FCAT SUPPORT PACKAGE Each academy within FCAT can expect the following: Area of support Area of activity Details of actions How often? School Improvement School Improvement Team Chief Executive Officer Monthly as minimum Director of Primary Improvement One visit per month Director of Secondary Improvement One visit per month Self Evaluation Annual external QA. Negotiated Bespoke school improvement brokerage. Negotiated Academy Improvement Plan Support and challenge from Executive Principal. Weekly at additional cost Quality Improvement Access to and participation in all Quality Improvement Groups at primary or secondary level. Additional support for Science and SEN. At least termly Quality audit by external inspector and written report to Annually governors. Quality challenge from Executive Principal. Weekly at additional cost Data Manager support Academy visit to validate data submissions of pupil Termly progress. Bespoke report design and support using SIMS and As required DataSec for other data areas such as attendance and behaviour. Group-wide performance benchmarking analysis issued. Required reporting to external stakeholders e.g. DfE, As required LA. Required reporting to internal stakeholders e.g. Academy Council, Directors. Support to implement, develop and promote academy wide use of SIMS.net As required
Support to implement, develop and promote academy As required wide use of data collection and analysis software e.g. SIMS Assessment Manager, DataSec Toolkit Bespoke training, guidance and advice for academy As required staff in the use of SIMS and Microsoft Office Professional development Joint CPD as part of FCAT. Three major events School leader development and talent management New teacher support (NQT, RQT, Teach First etc) CPD as part of Fylde Coast Teaching School. Access to all Twilight delivery and accredited courses at reduced rates. Priority access to NPQ and other leadership development programmes Induction to leadership within FCAT Participation in twilight programme specifically for teachers in their first 2 years of service, access to policies and procedures to support new teachers and guidance on when and how to observe, support for Induction Tutors on meeting DfE requirements. Currently participation in transition and mental toughness projects. Access to and support with projects and research Governance Governance Team Support Clerk to provide regular governance guidance and support and to clerk meetings. Governor recruitment support Assisting academies in recruiting highly skilled local governors against a skills audit. Placement of advert and interview by members of central team and Chair of Governors. Induction for all governors to include a Welcome Pack Support from NLG to ensure governors understand their role and fulfil their duties. A Welcome Pack to explain key performance indicators and the academy in question. per year As appropriate for each individual member of staff As required As required As necessary As appropriate Annual Away Day to review FCAT and Academy Strategic Direction A review of the last 12 months, key note speakers, update on important governor duties. Annually
Central Governance Services Clerking and reporting from Audit Committee and Remuneration Committee which will address Executive Principal performance. Access to Fylde Coast Academy Trust Unlimited access to Fylde Coast Academy Trust Governor Training Programme training programme for governors. Permanent student exclusions Assistance and clerking service for review meetings of permanent exclusions. Finance Finance Team support Individual scrutiny and challenge provided for budget setting, forecasting and reporting. Induction and training for staff Explanation of finance policies, procedures, deadlines etc. Also initial training on financial systems for finance staff. Finance systems New Principals: One day on site to explain the Principal s financial responsibilities and FCAT s policies and procedures. Access to bespoke support and training for key finance systems, e.g. Civica. Implementation of finance systems Termly Twice yearly As appropriate As appropriate Monthly finance panel As required, but at beginning of each academic year as a minimum On joining FCAT Audit Rolling programme of internal and external audit. Premises, Estates, ICT and Safeguarding Corporate Accounting Procurement Premises and Estates Production of statutory accounts and other financial returns as required by government and other agencies on behalf of FCAT as well as liaison with Companies House, Charity Commission, EFA, DfE. Access to aggregated procurement e.g. energy supplier, single payroll (Strictly Educational), supply staffing, ICT hosting, catering. Support for estates and capital issues. Could include Site Team back up at certain times in the year. Yearly
Health and Safety Risk Management ICT Site Manager for each academy to attend regular scheduled team meetings that develop a consistent approach to premises management. Provision of a bespoke estates condition survey with an annual review and adjustment according to completed works. Building and estates advice and support for capital developments and projects designed to improve the learning environment and improve safeguarding. Support and advice in the preparation of bids for resources to support the improvement and maintenance of the estate. (Access to additional maintenance resources allocated to the Academy chain by the EFA for priority works. Allocations prioritised as identified in the condition survey and scheduled in the estates management plan in future). Auditing, reviewing and evaluating Health and Safety Performance. Work in partnership with the academy to provide advice and support to enable compliance with Health and Safety risk management systems and provide competent support with statutory provision enabling compliance with the Management At Work Regulations 1999 and the HSAW Act 1974. Oversight of Health and Safety Committees. On site visits. Bespoke support and access to systems for H&S Business continuity and disaster recovery. Oversight of academy risk management register. Support and advice to all academies as per objectives within the 5 year Strategic Development Plan. Annual As appropriate As appropriate Annual Annual Termly
Safeguarding Full ICT audit to be conducted at each academy to support the ICT Strategic Development Plan. Support and advice for ICT within the academy and for Teaching and Learning. Training on ICT software/hardware at each academy. Support and advice in the preparation of bids for hardware, software or services to support the improvement and maintenance of IT. Access to systems to help provide support for ICT from a centralised location. Regular meetings with designated Senior Lead to discuss ICT within the academy and Strategic Plan. Access to and active participation in FCAT Safeguarding Board. Use of FCAT Code of Professional Practice. HR and Safeguarding audit available for self-review. Safeguarding training. Staff training. HR HR Team Support Fully CIPD qualified HR Business Partner to provide Strategic HR direction, advice and support. Part CIPD qualified HR Advisor to provide day to day operational HR advice and support including good practice people management and development, updating colleagues on employment law and defining training needs. HR Assistant to provide advice and support to Academy HR Contact regarding within Academy HR administrative operations and to provide workforce data. Access to a bank of template documents and resources available to Academy HR Contacts, for all HR operations outlined in this document below. Annually Termly at least Annually and/or on demand Annually and/or on demand
HR Service Employee Relations Attendance Management Individual Academy HR Strategy and Action Plan to be discussed in conjunction with the Principal of each Academy; implementation supported by HR Business Partner and Team. Regular training/update meetings with Academy HR Contacts to sustain good practice HR administration processes. Full HR audit to be conducted at each Academy to support HR Contact with implementation of HR policies and procedures. Identify trends and compliance with procedures. Provision of a suite of HR policies which are ACAS and legislatively compliant and operationally efficient. Consultation with Recognised Trade Unions on policies and procedures on behalf of all FCAT academies. Advice and support through full disciplinary and grievance procedures (informal-formal-hearing-appeal stages) to ensure a timely completion and appropriate outcome. Standardised absence reporting and recording procedure utilising SIMS MIS to ensure consistent and accurate documentation of attendance figures (sickness absence and special leave). Weekly sickness absence reporting and monitoring of compliance in Attendance Management Procedure e.g. RTW. Feedback, quality assurance and trigger identification. Provision of monthly data to Principal regarding sickness absence including number of working days at least, more regularly if required. Annual and then ongoing. Updates as required via the FCAT Executive (usually annually or bi-annually) 6 times per year Weekly Monthly
Employee Resourcing Contract Variation lost, teaching/support staff split, reasons for absence to identify areas for action. Advice and support through full Attendance Management Procedure (RTW-Stage 1,2,3, hearingappeal) to ensure a timely completion and appropriate outcome. Access to Occupational Health and Counselling Services at additional cost per referral. Access to FCAT wide staffing opportunities and arrangements agreed via the FCAT Executive e.g. secondments. Access to Recruitment page on FCAT website, with online application form, login for each Academy to monitor and manage application process. Rates agreed with relevant publications and recruitment companies to ensure cost-efficient advertising that is widely viewed. Provision of offer letters, verification of pre-employment checks in line with Safer Recruitment legislation and issuing of contracts of employment. Advice and support from HR Team in best practice management of employee resourcing. Access to a centralised New Starter Induction Training All leaders at each Academy are trained in safer recruitment techniques. Ensure Academy s compliance with Agency Worker Regulations and Safer Recruitment Legislation for staff employed via agency. Advice on contract variation, recording and issuing of contract variation letters. Fortnightly Bi-annually (more regularly if required) As required
Capability and Performance Production of effective and consistent performance management documents. HR Business Partner to support Principal to identify potential underperformance issues early and to advise and support in the implementation of informal and formal action plans HR Business Partner and Trainee HR Advisor to provide advice and support in the implementation of the Probationary Year and informal/formal action plans under the Capability Policy to seek to address underperformance quickly and effectively. Training delivered to key personnel in managing staff through Probationary Year, Performance Management and Capability Management. Pay and Reward Access to salary benchmark information. Annually Standardised FCAT Pay Policy for Teachers and NJC Pay Scale for Support Staff agreed with Recognised Trade Unions Advice on implementing Pay Progression Decisions Policies to ensure clarity, parity, consistency and accuracy. Pay Progression decision moderation via Executive Principal/CEO. Organisational Change and Development HR Business Partner to support Principal to identify opportunities for organisational change and development. HR Business Partner and Trainee HR Advisor to provide advice and support in the implementation of organisational change and development processes e.g. TUPE, re-structures, job design, succession planning and talent management. at least, more regularly if required. Annually and/or as required Annually Payroll and Pension Payroll Services provided by Strictly Education. Production of monthly report to Finance on Payroll Monthly changes to assist in payroll checking. at least, more regularly if required.
Communications and Marketing HR MIS Employee involvement and Engagement Management and Leadership Training and Coaching Communications guidance and support Promotion of academies and latest external educational updates in the press and media Critical incidents communication support Direction to TPS/LGPS for advice on employee queries. Advice and guidance on employer responsibilities under the TPS/LGPS USE of SIMS and Payroll MIS to provide Academy and FCAT wide staff data e.g. staff attendance, special leave, staff turnover, salary benchmarking, workforce costs e.g. DBS, Occupational Health, contractual information and changes. Advice to Academies on completion of annual statutory Staff Workforce Census Return. A biannual staff survey. Disseminating outcomes of the surveys and supporting academies in engaging their staff in the action planning process. HR Business Partner to identify with Principal with training needs for SLT, middle leaders, future leaders. Training and Coaching provided in Safer Recruitment, Capability, Probationary Year, Managing Staff Conduct, Return to Work or bespoke as required. Community Relations Manager provides communications advice, signposts to external specialist support where appropriate and intervenes as required into communications practices. Attends where possible to support any media related event. Appropriate PR/Marketing training for Principal. Alerting all stakeholders to communications around wider educational developments, publications and guidance. Promoting internally the individual achievements of our academies. Providing expertise on how to handle a critical incident at an academy, including media and public relations management. Additional support if required. SLT training to support Critical Incidents management. Annual Bi-annual As required
Marketing tools and resources Production of marketing tools and resources and termly review., reviewed termly Oversight of academy websites and academy social media sites to ensure positive external image. Photography Providing photography services to obtain high quality images for relevant press releases and/or for generic marketing & publicity purposes (website/external materials etc). Graphic Design Providing support and/or where appropriate producing As required high quality graphic design for websites/print/events/marketing in order to maintain high quality image. Digital Signage (where installed) Oversight of digital signage systems to ensure they are As required used effectively and material is of a high standard. Extra support/training can be given where required. Provision of good news stories, focus on high quality brand image. Template press release and statements Draft marketing to support all press releases with consistency and positive image. Tendering of marketing assistance for Community Relations Manager provides support in individual academies as required. procuring external agencies. Legal Claims Assisting in liaison with insurance to manage covered As arising claims. Admissions and Exclusions support Guidance on admissions process and regulations, in SLA with LA year admissions. Guidance and advice on exclusions process and appeals via Executive. Training Topics to be agreed/suggested by academies, e.g. As appropriate Exclusions, Admissions, Data Protection and FOI. Data Protection Maintain registrations, give advice and updates and staff training. FOI Support Maintain, log and respond to all FOIs for academy.