SEND

The Trust has a Director of SEND who has extensive experience working within both primary and secondary contexts. We understand that as Catholic schools we should be judged on how we are providing for those who are the most vulnerable, including those learners with SEND.

Our Director of SEND works with SENDCOs in our schools to ensure we follow best practice as standard, this includes collaboration and access to resources and specialists that will ensure that all our pupils are able to succeed.

Chaplaincy

It is important that our MAT is different; we are Pope Francis Catholic Multi Academy Trust. Our next appointment, after a CEO and CFO was a Chaplaincy lead to develop the Catholic Life of the schools alongside prayer and liturgy.

Dennis Jones has extensive experience as a chaplain and works with school leaders and chaplains to support schools in the development and celebration of their Catholicity. Dennis provides resources for collective worship reflecting the themes of the liturgical year and opportunities for chaplains and school leaders to work together in the development of their mission.

The Trust is also very happy to provide any training and preparation necessary for Catholic School Inspection.

Financial Support

As a Trust, we believe schools should manage their own budgets; we work with our schools to ensure that we have prudent accounts, setting balanced budgets. Our CFO has worked for over 20 years within trust finance in some of the most highly regarded MATS in the country. We employ a chartered accountant to provide astute financial planning support to each school within our Trust.

Information and Data Management 

The Trust’s information and data management work is led by a highly skilled data and information management professional who is also a qualified teacher with experience in both primary and secondary schools - this gives us a invaluable insight into how data needs to work for school leaders. As an expert in MIS, our Head of Data and Information Systems supports each school to optimise these. Amongst other things, this has included creating a pastoral tracker described as best in class by the 2023 SRMA report.

Our Trust has engaged the services of Computeam, a nationally recognised ICT service provider that specialises in education ICT provision across primary and secondary MATS. This means that the Trust provides a strategic overview of ICT that meets the needs of a 21st century school. Our vision is one of collaboration, sharing resources and best practice to ensure that technology enhances the learning experience.

The Trust and Computeam are experts in enabling schools within trusts to achieve this vision. This is underpinned by a costed strategic roadmap for each individual school, based on a thorough initial audit that reflects the individual requirements and educational aims of each establishment. The roadmap ensures that infrastructure and devices are state of the art and that training for staff supports teaching and learning, using ever advancing education technology.

Website, Communications and Social Media

The Trust has an overarching website whilst each school within the Trust has a bespoke website. This ensures the distinct identity of the school is maintained whilst at the same time belonging to the Pope Francis CMAT family. The websites operate on a pre-set framework that is compliant with DfE and ESFA expectations. Prior to conversion, the Trust ensures that all relevant content migrated to the new website will go live on the conversion date. All central policies are automatically updated on the website and regular compliance checks are made. This also allows for social media content to be promoted to wider audiences across all social platforms.

The Trust has partnered with Diddu, a dedicated education PR company, who work with schools and MATs to advise on all aspects of communications from promotion to crisis management.

Human Resources and Safeguarding

The Trust has a highly experienced Director of HR who works with schools to support them in ensuring all HR issues are managed effectively. In addition, there will be occasions when, despite best efforts there will be a need for HR legal advice.

The Trust has partnered with Hill Dickinson International Law Firm, based in Liverpool.

Each school has a designated professional to work with them and unlimited advice and support is available 24/7. Hill Dickinson will provide representation at any hearing with the potential to result in dismissal, at no cost to the school.

As part of due diligence, the Trust will undertake a review of safeguarding and support the school in undertaking any action that needs to be implemented. The HR Director will support the school in the upkeep and maintenance of the single central record, ensuring full compliance.

GDPR

The Trust has partnered with Hill Dickinson to provide the DPO in each school with unlimited access to GDPR support.

Legal

The Trust has an SLA with Hill Dickinson to provide unlimited educational law advice for example on issues such as; admissions, SEND, exclusions, land matters, complaints etc.

Governance and Compliance

The Trust has a Governance and Compliance Professional with responsibility for providing the highest quality advice for governing bodies in performing their duties, as well as ensuring all statutory regulations are met.

Payroll

With education payroll being such a specialist area, the Trust have selected a market leading school only payroll provider. Neo People provide employees with an easy-to use portal, so staff have easy access to payslips and the ability to submit various requests and claims. Each school will have a dedicated portal and payroll manager to ensure that they achieve 100% payroll accuracy.

Health and Safety and Estate Management

The Trust has partnered with Compliance Education to provide health and safety audits for each of our schools, as well as supported action plans to achieve school and Trust compliance.

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