Working with Knutsford Multi-Academy Trust to co-ordinate the conversion of a local primary school into their Trust. We worked across both the MAT and Egerton Primary School to co-ordinate all conversion activities through a series of project steering group meetings.
Supporting the conversion of a primary school into the MAT. GLK Solutions were procured to work for Knutsford MAT but support the school through the full process including consultation, legal, finance, HR and TUPE, policies, and operational. The Trust were keen to ensure the school joined their MAT seemlessly and ensured all systems and process were in place.
We created a project development plan for the Trust and School to map out the activity required to convert the school to academy status and join the Trust. Within the plan we identified a number of workstreams such as HR and TUPE, finance and processes, consultation, legal, marketing and operational. We support the Trust and School across all workstreams and led on aspects including:
- Full parental, staff, and local stakeholder consultation
- Gap analysis of processes and systems required
- Policy monitoring schedule to ensure statutory policies were in place and there was a clear line between school and trust policies
- Review of contracts and SLAs in place in readiness for conversion
- Provided a link between the Trust/School and the legal firm to ensure all activity was required in line with the project plan
- Acted as the main link between the School/Trust and the Local Authority
This conversion resulted in a shorter project phase due to school holidays and the requirement to have all activity complete by the end of the Summer term. In addition there were complexities relating to land and building transfers. The School transferred into the Trust by the required deadline and to provide a neat start for the School at the start of the new academic year.
GLK Solutions provided us with a strong approach to project management that was absolutely essential to guide us through the process of becoming an Academy. It certainly provided us with peace of mind and a rigorous and transparent approach to due diligence. Their professionalism and appreciation of our context was greatly appreciated.
Alison Hooper
Headteacher | Egerton Primary School (Part of the Knutsford MAT)