Designing Central and Shared Services for School Trusts

Overview

This CST masterclass offers 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.

It will develop your understanding of shared service design in the wider context of ongoing evolution and revolution in trust growth and draw upon learnings from different models to identify and address the specific challenges in each service area.

Please be sure to check our fees before making your booking.

Who is it for?

Chief operating officers and similar roles with executive responsibility for organisational design
Chief executive officers
People and HR directors

How you will benefit

You will gain:

An understanding of the common issues and solutions in shared service design.
Practical insights into what works in different settings.
An overview of the unique challenges that each service area can present and how to tackle them.
The opportunity to share ideas and experiences with others on a similar journey to your trust.

Seminar leader

Chris Kirk, Founder, CJK Associates

Previous participants said

"Really informative and helpful, with an expert presenter. Thank you.”

"The sessions were immensely thought provoking. This is a must for trusts at any stage of their journey of growth. The topics debated were both insightful and informative. Very grateful for the participation and honesty of attendees. Some hugely valuable takeaways.”

"Excellent course - so specific to our sector and incredibly useful."

"Such a useful set of sessions. Well-planned and thought-provoking. It has helped our thinking and made clear the issues that we face are common. It has also affirmed that our general approach is in the right area."

When and where

Spring 2025 - online

Seminar 1: Wednesday 5 February 2025 -10:00-11:30
Seminar 2: Wednesday 12 February 2025 -10:00-11:30
Seminar 3: Wednesday 26 February 2025 -10:00-11:30

Book now Spring 2025

Summer 2025 - online

Seminar 1: Wednesday 7 May 2025 -10:00-11:30
Seminar 2: Wednesday 14 May 2025 - 10:00-11:30
Seminar 3: Wednesday 21 May 2025 - 10:00-11:30

Book now Summer 2025

Course outline

Seminar 1: Growth journeys

The first seminar will explore:

The role of the centre in a network of schools.
The growth journeys that Trusts go through.
The key inflexion points at which Trusts need to revolutionise their operating models.

Seminar 2: Operating models

The second Masterclass seminar will consider:

Different approaches to Trust operating models.
How to set up shared services.
Common challenges: requirements and accountabilities.

Seminar 3: Bringing services together

This final seminar, will:

Identify and address the specific challenges in HR, IT, Operations and Facilities (and Finance where relevant)
Address challenges in the systems that work within and between them.