Customer Story: Learning Accord Multi Academy Trust

• System upgrade: Learning Accord replaced their legacy system with Access Education’s financial management solution, improving accuracy and control over finances.
• Faster decision-making: The software drastically reduced the time needed for budgeting and restructuring scenarios, improving decision-making efficiency.
• Streamlined oversight: Integrating budgeting and finance in one platform provided a unified view, enabling quicker issue detection and better financial oversight.
• Better trustee communication: The software’s clear, easy-to-read reports helped trustees, even without financial expertise, understand and engage with financial data.
• Staff training and support: In-house training and strong customer support ensured a smooth transition and helped staff adapt to the new system.

About Learning Accord Multi Academy Trust

Learning Accord Multi Academy Trust is a dynamic MAT managing a network of academies within the Kirklees and Calderdale area. Currently overseeing 11 academies along with a central HQ team, Learning Accord MAT is set for significant expansion with a new school joining on November 1st 2024, and eight additional schools in the pipeline.

The Trust operates in a challenging local context, with the Kirklees local authority facing financial constraints that have led to reduced support for schools. This backdrop has driven schools to seek alternative solutions, creating opportunities for Learning Accord MAT to step in and provide support.

With a reputation for excellence, especially among church and community schools, Learning Accord MAT has been instrumental in driving school improvements. Notably, two of their schools have achieved remarkable transformations: one improved from inadequate to outstanding, and another from requires improvement to outstanding. This success has solidified their standing in the community and highlighted their capacity for delivering impactful educational outcomes.

As part of the Anglican Diocese of Leeds strategic plan, Learning Accord MAT is aligned with the diocesan vision, which encourages church schools to join established MATs for enhanced support and development. This alignment, coupled with their proven track record, positions Learning Accord MAT as a key player in addressing the educational needs within their region.

In this customer story, we sat down with Gemma Falconer, Deputy Chief Executive Officer & Chief Finance Officer of the Trust, who shared her experience in using Access Education’s Budget and Finance software.

Transition from ineffective systems to robust financial management software

Learning Accord Multi Academy Trust implemented the finance software in March 2017, shortly before Gemma Falconer joined as the Trust's finance officer in June of that year. Although she wasn't involved in the procurement process, she recalls that the Trust had only three schools at the time, and they were all learning how to use the new system. Before adopting this software, the schools used a system provided by the local authority, which Gemma found inadequate and error-prone. It lacked a proper audit trail and allowed overwriting data without checks, leading to financial reporting issues.

Gemma contrasts this with her previous experience using more robust finance systems, such as SAP, noting that the old system was inefficient, akin to using a spreadsheet. The Trust decided a proper system was necessary and underwent a full procurement process, ultimately selecting Access Education Budgets & Finance as their financial software solution.

Enhancing financial reporting with comprehensive support

When Gemma joined Learning Accord in 2017, she faced an initial learning curve with Access Education’s finance software, navigating through its features and user guides. With time, she and her team became more proficient in using the system. Transitioning to the Department for Education (DfE) chart of accounts and implementing system upgrades significantly enhanced the software's effectiveness. The new reporting capabilities, including management accounts and cash flow reports, provided improved financial insights, which bolstered decision-making and boosted confidence in presenting information to trustees.

Gemma commended the support from Access Education’s customer success team, particularly highlighting the guidance provided by Account Manager Julie during the chart of accounts transition. This support has been instrumental in ensuring the Trust’s needs are met effectively. Gemma values the clear communication and collaborative approach in addressing any concerns, contributing to a positive overall experience with the software.

Julie from customer success really held my hand through the whole process. When you go through any sort of change management process, knowing you’ve got somebody at the end of the phone is appreciated.

Transforming decision-making and financial reporting across the trust

Gemma highlighted how the budgeting and financial reporting software has revolutionised decision-making for her trust. Previously, tasks like determining whether to add or reduce staff involved a long process of consulting multiple departments, which could take up to a week. Now, with the new software, Gemma can generate answers in just five minutes, allowing for quick, informed decisions, even in schools facing financial difficulties.

One of the biggest benefits of the budgeting software is its ability to quickly provide answers for budget scenarios. Previously, schools under the local authority had to wait up to a week for a response from the LA’s finance team. Now, I can get these answers in just five minutes.

One of the standout features is the ability to run restructuring scenarios through the budgeting model, helping schools in challenging financial situations explore different options quickly. Additionally, the management account and cash flow reports have been a "game-changer" for the trust. These reports provide clear and concise summaries that trustees, who may not have a financial background, can easily understand.

Currently, we use our budgeting model to run various scenarios. For example, if someone needs to reduce three teaching positions and restructure, I can quickly create a mock-up of the restructuring costs. This capability is incredibly beneficial.

Gemma also notes that, not only are the reports efficient, but their aesthetically pleasing format makes the information easy to digest, even for those who might be intimidated by complex spreadsheets. Gemma notes that while they still customise the format for their trustees, the time savings and clarity these reports provide have been invaluable.

Strengthening consistency and financial insight across the trust

Gemma described how their financial management system has transformed the trust’s approach to budgeting and oversight. By integrating all financial data into a single system, the trust has achieved a more consistent and streamlined approach. This consolidation eliminates the confusion of managing multiple systems, allowing for a clear and uniform view of financial activities across all schools.

The system’s ability to provide detailed insights helps Gemma quickly identify and address anomalies, such as unexpected spikes in expenses. For example, if one school shows unusually high spending on administrative costs, this triggers an alert for further investigation, ensuring that budgetary issues are promptly addressed.
Trustees now receive comprehensive breakdowns of each school’s budget, which facilitates deeper analysis and informed decision-making. This transparency allows them to scrutinise budget allocations effectively, question discrepancies, and ensure that resources are used appropriately.

Additionally, the system supports the trust's approach to balancing autonomy with oversight. While schools retain the flexibility to set their own budgets based on their specific needs, the centralised system provides Gemma with the tools to maintain overall consistency and alignment with trust-wide goals. This balance ensures that each school can manage its finances effectively while adhering to the trust’s financial standards.

Feedback from School Business Managers

Business and finance professionals coming from Kirklees schools find the software excellent because it's relatively easy to use and intuitive. It’s a significant improvement over their previous systems.

The software has received generally positive feedback from school business managers, particularly those from Kirklees schools with finance backgrounds. They find the system intuitive, user-friendly, and a significant improvement over previous tools. Many have adapted quickly and efficiently.

However, some challenges exist for those new to education or the specific software. These users sometimes struggle not with the software itself but with understanding the broader educational context and how it integrates with other systems like Arbor. Full comprehension often requires a full academic year of experience.

To support these users, the team at Learning Accord provides in-house training and has developed their own simplified procedural guides. The approach ensures that all staff, regardless of their initial familiarity with the system, can become proficient over time.

Benefits of integrated budgets and finance software

Gemma provided a strong endorsement for using integrated systems for budgeting and finance. She highlights the benefits of having both functions within a single platform, noting that it simplifies management and enhances operational efficiency. According to Gemma, the ability to access and manage both budgets and finances through one system reduces the complexities and potential errors associated with maintaining two separate systems.

Despite bold claims and aggressive marketing strategies from other software providers, Gemma values the seamless integration and consistent performance of Access Education budgets and finance.

She emphasises that the ability to pull reports from one system, with data mirrored accurately between budgeting and finance, is crucial for maintaining control and efficiency. The integration of functions within a single system aligns well with her preference for simplicity and accuracy in financial management.

The implementation of the software at Learning Accord has proven transformative for the Trust’s financial management. By streamlining budgeting and reporting processes, Gemma Falconer and her team have significantly improved efficiency and accuracy. The ability to generate comprehensive and visually engaging reports in minutes has enhanced decision-making and presentation to trustees.

The software's role in ensuring consistency across the Trust has been invaluable, allowing the central finance team to maintain accurate and consolidated financial data. Regular training and communication with business managers have further solidified this consistency, contributing to a more cohesive financial strategy.

Overall, the integration of the software has not only addressed initial challenges but has also provided robust support for ongoing financial oversight. The Trust’s positive experience underscores the software’s effectiveness in enhancing financial operations and supporting the Trust’s strategic goals.