RSC South East and South London

Menu of Support
This termly document is intended to help Academy and MAT leaders to explore options for additional
support and advice. The RSC is not promoting any particular provider, nor is this intended to be a fully
comprehensive list. Please send any feedback or suggestions to RSC.SESL@education.gov.uk.

Leadership
Expanding your academy trust: resources for MATs Getting Ahead London is a Mayor of London
provides a selection of sources of support for schools programme that supports senior leaders in becoming
looking to grow their academy trust, and sits alongside future headteachers.
the MAT Good Practice Guidance.
NAHT Aspire Programme is a partnership
SESL peer mentoring is a free service that allows programme for school leaders to share strengths and
experienced MAT leaders to support newer MATs. For solve challenges together.
further details contact RSC.SESL@education.gov.uk.
Trust-Ed: MAT Team Leadership Programme is a
Ambition School Leadership runs a series of leadership programme for newly formed or existing MATs of 5–15
development programmes for leaders at all levels. schools with a focus on working well at scale.

Governance
Gov.uk governance page contains links to all DfE The Key provides information and online solutions to the
documentation on governance, including the governance education sector with a focus on enabling governors and
handbook and competency framework. school leaders to save time, work smarter and deliver
better results.
SESL MAT self assessment toolkit is a useful way to
assess the structure and direction of your trust. To The National Governance Association (NGA)
request it, please email RSC.SESL@education.gov.uk. provides expert information, guidance, advice and
training to support governors, trustees and clerks.
The Governance Institute provides guidance, knowledge Resources include model Schemes of Delegation, 21
and training to help academy school leaders to meet legal Questions a MAT board should ask itself and a variety
and highest standards of governance of guidance documents.

Build your trust board:

Inspiring Governance and Governors for Schools help
Academy Ambassadors provides a free, bespoke ser- boards to recruit skilled volunteers for both governor and
vice matching business people and professionals with trustee positions quickly and easily. They also provide
multi-academy trusts looking to strengthen their boards. training and support for existing governors.

School Improvement
The SESL Map of MATs and Sponsors will allow you
to identify nearby academies and trusts.
Teacher Subject Specialism Training courses are
free courses in maths, physics and MFL for
non-specialist and returning teachers.
Challenge Partners is a practitioner-led charity that
enables collaboration between schools to enhance the
life chances of all children, especially the most
disadvantaged. They facilitate school-to-school
collaboration through a variety of activities.
The National College for Teaching and
Leadership is an executive agency of the DfE aiming
to improve academic standards by recruiting a
workforce to meet the system’s needs.
Success for all works with schools to embed
‘co-operative learning’ as a school improvement strategy.
Teaching schools and system leaders is a complete
list of Teaching Schools, NLEs, and NLGs who provide
bespoke school improvement support. You can search by
locality to find system leaders in your area.

Research
Ambition School Leadership have conducted some How the best school leaders create enduring
research into MAT leadership and coherence of vision, change is new research completed by Alex Hill, Liz
strategy and operations Mellon, Ben Laker and Jules Goddard.

Robert Hill has written a blog summarising recent

research into MAT financial organisation.
 Finance
Schools financial health and efficiency provides a Financial management and assurance provides
variety of materials to help schools improve their news, research and services for trusts and schools.
financial health. This includes guidance on topics such
as procurement, national deals for schools, case stud- Academies Financial Handbook is issued by the
ies, planning, our new benchmarking tool and signpost- ESFA and describes financial requirements for acade-
ing to further support and training. my trusts.

Advances of funding can be applied for in excep-

tional circumstances.

Social mobility
The EEF provides free, independent, evidence-based
resources to help improve outcomes for children and
young people aged 3-18, particularly those who are
disadvantaged. These include the Teaching and
Learning Toolkit, Guidance Reports and a Menu of
Promising Projects.
The Sutton Trust aims to improve social
mobility through evidence-based programmes, research
and policy advocacy.
Plan to boost social mobility through
education. Read about the DfE’s
Unlocking Talent, Fulfilling Potential plan.
The Brilliant Club is a charity aiming to increase the
number of pupils from under-represented backgrounds
progressing to highly-selective universities.
The Economist Educational Foundation runs the
Burnet News Club, engaging young people through
cognitively challenging g discussions about current af-
fairs

Teaching & Learning

The Institute for Teaching offers masters courses to Network of Excellence trains ‘master teachers’ to
develop teacher expertise. facilitate CPD for teachers of computing.

Maths Hubs promote the sharing of good practice
across localised regions through a school-led model.
Stimulating Physics Network aims to increase the
take-up of A-level physics, particularly amongst girls.
STEM Learning aims to improve the quality of
science teaching in primary and secondary settings.
Music Education Hubs provide support in
delivering the music curriculum, instrumental lessons
and teacher CPD.
Prince’s Teaching Institute offers CPD and networks
for school leaders and teachers.
Enabling Enterprise aim to bring the world of work
into the classroom for all age groups.

,
Effective School Improvement
Across a MAT
Financial Efficiencies and
Integrated Curriculum Financial
Planning
, Ed Brett (Team Leader: Surrey): Edward.Brett@education.gov.uk
Strategies for Effective Use of
Pupil Premium
Should you need to get in touch with a member of the team, please use the below email
addresses:
Jonathan Duff (Deputy Director: South London, Kent &
Medway):Jonathan.DUFF@education.gov.uk
Maria Dawes (Deputy Director: South East): Maria.DAWES@education.gov.uk
Nicola Archer (Team Leader: SW London): Nicola.Archer@education.gov.uk
Dominic Riddex (Team Leader: SE London): Dominic.Riddex@education.gov.uk
Phoebe Clapham (Team Leader: Kent): Phoebe.Clapham@education.gov.uk
Matt Morley (Team Leader: Medway): Matthew.Morley@education.gov.uk
Amy Barron (TL: E&W Sussex & Brighton & Hove): Amy.Barron@education.gov.uk
Sean Ruston (Team Leader: Hampshire and IoW): Sean.Ruston@education.gov.uk
Duncan Walls (TL: Portsmouth and Southampton): Duncan.Walls@education.gov.uk

For finance queries, see the ESFA Enquiry form.