Are you converting to an Academy?
Are you concerned about missing something important in the conversion process?
Are you worried about the impact of working on the project during the day to day running of the school or your multi-Academy Trust?
Do you have the financial and commercial expertise you need to set-up and operate as an academy?
How We Can Help
We are committed to guiding and supporting you through the conversion process to ensure that you achieve academy status in a controlled manner. We also provide you with financial and commercial advice to ensure that your budget, financial systems and contracts are suitable to operate as a standalone business or as part of a larger multi-Academy Trust.
Project Management
Project Planning
- Briefing on the conversion process
- Identifying and planning for the
tasks and key dependencies - Identifying critical path activities
Project Governance
- Establishing a project governance structure including setting up a Project Steering Group (PSG)
- Administration of PSG meetings, agendas and papers
Risks Management
- Risk workshop and developing an initial risk log
- RAG rating risks based on probability and impact
- Identify risk mitigation strategies
Managing Progress
- Proactively managing tasks
- Logging and chasing agreed actions
- Reviewing and updating risk logs
- Managing issues as they arise/ trouble shooting
Consultation
- Stakeholder analysis and consultation planning
- Developing consultation materials
- Attending events
- Summarising consultation findings for the Governing Body
Finance & Commercial
- Identifying contracts, assets and liabilities to be transferred
- Support the Business Manager in reviewing contracts/SLAs
- Reviewing other third party agreements
- Support to Commercial Transfer Agreement negotiation
- Budgeting and longer term financial planning
- Financial systems procurement and accounting support during set-up
- Fixed asset transfer & accounting
- Bank account, payroll and other service contract tenders
- VAT/Corporation tax compliance
- Financial regulations & internal controls
- Audit arrangements
- Financial governance training
Education Business Management – Our Credentials
EBM, through its significant experience and previous working links with PKF and BDO.
Our dedicated education business consultants have a track record of successfully delivering over 200 Academies over the last 10 years, many of them of a complex nature in short timescales.
EBM has well developed links with the DfE in relation to MATs, Academies and Free Schools.
Why choose our conversion support services?
- We offer a comprehensive project management service which can be tailored to your precise needs
- Our experienced PRINCE 2 project managers will work seamlessly with your team providing strategic and ‘hands-on’ support
- Uniquely, we can combine project management with specialist financial support to your business manager or bursar.
- Our aim is to combine service excellence with affordability.