Moving from LA to MAT: Empowering you to lead your school through the transition
Seminar Brief
As a School Business Professional the transition from working in a Local Authority maintained school to that under Multi Academy Trust control may seem daunting – there’s a significant shift in financial management, governance structures and compliance, alongside operational changes to HR policies, procurement procedures and estate management. Feel empowered to lead your school through the transition and learn about the knowledge, tools and strategies needed to navigate academy conversion or a new MAT role.
In this seminar JEN will explore:
● Similarities and differences between maintained schools and academies and the challenges and opportunities this presents
● Change management and stakeholder engagement
● Collaboration and networking
Take home points:
● Knowledge, tools and strategies to navigate the transition
● Confidence to lead your school through the transition
● Career development for SBLs in MATs
This session is for:
SBPs in LA schools looking for new roles in the academy sector and/or SBPs in schools exploring academy conversion
Jen Marshall
Head of Business & Financial Support to Schools, Cheviot Learning Trust
About the speaker:
Jen qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2011 and began working in Education soon after, firstly as a school business manager in the primary sector, then joining a nine-school MAT as financial controller before becoming head of business and financial support to schools of Cheviot Learning Trust. Cheviot LT was formed as the result of a merger of two neighbouring three-tier MATs in Northumberland; it educates 5,500 students across 18 schools between the ages of 2 and 19, employs 750+ staff with an annual budget in excess of £33m. Jen works closely with school leadership teams and the Trust Executive Team on internal and external financial reporting and compliance, procurement and contract management, and trust wide projects. Jen also leads the Central Services Finance Team who provide an exchequer and management accounts service for all Trust schools, as well as ad hoc support to all school business professionals across the Trust.