Why Join Our Trust?
Thank you for considering the possibility of joining Greensand Multi Academy Trust, with schools located in Surrey and West Sussex. The information on this website may be useful for any school looking to join a Trust, but it is important to understand that this provides a summary introduction.
If you would like more detailed information and a conversation, please contact us via: info@greensandacademytrust.co.uk / 01737 948 187.
About Greensand Multi Academy Trust
The Trust is the umbrella term to describe everyone in the organisation: our children, teachers, support staff, governors, trustees and central team. The schools and central services combined make Greensand Trust what it is. We value the differences between each of our schools and what they each contribute to our Trust. As new schools join our Trust, Greensand evolves and continues to become even better.
Our Trust was formed by a group of school leaders who believed that we could make our own schools even better through a formal partnership where collaboration is compulsory, support to others is given generously and challenge is both provided and received with honesty and kindness. That theory has been proved right and our schools have gone from strength to strength.
Our commitment to collaboration, support and challenge was the foundation upon which we built our Trust and remains integral to the way in which we lead and structure our organisation. We welcome new schools with like-minded leaders into our team, to share our vision and wholeheartedly join us in our mission.
Please read here for the characteristics of a Greensand MAT school.
Educational benefits
- Annual schedule of training for different groups of staff
- Co-ordination of collaborative school improvement work
- Governance management
- Peer Networks for a variety of roles
- Peer to peer review programme
- Professional Coaching for Headteachers
- Safeguarding oversight, including an annual audit
- Structured monitoring and school improvement programme
- Trust-wide Professional Development Pathways
Business Benefits
- All recruitment and contractual administration
- Annual audit
- Annual internal scrutiny programme
- Annual staff survey
- Appointment of Sustainability Lead
- Capital project management
- Centralised Wellbeing strategy
- Comprehensive HR support and advice for individual schools
- Data Protection Officer
- Health & Safety oversight
- HR policy development and oversight
- Liaison with legal services when required
- Management of escalated casework
- Marketing support
- Oversight and full support for School Business Managers
- Payroll support
- Risk Management
- Statutory returns
- TUPE management for new schools joining the Trust
Leadership and Governance Structure
The Trust Leadership
Our operating models have changed over time through a process of collaborative convergence and we continue to develop in this way. School Leaders who enjoy leading, developing ideas and having agency within a team will love working in our Trust.
The Governance Community
The Governance Community is led by our Lead Governance professional with the support of a team of qualified clerks. In support of strong and collaborative governance there is an annual programme of training and networking events.
Each school has a designated school committee made up of local governors. These committees meet six times per year.
The following committees, made up of trustees meet regularly: Finance, Audit and Risk, Education Standards, Pay and HR. The Growth Committee and Crisis Committee meet on an ad hoc basis.
Associate Membership
Associate Membership of Greensand Multi Academy Trust is open to schools that are in discussions with us about potentially joining. Associate Membership allows schools to partner with Greensand, accessing the Trust’s networks and services at an agreed cost through a service charge. It does not deliver the full benefits of joining Greensand, but is a time-limited way for both the school and the Trust to benefit from exploring how a permanent arrangement might work. There is an expectation that if both parties are satisfied with the arrangement, converting to academy status and joining Greensand will be the logical next step.
The Associate Membership package includes as many of the elements of being a full member of Greensand that it is reasonably possible to include. Naturally, there are some business and financial elements that continue to sit outside of the package, in addition to areas where the local authority retains responsibility. All Associate Member schools are welcomed into our family of schools and treated as equal partners to full members of the Trust in all elements of the Associate Membership package.
Due Diligence
Due diligence should be undertaken by both the School and the Trust to highlight the risks and benefits of the school joining our Trust. The process the Greensand team will undertake is based upon objective performance indicators, coupled with careful consideration of how we might work in partnership for the benefit of children.
When undertaking the due diligence process for schools wishing to join our Trust, we look at nine categories across the two stages and make the following judgements:
- Where the school is on the scale of excellence to serious concern for each category;
- Whether the school shares our vision and desire for excellence in this category;
- Whether Greensand has the resources and expertise to support improvement in this category if required;
- How might the school enhance our Trust in this category?
We then consider the information as a whole to decide whether to proceed.
The process will be undertaken by a combination of external consultants and the Central Team.
All due diligence information and judgements are shared and discussed with School Leaders and Governors, ensuring a fully transparent process.
