education & business 31 Thames Valley schools need


The academy conversion programme presents a major opportunity for schools to take control of their own destiny with academy schools empowered to make decisions on key financial, structural and educational issues.


However, schools need advice and guidance both pre and post conversion to navigate the complex regulations, which involves working closely with governors to complete the transformation efficiently and deliver maximum value to pupils.


Academies receive funding directly from government rather than via their local authority, which provides the freedom and independence to function as a business, setting staff pay and conditions, taking key decisions on the curriculum, term dates and procurement of services and importantly, managing budgets.


In becoming an academy a school becomes a company limited by guarantee. It will have members and directors. The school is then regulated not only by the Department of Education, but also the Companies Act and Charities Act.


The academy will also be required to prepare annual accounts and to have them audited in accordance with the Companies Act requirements and Department of Education regulations.


The transition to academy status and post conversion requires schools to negotiate a myriad of business and government regulations, which makes seeking professional advice from financial experts fundamental to making a successful conversion.


The majority of conversions to date have taken place in secondary


How to train and certify your way out of the IT


skills gap Many IT organisations often struggle to adopt emerging technologies that could make their jobs easier and prove strategically important to the business, writes David Podger, managing director of Thames Valley Training & Development


That’s because many of those entering the IT employment market lack the skills necessary to implement these promising new technologies. This skills gap is having an increasingly adverse impact on business. A study conducted last year by the US Computer Technology Industry Association found that, to varying degrees, productivity, customer service, security, innovation, speed to market and profitability were negatively impacted by IT skills deficiencies.


The best way to acquire the requisite skills, of course, is through a programme


of continuing professional development and certification. Although companies concede that there is an urgent need for training, many hesitate when confronted by the time and budget constraints that have to be negotiated. However, IT managers must find a way to overcome these challenges because new technologies like cloud and converged infrastructure (CI) ease the management burden and result in more dynamic, flexible IT organisations that are better able to support new business initiatives.


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – MAY 2013


As Rebekah Harvey, director of learning product management at Hewlett-Packard, stated recently: “This industry leaves people behind very quickly, and it makes sense to invest in training that will serve you well into the future.”


When identifying suitable training and certification programmes, CIOs should be sure that they contain two crucial elements; hands-on-experience and an understanding of how the technology solves real business problems.


We at Thames Valley Training and Development are pleased to be one of the first organisations


www.businessmag.co.uk


support to become academies A wind of change is blowing across the education landscape and it is only now that parents and the wider public are becoming aware of it, writes Martin Wyatt, partner and head of Whitley Stimpson’s education team


schools. In contrast to the secondary sector, primary schools do not often employ school business managers, and therefore may require a greater level of support through the conversion process.


Smaller primary schools can group together to form a multi-academy trust. Such groupings are already being formed and will look to ustilise their economies of scale and added buying power.


By embracing efficient accountancy systems, making the mental shift to becoming a business and taking care to maximise every commercial opportunity, schools are well placed to optimise the services they provide to the children in their care.


Whitley Stimpson is already the appointed auditor and financial support service for large multi-


in the UK to offer the HP ATA programme – an excellent example of how these two crucial elements can be successfully integrated in a balanced IT certification. Designed as an entrance-level certification for those embarking on a career in IT, we have already found that it appeals equally to those starting their professional development and established IT technicians who are looking to fill gaps in their skills set.


The right training and certification enables IT professionals to become trusted advisers who are able to successfully implement technology as a business solution. With the HP ATA programme, we believe we’ve got something that fits the bill.


David Podger 0808-252-5051 www.thamesvalleytraining.com


academy trusts and single entity academies. Committed to supporting head teachers and school governors in the pre and post academy status, we demystify accountancy and governance obligations presented by academy school status.


For a FREE consultation on the practicalities of running an academy contact Martin Wyatt.


Details: Martin Wyatt Martinw@whitleystimpson.co.uk 01295-270200 www.whitleystimpson.co.uk


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68