“The need to maximise public funds and generate greater resources for the benefit of all pupils, while working towards a sustainable future, has never been more crucial. As trusts strive to provide high quality education and equitable opportunities, they also face the challenge of balancing financial constraints with this imperative of both organisational and environmental sustainability. Given the current economic constraints and the complex, unpredictable environment that defines the sector at present, it is timely to consider how to navigate this delicate balance.” ~ Thriving Trusts; Thinkpiece 5
Forum Strategy continues to publish its thinkpieces on the emerging concept of Thriving Trusts, with this, produced by Sir Steve Lancashire with an addendum by Charlie Tebbutt, being the fifth in the series. There are a number of intentions behind this series of work. The first is to instigate a sector-wide discussion and to begin to articulate the key elements of what we mean by a thriving trust, ultimately providing leaders with a useful and accessible framework for organisational development and success. There is also the opportunity for trust leaders to use the framework to make a case to schools and communities about the potential of the academy trust model when operating at its very best.
This fifth thinkpiece builds on the first four thinkpieces in that it explores the fifth principle – namely, ‘the ability to maximise public funds, ensure compliance, and generate greater resource to the benefit of pupils, whilst working towards a more environmentally sustainable future’. It is written by Sir Steve Lancashire, Chair of Forum Strategy’s National #TrustLeaders CEO Network and co-facilitator of the Being the CEO programme. Sir Steve is the former CEO of REAch2 Academy Trust – one of the country’s largest academy trusts – sustaining successful national growth and development at scale for a decade. An addendum on compliance is provided by Forum Strategy Associate and former COO of the Beckfoot Trust, Charlie Tebbutt.