contents
Chief finance and operations officer Ben March spoke to us about STEP Academy Trust's approach to 'top-slicing' academy budgets to fund central services. STEP Academy Trust is a MAT of 20 primary schools in south London and East Sussex (it had 14 schools when we spoke to Ben).
School contributions to the central budget, and what they get for the money
STEP's academies currently contribute 7% of their general annual grant (GAG) to fund central trust functions and services.
The trust has reduced its rate from 8% as it has expanded, because economies of scale have saved money and common processes have saved staff time.
The contribution covers financial and operational services, including:
- The CEO and CFO
- Salaries for the heads of ICT, premises and catering
- Compliance
It also covers an increasing amount of the teaching and learning support that the trust provides.
First, the
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Also in 'Central services and responsibilities'
- Centralising a service, step 1: choose a service
- Centralising a service, step 2: evaluate the current performance of the service
- Centralising a service, step 3: define your motivating factors
- Centralising a service, step 4: consider your options
- Centralising a service, step 5: understand the needs of your staff
- Centralising a service, step 6: create a full service catalogue to run your service