COO/CFO Community Conference

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) / Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Network is a unique development network for COOs, CFOs, or equivalent executive roles in school trusts. It is intended to provide professional support and development opportunities at a time of unprecedented change, through a blend of expert input on key practice challenges, facilitated discussion and networking. It is intended to build our shared knowledge and understanding of this important executive role across a group of schools and codify the best that is being thought and done in our sector.

The virtual network will give you a safe and supportive environment in which to develop your understanding of some of the key challenges related to operational practice across a group of schools, access expertise from across the sector, and build a professional community.

It is not intended to duplicate the work of existing valuable networks, like the FD Forum or the HR networks.

The network will focus on the concept of ‘practice challenges’ and will include:

• Half-termly virtual network meetings.
• A network forum / professional community.
• Access to CST briefings and guidance.

The network will focus on strategic practice challenges related to finance, operations, people strategy, estates, IT, governance, legal and compliance, and policy frameworks. It will be supported by some of CST’s platinum partners to bring expert knowledge to the forum.

Membership of the network is free to CST members, as a benefit of membership.

Outline programme for the academic year 2021-22

Term one
Practice challenge: Scaling Up

Outwood Grange Academy Trust’s approach to scaling up (Katy Bradford - confirmed)
Network meeting date: 8th December 2021 9.00-10.30

Term two
Practice challenge: Developing and executing strategy

United Learning’s approach to digital and IT strategy (Dominic Norrish - confirmed)
Network meeting date: 12th January 2022 9.00 – 10.30

Oasis Community Learning’s approach to sustainability as an education and efficiency strategy (John Barnaby - invited)
Network meeting date: 23rd February 2022 9.00-10.30

Term three
Practice challenge: Developing and executing strategy

Cabot Learning Federation’s approach to capital and estate strategy – making the transition from CIF to SCA (Bryony Green, CLF Director of Corporate Services and coordinator of the Trust Network - confirmed)
Network meeting date: 27th April 2022 9.00-10.30

Practice challenge: Building regulatory relationships

Astrea Academy trust’s approach to building and evidencing robust and resilient governance (Tomas Thurogood-Hyde - invited)
Network meeting date: 20th June 16.00-17.00

Meeting dates for 2022/23 will be announced soon. Please email admin@cstuk.org.uk to join this network.

Back to Professional communities

Where

Virtual

Please note that you do not need to book for each meeting. Once you have joined the network you will receive details on all meetings going forward.

When

09:30 on Thursday 25th May 2023; closing at 16:30 Thursday 25th May 2023