CJK Associates Ltd

Who we are

Our mission in working with Multi Academy Trusts and other school groups is to help them on the next step of their development journey; always reflecting the Trust’s particular culture and values.

CJK Associates was founded in 2016 by Chris Kirk. Chris has worked extensively with Trusts and other school groups around the country. Chris is a frequent keynote speaker at education events. He has been a member of two of OFSTED’s Advisory Panels. He is part of Ambition Institute’s NPQEL faculty, where he provides Executive Education for individuals in CEO roles in Trusts, with an emphasis on the operational and business-related aspects of running a Trust. Chris is a former PwC Education Partner & Strategy Partner. Chris spent four years as a CEO within an international school group, with responsibility for a chain of 15 public and private schools and colleges in UK and Europe. Chris began his career as a fast stream civil servant.

Our credibility with our Trust clients comes from a range of sources:

• Endorsement from our Trust clients who we have supported with vision, strategy, and operating models (e.g. Astrea, Woodard, Summit, CHAT, Arbib Education Trust, Langley Park, Ormiston, David Ross Education Trust, Reach2, Solent, Spencer, Greenwood, E-ACT, Oasis, Orchard Academy Trust, TKAT, Vanguard and others)

•Our research, with Ambition Institute and LKMCo, ‘Building Trusts’ - with over 60 Trusts

•We provided extensive material for ‘The Key for Trust Leaders’ including the whole of the ‘Reviewing your operating model’ and ‘Centralising Services’ sites. These resources are used by Trusts across England to support operating model reviews.

•Chris wrote and delivers the curriculum for CST’s Masterclass, Designing Central Services for School Trusts which provides practical, expert guidance on how to approach the design and set up of efficient and effective services in a School Trust, including how to navigate the challenges that can arise in the process.

What we do

Our service include:

•Strategy review: Help your Trust to align your vision and make specific decisions about the sort of Trust you aspire to be, including decisions about standardisation, centralisation or school level autonomy in each area of operational and educational activity.

•Operating Model review: Assessing your culture, organisation, governance, systems, people, processes and performance, with detailed benchmarks

•Operating Model redesign: setting out costed and evaluated options for the future organisation, governance, systems, processes and skills, and the steps to implement them.

•Executive coaching and mentoring for CEOs/ COOs: bespoke one to one programmes based on your needs, including NPEQL project mentoring

•Trust Research Panel: CJK Associates provides advice to government, school groups, education services and investors. Our panel of Trust leaders provides us with vital, up to date insight about trends in the Academy sector. We reward participation though Amazon vouchers for you or your schools. You can register here: https://www.cjkassociates.co/register

Prices:

•Strategy Review, Operating Model review and Operating Model redesign bundle: £10,500-40,000 depending on size

•Executive coaching: based on requirements

•Tailored consultancy: based on requirements

•CST Member discount: 10%

How we help

We contribute to the sector in 5 key ways:

•Our direct work with our school trust clients, who we have supported with vision, strategy, and operating models (e.g. Astrea, Woodard, Summit, CHAT, Arbib Education Trust, Langley Park, Ormiston, David Ross Education Trust, Reach2, Solent, Spencer, Greenwood, E-ACT, Oasis, Orchard Academy Trust, TKAT, Vanguard and others)

•Our formal research, such as with Ambition Institute and LKMCo, ‘Building Trusts’ - with over 60 Trusts; budget centralisation with IMP; making successful change to operating models: taking staff with you, for CST’s 2023 national conference

•We provided extensive material for ‘The Key for Trust Leaders’ including the whole of the ‘Reviewing your operating model’ and ‘Centralising Services’ sites. These resources are used by Trusts across England to support operating model reviews.

•Chris wrote and delivers the curriculum for CST’s Masterclass, Designing Central Services for School Trusts which provides practical, expert guidance on how to approach the design and set up of efficient and effective services in a School Trust, including how to navigate the challenges that can arise in the process.

•CJK blogs which provide strategic and practical advice to trust leaders