Lesson Planning for Stress Management
Learning to DeStress at School can set Teachers (and Students) up for Success Meghan Crowley, Senior Program Associate with The Monday Campaigns and a former sixth grade teacher with a master’s in Health Education degree from Teachers College, Columbia University reflects on teacher stress and opportunities to support educators with self-care strategies. ______________________________________________________________________________ It’s been over a year and a half since the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped the education system, and, in that time, teachers, administrators, faculty, students, and parents have gone through extraordinary lengths to maintain a semblance of order amidst the confusion. And through creativity, cooperation, and perseverance, teachers across the world have somehow managed to make it work. But it certainly hasn’t been easy. Today, both teachers and students face unprecedented levels of stress, burnout, and exhaustion. That is why it’s so important that everyone in a school setting—teachers, administrators, and students—makes an effort to prioritize self-care in order to stay calm, focused, and healthy throughout the school year. By learning and implementing a range of simple stress-management techniques, such as mindfulness, stretching, and deep breathing, individuals of all age levels will be better equipped to navigate difficult situations. But how does a teacher, whose responsibility is to nurture, teach, and uplift their students, prioritize self-care? For starters, it’s helpful to think of self-care as not a singular goal, but as a collection of activities that can be done throughout the week to address different areas of personal wellness. The Monday Campaigns; DeStress Monday at School program, which was developed in conjunction with Johns Hopkins University, divides the concept of self-care into five key categories and includes a collection of actionable practices that correspond to each specific category. Starting the Day: Healthy goal setting and therapeutic movements like a sun salutation to help prepare you mentally and physically for the day ahead. Boosting Energy: Chair yoga and fun dance breaks to help relieve tension and energize. Improving Focus: Mindfulness practices like mindful eating, listening, and drawing to refocus attention back to the present moment or activity. Calming the Mind: Deep breathing practices or a “mind jar” to quiet negative thoughts and bring control to a chaotic environment. Connecting with Others: Expressing gratitude, empathy, and appreciation or setting up a kindness garden, a visual display to document kind acts, to connect—or reconnect—with others. By focusing on simple activities that can be done quickly, teachers can easily incorporate a self-care cue into their weekly routine, as well as share the tips and practices with their colleagues and peers. In a world that often feels full of unknowns, learning a few stress-relief techniques can help strengthen your resolve for the remainder of this school year. At the mid-point of the 2021-2022 school, there’s no better opportunity than now to add a few stress-relief and wellness practices, which include deep breathing techniques, mindful meditations, and therapeutic movements and stretches into a teachers’ toolkit, like those in the DeStress Monday at School program. The Monday Campaigns is a public health initiative associated with leading health institutions that promotes sustainable behavior change by dedicating every Monday to health. Why Monday? A growing body of evidence suggests that healthy thinking and behavior is synchronized to the week, with Monday being the day people are most “open to buy” health.
Universal Design for Learning: Change the lesson, not the student
Every teacher understands that children approach learning in different ways. Celebrating that difference rather than ignoring it is absolutely essential to creating impactful lessons that engage every student. Based on scientific insights into how people learn, Universal Design for Learning is a framework which can be used to redesign learning at its very core – meaning it is inclusive for every individual child. This set of guidelines can be applied to any discipline or domain so that all learners can access and join engaging, meaningful and challenging learning opportunities. UDL aims to remove barriers to learning, not simply make exceptions. Shifting away from a ‘one size fits all’ approach towards this more transformative method gives children more choice about the way they learn. This allows them to play to their strengths and have the support they need to face any trials that arise. Should UK schools choose to adopt this approach when designing their digital strategies and curriculum, they would be able to deliver teaching and learning that supports diversity of culture and experiences as well as interests and language. Individual needs would be placed at the core of this approach. Inclusion by design The UDL framework revolves around three key principles of learning: engagement, representation and expression. Addressing these areas can improve and optimise teaching and learning for all, creating a more inclusive and efficient environment. In these three areas, flexibility and opportunity are key considerations. When it comes to engagement, there are myriads of sources that can influence each student. These include neurology and background knowledge, as well as a variety of other factors. There is no such thing as one size fits all when motivating and engaging learners. Teachers must consider the context, interests and the needs of their students as individuals to support multiple means of engagement. Learners also differ in the ways that they perceive and understand information that is presented to them. Those with sensory challenges or learning differences; language or cultural perspectives, may need different ways of approaching content. For example, just 5.1% of pupils in the UK are identified as dyslexic but it is estimated this could be as high as 17% – well over one million pupils. As a result, some students grasp information quicker or more efficiently through means other than printed text. Text-to-speech features in tools such as Read&Write are effective in letting students learn more independently – helping provide different routes to learning and increasing key skills such as comprehension. Transforming learning through technology Technology can help students to understand and be understood, fast-tracking their learning. Handwriting is a cause of stress for many younger students. Software programmes that help with writing prose can alleviate some of the pressure. This allows them to go back and check their work for spelling and grammar along the way. But this also extends to specific education technology that has transformed the way in which we learn. For all students, ‘speak to type’ software can help express words while learning online – or by using ‘text to speech’ to aid comprehension, or provide alternative ways to study, revise and learn. These ‘assistive’ technology tools can be used to scaffold and support learners at school and at home, providing the multiple routes outlined in the Universal Design for Learning framework. Finally, it is vital that these kinds of tools are provided to everyone, not just those with identified learning differences. Embedding the use of these tools into the culture of learning across the curriculum will optimise the learning experience. This empowers everyone to create their own unique roadmap through education. To achieve this, approaching learning with inclusion at its very centre using the UDL framework will help us remove the barriers we all know exist, and also ensure we remove the invisible barriers we simply don’t see. Mr Patrick McGrath, Head of Education Strategy, The Texthelp Group
7 ways to reduce deadline panic, according to an education expert
Deadlines can be challenging and stressful in the best of circumstances- especially when your assignments are all due in the same week! We spoke to education expert Richard Evans, founder of The Profs, who outlines 7 ways to reduce deadline panic and ensure effective time management. Do time estimates of all key tasks Deadlines can become troubling when you overestimate how much time you need to complete a task. If it’s too easy, you may procrastinate and put the task off. Then all of a sudden you have worked too slowly and are up against a deadline. On the other hand, if the task is difficult or the deadline is too short, you may feel stressed about completing it from the moment it is assigned. To reduce panic and anxiety, simply assign a time estimate to each task. This way, you will be able to determine how realistic a deadline might be and how long it will take to accomplish it. Break large projects down into tasks Bigger assignments can easily feel overwhelming and too complex to tackle. By breaking them down into more approachable and doable sections, it reduces stress and the propensity to procrastinate. With specific goals in mind, you will work better and be more persistent with the task you need to complete. Identify smaller tasks and set achievable milestones to reach. Ensure you determine a realistic timeframe for each task and follow this schedule to keep to the time limit. Prioritise your tasks Once you have created a realistic schedule, know how much time you’ve allocated to each task and divided your project into smaller sub-sections, you need a plan to tackle them. Project prioritisation is a useful skill that will help you throughout your life. It creates strategic goals, clears all doubts when tackling a task from scratch, and builds an execution mindset. Once you have prioritised your projects, start working! Only by doing tasks will you find out what’s missing from your prioritisation plan. Understand your productivity rhythms Sometimes an hour is enough to blaze through a heavy task, and other times all you can manage is a light task after a few hours work. Productivity rhythms are when we experience heightened energy and focus, making it the optimal time to complete more arduous tasks. When you are aware of the time of day you’re most efficient, you can start building your daily to-do lists around it. Perhaps you have ‘early morning brain’, in which case try starting your routine an hour earlier, or maybe you work better in the evening. Schedule the items that require the most focus at your most productive time of the day. Get the right amount of sleep Consistently getting quality sleep will allow you to stay focused, improve concentration and academic performance. A good night’s sleep is like removing all the unneeded files from your laptop, so you have storage for more important files. If you do not get enough sleep, you are reducing your cognitive performance and learning potential. Sleep deprivation can be problematic as it can lead to an inability to concentrate, impaired mood and mental health issues. When winding down for bed, avoid screen use and sleep in a dark, quiet room. Keep to a regular sleep-wake cycle and try avoiding heavy meals and exercise 3 hours before bedtime. Take social media breaks We go on social media for all the right reasons, but we can stay on it for the wrong ones. If you find yourself getting lost in the social media rabbit hole, it is time to manage this distraction. In this technological age, it is unrealistic to advise completely ditching social media when you’re working towards deadlines. Especially because working towards deadlines can last months. Therefore, integrate social media breaks into your schedule so you don’t feel out of touch, and leave your phone out of reach during study time. Disable notifications or put your phone on Do Not Disturb so your deadlines have your complete focus. Negotiate a more realistic due date Sometimes unforeseen circumstances occur and then it is not always possible to stick to the deadline. Whilst negotiating a more realistic due date or applying for extenuating circumstances can feel intimidating, it is better to get more time for a project instead of providing substandard work. If you have to submit an application, consider whether you are eligible to apply, gather the relevant evidence and wait for approval. Talk to your personal tutor or academic hive team to determine whether this is the best course of action for your particular circumstances. This piece was brought to you by https://www.theprofs.co.uk/
7 Halloween half-term activities, as recommended by an education expert
It is already October, which means that Halloween is just around the corner, and so is the half-term! Although this is exciting news for children, some parents might strive to find the right challenges that will keep their kids engaged and entertained this holiday break. Whether you are a working parent or have overly active kids, some alternative suggestions to the regular half-term activities – with the added spooky twist – will fit in just right. Richard Evans, the education expert at The Profs, shares 7 Halloween-themed activity suggestions to inspire you in getting your children busy while also having fun in the Halloween spirit all week long! 1. Make pumpkin guts slime Save the pumpkin seeds and put them to a good use! You need a container, 5 oz bottle of clear glue, ½ cup water, ½ tsp baking soda, 1 tbsp contact lens solution, pumpkin seeds, and orange food colouring. Pour the glue into a bowl, add the water, baking soda, and stir. Mix a few drops of orange food colouring and add the pumpkin seeds. Next, add 1 tbsp contact solution and keep kneading the slime until it is no longer sticky, and store in an airtight container, and there you have it! A Halloween-themed slime to keep your children entertained for hours. Always supervise your children during playtime to ensure the slime is not ingested. 2. Improvise a pumpkin golf field Pumpkin carving is one of the most popular activities to engage your kids on Halloween, but don’t let the pumpkins go to waste afterwards! Invite your children’s classmates to a competitive Halloween-themed activity from setup to gameplay. First, carve a few jack-o-lanterns with large enough mouths for golf balls. If your child is old enough to carve the pumpkins with you, ensure that you go over the importance of safety precautions when handling knives beforehand. After the pumpkins are carved, bring the mini-golf toy set and spread a red felt runway to create a mini-golf field in the park or your garden. Take extra care in setting up the mini-golf course so it’s not cluttered with extra Halloween decorations that might stand in the way of the little players, and get ready for lots of whiff shots and laughter. 3. Make a Halloween-themed candy wreath Wreaths are not just for Christmas! A Halloween-themed candy wreath is a fun way to offer Halloween sweets to the children coming for trick or treat. Gather the materials you will need for your wreath, including any decorations or ribbon that you want to use, and get your kids to help create it. Let them pick which sweets to use and help them arrange the candy on the wreath to make it look appealing and get ready to hear the doorbell ring all evening. 4. Organise a Halloween scavenger hunt Prepare a mysterious scavenger hunt in your area by enticing your kids to get active in the pursuit of little Halloween-themed treasures. To organise a Halloween scavenger hunt, the first thing to do is to plant the clues. Design the game based on your knowledge of Halloween haunt tales and ghoulish legends that will raise their curiosity to participate. Next, set up the tasks that need to be completed for them to get awarded and prepare the prizes. Make sure that the winner awards are on-theme – think Halloween sweets and spooky toys that your kids would love. 5. Read Halloween books together All kids love a good ghost story because they get the chance to engage their imagination. It’s also a great opportunity for adults and older siblings to read stories together out loud, and you will find that children are not only entertained but also learn a lesson. “Harry Potter”, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” or “Hansel and Gretel” are perfect for this occasion. Regardless of what books you might choose, you can add a bit of fun by giving each of your children a role and letting them act out the narrative. 6. Discover the origins of Halloween Halloween started as a pagan holiday and evolved into what we celebrate today. Although the traditions vary from one country to another, they are so diverse and captivating that will not only manage to keep your kids entertained but also expand their knowledge. Do some research together about the festival of Samhain in ancient Britain and learn more about the origins of what we now know Halloween represents. 7. DIY your own witch hat ring toss game No pumpkins? No problem. Why not DIY witch hats, decorate them, and play the ring toss game? Crafting your own witch hat this Halloween can also be a fun activity to get your kids involved with, by drawing together and setting up the game. All you need are some sticks, party hats or cones for witches to wear on their heads, and the tossing rings. Who wins gets to eat sweets, who loses gets to wear the hat. Let the Halloween fun begin!
Eleanor Bradley, MD Registry and Public Benefit at Nominet says:
“Covid-19 has undoubtedly shone a light on the importance of digital skills, with the pandemic catalysing a digital transformation in the world of work. This is evident in the many organisations embracing technological innovations in order to maintain business as usual via digital channels. “In light of this, it is positive that the number of students studying STEM subjects at A-Level has increased this year, as part of a longer-term trend. STEM A-level entries in the UK now account for 64% of all courses taken, an increase of 8% over the last five years, according to NTT Data UK. In particular, computing has seen a significant uptake of 131% during this period. “This is an encouraging step in the right direction towards ensuring young people are able to develop the digital skills necessary to fuel our future talent pipeline – vital if we are going to continue to fill the growing number of job opportunities we have in the digital sphere. “However, the job is far from done, and this should not stop us from encouraging more young people to take up STEM subjects at school – the UK economy could lose as much as £141.5bn of GDP growth if we don’t narrow the skills gap which has only been made worse by the pandemic. Encouraging young people into STEM subjects at school is a foundational step in ensuring that the future working generation has the necessary skills for – and interest in – the plethora of digital roles available in the world of work. “As the subjects a student picks for their A-Levels also provides an early indication of the career aspirations for the workers of tomorrow it is fantastic to see a rise in the number of girls taking and excelling in STEM subjects. The total number of girls opting to study computing has grown by 21.8% year to year. “This really is vital when we look at the lack of gender diversity within the tech sector, especially with recent data highlighting how 69% of undergraduates studying STEM subjects are male. Diversity matters in our sector because we need a variety of different people, perspectives and ideas at the table if we are going to create inclusive technology that helps everyone. This year’s A-Level results show we are moving in the right direction to achieve this. “Nevertheless, we still need to fight for wider scale social change. We can achieve this by ensuring more parents, teachers, career advisors and tech sector employees contribute to a wider cultural discourse that will encourage even more girls to take up STEM subjects and improve the tech industry for the better.”
8 year old Kaylie smashes school’s lockdown reading target with animal fundraiser
Renaissance believe that every pupil can be a successful learner and their portfolio of education technology products, from Accelerated Reader to myON news, empower teachers to help their students to reach their full potential. Eight year old Kaylie Bowler, from Perth, is in Year 4 at Goodlyburn Primary School and has used Renaissance’s Accelerated Reader to challenge herself and fundraise during lockdown. Kaylie is a huge animal lover and under normal circumstances can usually be found at Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife on the weekend, her family are members of both. To encourage Kaylie and her peers to read on their own during lockdown, Kaylie’s class teacher set a lockdown reading target challenge of reading 25 books, to achieve the ultimate award – a platinumcertificate. The children read their books on Accelerated Reader, Renaissance’s software which helps teachers monitor and track the progress of their pupils. It also gives pupils engaging comprehension activities and quizzes to improve their literacy skills and motivate them to read. Kaylie quickly smashed the highest goal and read 30 books in just one week! Her teacher and mum suggested she set herself a personal challenge, which she did with the aim of reading 100 books before the end of term and fundraising for her two favourite animal organisations. Kaylie was inspired to fundraise for the zoo and wildlife park after seeing that they both needed donations to make sure they had enough food for their animals. Kaylie smashed her personal target and raised over £150 for Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park in just four weeks! Kaylie’s teacher said: “Before lockdown, Kaylie wasn’t one of the most confident readers, but lockdown has really spurred her on and motivated her to read, along with support from her class teacher. Accelerated Reader has been a great tool, especially during these difficult times as we teachers can see tangible results when student’s reading levels improve. Kaylie isn’t only reading all of these books but we can see from the quizzes she completes after reading them that she understands what she’s reading and that the books are at the right level for her. Literacy skills are the foundation that learning across all subjects relies on, so having a firm grasp of them now will support Kaylie in learning across the curriculum. It’s been a delight to watch Kaylie blossom.” Kaylie’s mum said “Kaylie is animal obsessed so when she saw her favourite zoo and wildlife park needed donations, she wanted to do all she could to help. She loved the challenge of reading her books and then completing the quizzes on Accelerated Reader. As the results are instant it helps keep kid focused and really driven to make sure they are paying attention when they read, and asking questions if they don’t understand anything. We’re really proud of her raising over £200 for such good causes and are excited to see what she’s going to challenge herself to do next!”
Top five tips for robust MAT budgeting
Creating a budget for a group of schools across different phases and local contexts, with the potential to also be spread across multiple local authorities, is by no means an easy task. The sheer variety of areas that require in-depth consideration, coupled with the frequency of government funding announcements that can impact on a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) three-year budget, can represent some significant challenges akin to ‘nailing jelly to the wall’. I have been working with MATs for nearly 10 years and seen many different approaches that can be used to reduce the risk of material misstatement – untrue information in a financial statement that could affect the financial decisions of those who rely on the statement – in the budgeting process. Of course, a budget will always be a ‘best guess’, but data, technology and consistency in approach can significantly reduce the chance of material manual error. Drawing on this experience, we have got to grips with the issues that present the biggest challenge for (and therefore risk to) MATs or are areas that can be worked on. Here are my top five tips to ensure robust MAT budgeting: 1. Know your schools inside out The best Chief Finance Officers (CFOs) that we work with have an excellent feel for their numbers and know all the local stories and context for each of their schools. They instinctively know the results they should be seeing, so when they view budget versions as part of the planning process they will have a good idea as to whether they are showing the right results, or whether there are some anomalies to explore further. All budgets will be reviewed but this review cannot take place at every step of the process, so an ability to be instinctive helps MATs arrive at better budgets, quicker. The specific high-level KPIs that can help shape this are: pupil number totals and three-to-five year pupil movement trends; pupil teacher and pupil adult ratio; surplus/deficit as % of General Annual Grant (GAG) income; average teacher cost; and contact ratios or average class sizes. 2. Ability to lock budget assumptions A CFO’s budget assumptions are at the very core of a MAT budget, so it is vital to ensure that these assumptions are set consistently and not changed through the budget process, unless it is a deliberate decision. It is especially important that budgeting system controls cannot be amended by anyone with access to the system. Many MATs are still grappling with this challenge through a mixture of systems that cannot enforce such controls combined with MATs that have grown quickly. Often they have ‘inherited’ previous budgets for schools that have recently joined the Trust and have kept their previous budget template, which may or may not be in line with MAT defined assumptions. So there are lots of variables, but having strict controls and good visibility of the key budget assumptions is the main message. 3. Centralise control of ‘big-ticket’ items The 80/20 rule – i.e. 20% of your activities will account for 80% of your results – absolutely applies to budget planning. In most of the MATs we work with there are often thousands of items (income/expenditures and staff contracts) that can make up a budget. There will, of course, be a requirement to review all these items but there should also be an element of delegation and a reconciliation process to ensure these are not being looked at individually by the central team. There are some areas that are crucial to a three-to-five year budget plan and there are some that are not, but the key is ensuring absolute confidence in the integrity and accuracy of these areas. The 20% of budget items that can represent 80% of the budget value are: pupil numbers; GAG funding; capital projects, staffing pay increase/progression assumptions; temporary/ad hoc grants – such as teachers’ pay/pensions and Trust Capacity Fund; and top slice/central services grants. 4. Standardise flexing of future budget lines Many MATs have a differing view on the future treatments of budget lines, with some adopting a 0% view, where schools will need to absorb inflationary increases, to others using RPI or set percentage increases. There is no real right answer, as it can be subjective, and the assumptions made on income can dictate the subsequent treatment for expenditure. The key point that does need to be implemented, though, is consistency. The work we do in extracting data from incumbent systems is one of the biggest challenges we see as there is no method to compare these in school-based systems. Inconsistencies in the treatment of future-year budget lines can mean that schools take very different decisions in order to balance the three-to-five year budget. It is vital that MATs have a consistent approach to the treatment of budget lines and can see the treatment being used by each school, in each income/expenditure area, to avoid differences being unearthed later. 5. You’re not alone MAT budgeting is a complex, yet crucial, beast. However, my advice for anyone who is unsure how to treat budget lines in the future is to ask their peers and sector bodies. It is important to be realistic and creative, but at the same time if in doubt play it safe. At IMP we know all too well how difficult the budget-setting process can be across such a variety of schools, with many stakeholders being involved. That is why we have built IMP Planner as a centralised MAT system – not a school budgeting system with MAT reports stuck on top – to ensure CFOs can be confident in their budgeting process. One unified database, with automated budget building and unrivalled reporting, that can be trusted. Will Jordan is Co-Founder of IMP Software, specialists in MAT budgeting systems For similar articles visit our blog section
Implications for MAT in-year forecasting and budgeting
The unprecedented situation facing Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) in responding to Covid-19 took another unexpected turn when the Department for Education (DfE) announced it had cancelled “all but the most essential data collections” to “help reduce the burden” on Trusts and schools amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Normally academies have to submit a Budget Forecast Return Outturn (BFRO), which is used by the DfE to review the in-year position and expected outturn of the sector, to ensure this financial data can be accurately reported to the Treasury in May. The form was due to be made available to schools to fill in from late April, but is one of several data collections and services to be cancelled this year. Others have been paused until 30th June or beyond. I was as surprised as many by the decision to cancel this year’s BFRO requirement. I think we were expecting a deferral or an amendment to the requirements, where maybe the actuals to March would have remained (for Whole of Government Accounts purposes) but a full cancellation was not an outcome we anticipated. Obviously any reduction in workload during this period is welcome for MAT Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) and School Business Managers, and given that the BFRO is probably one of the least familiar of the various returns that academies need to produce, the removal of the completion and submission of the return is positive. However, there has not been a time in my career where strong financial management and solid in-year forecasting and budgeting have been more important than now. This is needed to underpin the heroic attempts of MAT leaders to serve their children, staff and community during this crisis. Making such unprecedented decisions, often daily, without the guidance or confidence that it is the ‘right’ decision has become the norm. Education leaders (and teachers, of course) are embracing this ‘new normal’, taking it in their stride. One element that can improve the ability of leaders to make these tough decisions is having up-to-date, prudent financial forecasts at their fingertips. It can be easy to get caught up in the current crisis and decide that with so many unknowns, financial forecasts will be lacking accuracy and therefore any sense of reliability. Of course, over the past few weeks, the number of unknowns have been higher than any point in history that I can remember. But looking at the positives, information is emerging all of the time so there are much more ‘knowns’ this week than last week, and last week there were more than the week before. Financial forecasting will always be a mixture of art and science and right now the art element is currently more pronounced that normal. Extra caution, attention and scenario planning will be required – which is what CFOs are extremely good at. That said, whilst there are many unknowns, we still know more that we don’t know. Forecasting is achievable in the current climate, and when done right can make a huge contribution to both enable and give confidence for decision-making. In my experience, the quality, embeddedness and frequency of in-year forecasting is an area that can vary greatly between MATs, with some having well-established processes that are deeply ingrained and followed as a matter of course each month. At the other end of the spectrum, however, Trusts may only prepare a forecast in April/May to satisfy the BFRO requirements, which now might not even happen. Having worked in this area for nearly 10 years, I would say that most MATs are somewhere in the middle, with a combination of culture, lack of resource and limitations of technology (in that order) being barriers to achieving the vision of a monthly re-forecasting cycle. Where Trusts have implemented a monthly cycle, it was not perfect on day one, but the beauty of a good process is that each month it will improve. As you progress through the year you can compare each month’s actual to the previous month’s forecast and identify areas that were not quite right. Next month it will be better and take less time than the previous month until you get to the stage where the process in embedded and becomes a natural part of the monthly cycle. By keeping on top of a monthly cycle you are not only reducing the effort for each forecast, you will only ever be a month away from your next set of financial data and can therefore ensure that decision-making is always based upon the most up-to-date financial information. Whilst it is a welcome relief that already stretched MAT finance teams no longer have to complete BFRO form, the current situation remains fluid and fraught with uncertainty, and has the potential to be a perfect storm for MAT finances. Some will have received positive effect, through lower operating costs; but for many, where there is a reliance on self-generated income from extended services and the use of facilities, budget are likely to be hit hard, in addition to the costs that will arise as part of Covid-19. However, MAT CFOs are familiar with operating within a moving landscape and having to make tough choices. They will know the importance of robust financial planning – continuing with their in-year forecasting and formulating strategic budget plans when information, assumptions and reporting deadlines are uncertain. Will Jordan is Co-Founder of IMP Software, specialists in MAT budgeting systems For similar articles visit our blogs section
MAT budgeting: to centralise or not to centralise?
Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) have come a long way in the past few years and there are a growing number of Trusts that have started the financial centralisation journey. The Kreston Academies Benchmark report, published in January, highlighted that larger more centralised MATs are operating more efficiently and with lower average surplus/deficit, which suggests that economics of scale are being realised. There are several ways that centralisation can happen, and, in many cases, the local context combined with the recent growth of the MAT will impact on both the ambition and resource availability to make such a big and decisive change. For those MATs which have embarked on this journey, the first step is usually to move to a centralised bank account. This can provide some major benefits, many of which can be achieved in a short space of time: reduced access to bank accounts leading to reduced risk of fraud/error; pooling of cash to help manage cashflow peaks and troughs; and efficiency – with fewer bank accounts leading to reduction in management time (bank reconciliations, payment runs, internal transfers and so on). Of course, centralising bank accounts does not happen without its challenges and can often be interpreted as ‘GAG pooling’. This is where the Trust receives its funding centrally and then allocates budgets to the individual schools, rather than schools receiving their income and then just paying a top slice to cover central costs. The same Kreston report highlights that, whilst the level of interest from MATs in GAG pooling is growing, it is proving harder to establish and very few Trusts have adopted this approach. GAG pooling is a separate issue entirely to that of centralising bank accounts, as there is no link between cash management strategies and reserve policies, but is one that invariably generates some strong views. One area of centralisation that has seen much lower levels of adoption, is the centralised approach to budget setting/strategic planning. Most MATs will insist on the eventual sign-off of budgets, once they have been prepared and approved locally, but the extent that they are being prepared centrally is still not something that we come across too often. So, to centralise or not to centralise? That is the question. What is the difference? With a varied landscape and MATs adopting many different schemes of delegation, we have seen some MATs where the budget process is very much completed within their schools, with a handful of budget assumptions set by the Trust, to try to ensure there is an element of consistency across the schools. In the cases where we have seen a strong degree of centralisation, the budgeting process has taken a similar path to the one taken on bank accounts where the budget systems are maintained centrally. Here the ‘big-ticket’ items and more complex assumptions – funding, payscale data, pay rises and teacher pay/pension grants – and top slice are all managed by the Trust and the schools will use their local knowledge to maintain staff contract data and discretionary non-staff budget data, such as resources and premises. Why is it still relatively uncommon? There are two main blockages that we see holding back the centralisation of the budget process. The first reason is cultural and surrounds the perceived reduction of autonomy that was also encountered when centralising finances and bank accounts. However, where we have seen this implemented – the MAT in question already had ultimate sign-off on budgets in a non-centralised approach – the reality is that schools will still have a big say in where their budgets are allocated, even if the Trust is leading the process. The second reason is that the budgeting systems landscape has not kept pace with the emergence of MATs. Given their long history with standalone schools it is difficult to re-design systems from the ground up, and therefore insist on a school-led approach, with the MAT requirements largely being fulfilled with a few aggregated MAT reports. The ability to automatically populate budgets based upon MAT defined assumptions is only available from MAT specific systems, such as our own IMP Planner. What are the benefits? A top-down approach to budget setting will transform planning processes. With an underlying confidence the core of the budget, along with MAT defined assumptions being consistent and correct, time can be spent on the more discretionary areas where real value can be added. This can link available budget to school improvement plans or other areas of development. Improved efficiency is also a major outcome of a centralised model, as MAT budget items can be automatically calculated, reducing the need to check each budget line. Whilst both of these areas bring some hefty benefits, the key reason that we see driving this change is the potential negative impact of getting the budgets wrong and the unsustainable process that is required to check the school’s budgets and underlying assumptions in granular detail. Having confidence in the MAT budget has never been more important. The funding environment is still extremely challenging and despite promises of increases, the details on these are still light and uncertainty remains. In addition to the headline funding there are a host of temporary grants (pay/pensions etc) that all must be factored into each budget, within each school and each year. With so many moving parts the opportunities for inconsistencies, errors and mistreatments to creep in is high. With the MATs that we are working with, in a number of cases we have seen six-figure budget swings (within primary schools) when we have started to apply consistent budget treatments to budgets that have never be looked at or prepared on a consistent basis previously. What about ‘what if’ scenarios? In addition to the creation of the core budget plans, once these have been defined, within a centralised budget structure MATs can then ‘stress test’ these models with a host of ‘what if’ scenarios, across all their schools and years, instantly. Uncertainty is one of the few certainties in the current climate, so being able