How a 6-school trust set its top-slicing strategy: case study

Learn how one trust set its top-slicing strategy, and get advice from an academy finance expert on how to make its approach work for you. Download the trust's service level agreement to see what central services it provides to its schools.

Last reviewed on 25 March 2022
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 44128
Contents
  1. How much the trust top-slices, and what schools get for the money
  2. How the trust sets its top-slice figure
  3. Communicating the value of the approach to joining schools

We spoke to CEO Christine Dickinson about the Kite Academy Trust's approach to top-slicing. The Kite Academy Trust is a MAT of 9 primary schools in Surrey (it had 6 schools when we spoke to Christine). 

We also spoke to our associate education expert Graeme Hornsby for advice on how to make Kite's approach work in your trust.

How much the trust top-slices, and what schools get for the money

Kite Academy Trust takes an 8% top-slice from its schools' general annual grants.

For this rate, the trust provides:

  • Support from the CEO, head of operations and head of finance
  • Finance, estates, HR and family support leadership and support
  • A central CPD fund and trust-wide training
  • School improvement support

The trust's service level agreement (SLA) sets out which services are provided in more detail.

Kite Academy Trust Service Level Agreement DOC, 46.0 KB

How the trust sets its top-slice figure

The trust arrived at its 8% figure by: