Trust dividend

Our CEO, Executive, and team of Directors offer personal advice and guidance to academy leaders and governing bodies. We work in partnership and collaboratively with all our principals to ensure they are empowered and supported in their work. By joining The Learning Community Trust, leaders have access to additional resources in the Central Team to help them focus on teaching and learning, maintaining the integrity and independence of the academy, whilst having consistent systems to provide a formidable education, within the classroom and beyond, to inspire the next generation of global citizens.

The principal services we provide at the executive level include:

• Accountability and Oversight: The Chief Executive Officer serves as the Accounting Officer, assuming full accountability to the Department for Education (DfE) and Parliament.
• Strategic Partnerships: We engage strategic and improvement partners as necessary to bolster our capacity and expertise.
• Trust Expansion: We oversee the expansion of the Trust, including the management of academy conversions.
• Informed Decision-Making: We provide comprehensive information to the strategic board, Finance & Risk committee, Local Governing Bodies, and Senior Leadership Teams to facilitate well-informed decisions regarding academy and multi-academy trust (MAT) developments.
• Strategic Direction: We set the strategic course for education, finance, human resources, estate management, IT and digital innovation across the Trust.
• Educational Standards: We offer hands on support, monitor educational standards, including target setting, developing consistency, and sharing best practices across the Trust.
• Leadership Development: We monitor and develop leadership capacity within the Trust, aiming to cultivate future leaders, teachers, and groups of practitioners, aligned with our growth plans.
• Government Relations: We manage relationships with Regional Schools Commissioners and ensure compliance with relevant reporting requirements.
• DfE Relations: We handle interactions with the Department for Education and the Education and Skills Funding Agency, including related reporting tasks.
• Targeted Funding: We manage funding allocations for specific school interventions and developments to support targeted improvements within the Trust.
• Complaint coordination: We ensure a clear complaints procedure is in place and followed at all stages. This involves providing advice/support to senior leaders and governors, developing templates for formal correspondence and investigation reports, and clerking panel hearings.

Our team of educational directors, comprised of National Leaders of Education and practicing Ofsted inspectors, brings exceptional leadership to the table. Each member is nationally recognised for their contributions to consistent school improvement.

Our ‘on the ground’ specialist team have responsibility for the strategic and operational quality of Education, Behaviour and Attitudes, Personal Development and Leadership. The education team also leads the development and support of overall academic performance KPIs, professional development and all wider academy development areas.

The key services we provide are:

• Academy support and guidance: Serving as a point of contact for academies, offering oversight advice and guidance to support academy principals and headteachers.
• Direct leadership support of Principals: Providing a dedicated support system for our Principals through effective line management and regular immersion days in academies by the directorate. This is supported by specific principal collaboration meetings.
• Immersion support: Dedicated directorate time to support all aspects of the academy from Leadership, Quality of Education, Behaviour and Attitudes to Personal Development.
• Collaboration and strategic focus: Engaging in regular collaboration with academy leaders as part of the “Trust Leadership Team,” fostering discussions on school improvement and strategic planning.
• Personal development – support with professional advice and hands-on service across key areas of personal development planning.
• Quality systems and assurance: Offering specialist support to enhance quality systems and assurance processes across the trust.
• Coordination of school improvement initiatives: Ensuring effective coordination of externally funded school improvement initiatives, emphasizing manageability and impact.
• Subject specialist support: Advising and supporting Subject Specialist Leads across all academies within the trust.
• Curriculum implementation: Quality assurance of curriculum implementation to ensure it is ambitious for all young people, including those with SEND and/or disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Sharing best practices: Disseminating good practices to colleagues across the trust through teaching, team-teaching, coaching, mentoring, observations, and subject-specific knowledge sharing.
• SEND support: Targeted deployment of the Director of Specialist Education to provide support in the area of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
• Coaching and mentoring: Providing coaching, mentoring, and professional development for staff at all levels, both teaching and wider support, within the academies.
• Training for academy leads: Providing targeted training for academy leads on specific education-related topics such as Looked After Children (LAC), Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and Alternative Provision (AP).
• Safeguarding audits: Overseeing an annual program of safeguarding external audits in academies.
• Current initiatives and research: Keeping colleagues informed about current educational initiatives and research within each subject field through the use of internal leaders, national and international specialists.
• External liaison: Collaborating with external groups (such as exam boards, unions and curriculum hubs) to support core subjects.
• Recruitment and retention support: Assisting with recruitment and retention efforts within the trust.
• Community and stakeholder engagement: Providing support for community and stakeholder engagement initiatives
• Policies: Development and oversight of central educational related policies with linked training.

Working collaboratively and sharing our collective thoughts will only improve the educational experience of our young people across our communities.

Our Professional Learning Team is led by experts from across our trust with a wealth of strong practice and experience across all phases. At the heart of our approach is evidence based, research in action, reflective and collaborative learning. We are dedicated to offering continuous high-quality professional development to our staff at all stages of their careers. Prioritising the growth of our team members, regardless of their role or level, is fundamental to our ethos.

Staff members across our Trust benefit from a broad spectrum of training opportunities, including nationally recognised development programs, all tailored to support the specific needs of our academies and their personnel. Whether you are beginning your journey in education or are an experienced leader, we are here to ensure you reach your fullest potential.

Our trust offer includes:

• A depth of expertise through existing LCT leaders: Successful current and former leaders, specialists in specific areas such as NPQ, ITT, Quality of Education experts and system leaders that all provide strategic and operational support
• LCT Talent pathways: CPD annual programme for staff to ensure that they are ready for the next stage in their career through in-house, local and national programmes of support.
• LCT External Professional Partners: External professionals, who are experts in their field, to support the LCT teams in areas such as safeguarding, Quality of Education, subject specific support and wider academy areas.
• External Professional Learning: Priority access to NPQ and other leadership development programmes in line with the Trust’s talent management strategy.
• Professional Learning CPD offer:
  • Regular subject, and wider leadership, CPD and network sessions.
  • Teaching and Leadership CPD: Phase specific, subject leaders, SENDCo, quality of education leads, pastoral teams, SLT linked areas such as personal development, behaviour and attitudes
  • Support staff CPD: Teaching support team programmes, first aid, H&S, administration, transport teams training, EV leads and areas such as finance, HR and attendance/welfare development
  • Governor CPD: National and local programmes alongside regular collaboration meetings of LGBs
  • Responsive CPD linked to national updates (Ofsted, DFE etc…)
  • Effective CPD through working with external bodies.
• Whole trust training days: Professionally delivered and focused CPD on local, National and international areas to ensure our academies remain current and expert in their fields.
• LCT ECF Forum: Focused support through our professional learning team lead to ensure all new entrants into the profession are supported.
• Apprenticeship routes.
• Access to an online learning platform.
• Collaborative, termly professional development newsletter and supporting video library: Keeping LCT staff up to date with local, national and internation best practice, whilst also offering bespoke LCT Teaching and learning library resources.
• Dedicated coaching programmes to support all academy roles.

We all share a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of young people. Supporting academies on the frontlines, our Education Welfare specialists will support you to ensure your safeguarding and pupil attendance arrangements are nothing less than outstanding. LCT is committed to supporting our young people and families across our community and have a specialist attendance and welfare team in place consisting of Education Welfare Officers, Education Mentors and Counsellors.  We have developed this team as the Trust grows to meet the needs of our families and children.

Our support includes:

• Education Welfare: Our Education Welfare Officers work with our academies, families and young people to promote and support good school attendance and to help resolve any issues that may be impacting on attendance and welfare at school. We also liaise with the local authority regarding unauthorised holidays in term-time, persistent absence, child employment, elective home education and issues relating to school attendance.
• Education Mentors: Our Education Mentors work with our young people whose attendance, behaviour or health issues are preventing them from reaching their full potential.
• Counselling: Our Counsellors help our young people to discuss their problems, thoughts and feelings in a confidential setting, and offer them strategies to help improve their emotional wellbeing and mental health. With our younger children, this can be done through play as well as through talking and listening. Our counsellors have a variety of resources and a wealth of experience that enables them to work with our children from Reception to year 11.
• Trust DSL Support: The Trust Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is always available to assist academy DSL teams with safeguarding matters. This support can range from discussing specific issues, providing on-site assistance, or directing teams to appropriate agencies.
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• Safeguarding and Child Protection: A trust led annual review of academy safeguarding and child protection protocols, either through a comprehensive Academy Review or via the Trust Safeguarding Audit. The results are documented in a detailed report outlining necessary actions.
• Identification and Reporting: The Trust DSL oversees the safeguarding data recorded in the CPOMS across all academies, focusing on identifying trends and areas requiring intervention, though not the details of individual cases. The Trust DSL also reports on all safeguarding matters to the Board of Trustees.

Our centralised finance department enables us to achieve economies of scale and value for money across our academies, whilst ensuring adherence to the financial regulations set by funding and statutory bodies.

Our finance offering lightens the financial administrative load in academies, whilst supporting academy leaders to achieve their financial goals.

Our specialist central finance team provides:

Financial Administration:

• Processing of invoices, maintaining the purchase ledger and paying suppliers
• Providing support for financial compliance processes specific to academies.
• Handling academy payroll processes, including compliance with PAYE, LGPS, and Teachers Pensions.
• Provision of Trust Company Secretarial Services and statutory filings.
• Managing banking arrangements and treasury functions.
• Managing the accounting software package and storage of all financial information

Compliance and Oversight:

• Ensuring compliance with Master Funding Agreements.
• Developing and overseeing financial policies and procedures.
• Providing financial information and Trust leadership direction for meetings with Academy Headteachers, academy finance links, and local academy council contacts.
• Supporting Academy and Trust leaders to scrutinise academy finances, including budgeting, cash flows, and staff costs.
• Ensuring compliance with funding submissions to DfE
• Managing pension scheme audits and related certificates.
• Overseeing VAT and Corporation Tax requirements.
• Handling statutory National Statistics Survey filings.
• Main point of contact for internal and external financial auditors.

Budgeting and Reporting:

• Managing the annual budget process, including supporting academy leaders to build three-year plans.
• Analysing monthly management reports, cash flows, and balance sheets, providing support and advice as necessary.
• Producing year-end accounts and coordinating external audits.
• Communication and clarification of all DfE funding streams for both accounting and budgeting purposes.

Cost savings and funding opportunities:

• Coordination of procurement reviews to achieve cost reduction in academies.
• Allocation of central SCA funding to address academy priorities such as improvements to buildings and other facilities, including ICT, or capital repairs/refurbishment and minor works.
• Legal support and costs in event of issues outside of normal annual operating requirements.
• Coordinating capital funding submissions.
• Sourcing Grant and Bid funding and submissions.

The Trust offers a sector specific People and HR service, our support for HR is wide-ranging, focussed and practical; built on a good working relationship with and thorough knowledge of our academies. Our HR policies exemplify best practices, aligning with the trust’s ethos and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. The service collaborates closely with academies to tailor solutions to specific needs. Additionally, our HR systems and services streamlines self-service operations, reducing administrative burden for academy office staff.

Our expert HR support includes:

Employee Relations:

• Expert advice on both informal and formal employee relations, including disciplinary matters, grievances, capability assessments, and attendance management.
• Support for appraisal and probationary processes to ensure fair evaluations.
• Advice and support with organisational changes and development.

Training and Coaching:

• Providing training and coaching to middle and senior academy leaders, emphasising best practices in HR management.
• Conducting mandatory training and skills analysis.
• Contribution to wider CPD offer on people management topics.

Compliance and Reporting:

• Managing employment-related government returns to ensure legal compliance.
• Handling Statutory Gender Pay Gap Reporting.
• Safeguarding advice and guidance on Single Central Record, Safer Recruitment and advice and guidance on the management of allegations against staff.

Recruitment and Selection:

• Offering recruitment policies, toolkits, and procedures for consistent, efficient, and fair hiring practices.
• Facilitating access to negotiated recruitment agencies.

Senior Appointments:

• Managing senior appointments and providing tactical support during recruitment challenges.

Contracts and Terms:

• Provision of Contract and Main Statement of Terms and Conditions of Employment and advice on variations.
• Trust strategy for appraisal and people management.

Workforce Reform and Wellbeing:

• Involvement in workforce reform strategies.
• Conducting staff wellbeing audits and providing support.

Union Negotiations and Reorganisations:

• Handling national union negotiations, pay grading, and employment policies.
• Managing staff reorganisations and addressing changing staffing needs.

Disciplinary Processes and Safeguarding:

• Offering HR advice during disciplinary, conduct, and capability processes.
• Providing guidance on safeguarding and allegations against staff.

Keeping Informed:

• Staying updated on employee relations legislation and sharing relevant bulletins.

Resources and Services:

• Providing model letters and resources for managing employee relations casework.
• Procuring DBS services and occupational health services.

Workflow and Job Evaluation:

• Developing workflows and conducting job evaluations across the Trust.
• Assisting schools with job revisions.

Staff Incentives:

• Procuring and providing staff incentive packages to enhance employee satisfaction.

Data Protection:

• A compliant trust data protection policy.
• Regular online training that meets legal requirements with the option of bespoke training sessions for different groups of staff.
• A point of contact for the Information Commissioners Office (ICO.)
• Ongoing advice, guidance and support from the DPO.
• Support with dealing with data breaches and data subject access requests (DSARs.)
• Support with dealing with freedom of information requests.

We believe in great governance. An external review of governance across our Trust found it to be exemplary, and we were shortlisted recently by the NGA as one of six trusts nationally demonstrating ‘Outstanding Governance’. Our local governing bodies are invaluable to our trust, helping to shape the experiences in our academies, provide support and challenge, and actively contribute to their success. We ensure governors retain their voice, and alongside staff and parents, influence our trust and enjoy being part of the wider and varied community we are growing.

Our Trust central governance team is led by our Head of Governance & Corporate Support — an experienced governance professional. They provide advice and guidance to the Board and its committees, including the local governing bodies (LGBs), to ensure they fulfil their core governance functions of clarity of vision, ethos, and strategic direction; educational performance accountability; financial oversight, and stakeholder engagement.

For schools joining our Trust, we offer:

• Access to expertise
• Training, development and support opportunities
• Clarity and consistency
• Robust assurance processes and frameworks

How we deliver this:

• Requirements and expectations: We offer advice and guidance on governance and regulatory/legal compliance requirements in a constantly changing environment, as well as sharing best practice from within the education sector and beyond
• Legal registers: We maintain legal registers, including registers of governors’ pecuniary interests, and governance profiles on GIAS
• Resources and templates: We provide a range of our own templates for governance documentation as well as access to a range of resources through GovernorHub, GovernorHub Knowledge and The Key for School Leaders
• Meeting schedules: We set clear, planned meeting schedules for each academic year and offer flexible approach options for when in-person attendance isn’t possible
• Chair support: Our Head of Governance & Corporate Support works directly with our LGB Chairs to ensure they are supported in their role as governor and Chair, as well as hosting a regular LGB Chairs Network meetings
• Governor recruitment: We help with recruitment and succession planning, including local media coverage to advertise vacancies and templates for parent/staff governor appointment processes. We also work with joining schools, where applicable, to form their LGBs
• Induction and training: Governors within the LCT are given access to a range of training and development opportunities, including mandatory and role specific CPD (e.g. staff/parent governor and panel members) and an induction programme for new governors
• Clerking services: We provide clerking and advisory service for all governance meetings, including panels and hearings. All LGBs have an assigned clerk, ensuring consistency and the opportunity to develop effective working relationships.  More specific advice and support is available to local governors involved in panels work, such as exclusion reviews and appeals
• Transfer process: We will work directly with the governing bodies of joining schools to develop understanding of what local governance looks like within the LCT
• Policy framework: We ensure school leaders and their LGBs understand which policies must be in place, where responsibility for approval sits and how often they should be reviewed.

We provide a robust IT infrastructure designed to ensure data integrity, security, and platform adaptability, enabling your academy to create tailored systems within a secure framework. Our skilled team is ready to support major initiatives and assist with strategy, procurement, and installation. We also offer expert advice and practical insights on solutions for educational environments.

Our core services include:

• Support for compliance with Cybersecurity and GDPR regulations
• Management and support of managed services
• Development and oversight of central IT-related policies
• Regular meetings with academy IT representatives
• Strategic group procurement to leverage economies of scale for cost reduction
• Assistance with medium to large IT projects from start to finish
• Standardised equipment and infrastructure planning to ensure trust wide consistency
• Strategic advice on planning IT infrastructure and hardware to enhance educational outcomes and ensure systems are current
• Maintenance of an IT assets register
• Management of managed print contracts
• Coordination of IT training for staff on classroom and general IT usage
• Centralised meetings for IT Support Technicians to exchange best practices
• Dedicated support technician for primary academies
• Guidance and support for digital transformation initiatives
• Centralised licencing
• Telephony management (office phones and mobiles)
• Strategic filtering and monitoring advice and central systems implementation to comply with KCSIE

Insight, MIS & Data:

• Assistance for Senior Leadership Teams and designated academy contacts in managing data and assessment reporting systems (e.g., Brom Com, Power BI)
• Centralised MIS and data support desk, for systems and data compliance support
• Training and support in the setup, management, and updating of internal and external data systems
• Provision of data analysis dashboards and reports for Senior Leadership Teams and Local Governing Bodies following data collections
• Guidance and support for mandatory data submissions to local authorities and the Department for Education, such as Census and end of Key Stage data

Our experienced estates and technical services team offers professional advice and hands-on support across key areas to help academies create a safe environment for teaching and learning while maximising your estate assets. We will assist in improving policies and procedures related to health and safety, site maintenance, and regulatory compliance. Our expertise ranges from effective capital-building programs to operational estate management, including capital support using school condition allocation (SCA) funding and major project developments.

Our Estates support includes:

Capital:

• Regular meetings with academy estates teams.
• Major capital project support, including bid writing, project planning & management, delivery, and closure.
• Oversight of capital projects funded through the Free Schools Programmes and SCA funding allocation using bespoke EO portal software.
• Liaison with academies to determine condition spending priorities and align them with the Executive and Board.
• Support for achieving best value procurement in line with Financial Regulations.
• Assistance in developing site development proposals and providing advice.
• Access to sustainability and environmental expertise.

Estates:

• Compliance support for Estate Management and Asbestos Management.
• Oversight and creation of estate/facilities-related policies.
• Support for Estates Management and procurement planning to aid budgeting.
• Assistance to academy Site Leads and Headteachers in day-to-day estate management and regular site maintenance procurement.
• Contract management and procurement for services like insurance, gas, and electricity supplies.
• Provision of property survey services for schools with special requirements.
• Scrutiny and challenge of routine procurement, estate improvements, and maintenance.
• Systems to support day-to-day estate and health and safety monitoring.

Health & Safety:

• Oversight and creation of all H&S policies.
• Provision of Health and Safety Support, including management reporting and compliance reviews.
• Implementation of health and safety management systems.
• Development of hazard identification and risk control arrangements within each academy.
• Support for academy leads and Governors on health and safety matters and legislation.
• Monitoring H&S targets and ensuring policy implementation by assigned staff.
• Establishment of structures for health and safety management, including planning, implementation, monitoring, review, and auditing.
• Oversight of external and internal audit programs and statutory premises reporting and testing.
• Free access to H&S legal experts for advice and support.
• Coordination of Termly H&S forums between academies.

Our Digital & Communications team provides comprehensive support to academies across a variety of key areas. With a wealth of experience, we ensure that websites are compliant and impactful alongside supporting academies with ongoing website maintenance. We offer extensive experience in PR and reputation management as well as providing support with the production of high-quality design for marketing materials.

The key services we provide are:

• Training and mentoring of staff in areas of website management.
• Build, design and maintenance of website services including compliance with DfE governance requirements.
• Central oversight and support with the management of academy websites, including annual audit against Ofsted requirements.
• Production of high-quality designs for marketing materials.
• High-quality photography for marketing purposes.
• Constructing press releases, liaising with local, regional and national press and coordinating material ready for publication.
• Communication of core messages to all key groups.
• Support to communicate messages effectively to a wide range of stakeholders at an individual academy level.
• Supporting Headteachers with PR and crisis/reputation management, media enquiries and statements.