Endeavour MAT has a tried and tested approach to welcoming new schools onboard.  The joining process is broken down into six key stages:

Making Contact

Whether introduced to each other, found via a google search, local word of mouth or through mutual contacts in the sector this stage is about exploring and building a relationship between Endeavour MAT and your school. Leaders from Endeavour MAT are available to you, your board and your school for exploratory discussion and establish if we share common values.

Due Diligence

The decision for a school to join a Trust is a significant one on both sides and this next stage acknowledges that through the undertaking of due diligence exercises. As a Trust we use this stage of the process to further understand the position and dynamics of a school wishing to join our Trust and encourage schools to take a similar approach. The outcome of this stage will also inform an initial Onboarding Plan, setting out a timeline and key considerations for the rest of the joining process.

Agreement in Principle

Having completed the due diligence stage of the process both we as a Trust and you as a school should have all the information our Board/ your Governors need in order to confirm agreement to your school joining Endeavour MAT. At this stage it will also be important to secure approval in principle from the Regional Schools Commissioner. If your school is not already an academy then there are a number of other necessary aspects we would support you to address.

Enabling the Legal and Other Changes

It is at this stage of the process that both you as a school and we as the Trust you are joining will need to engage legal advisors and others to undertake the legal aspects of the transfer, these will include:

Deed of Transfer – which recognises the change in legal status and ownership of your school within the Trust.

Common Transfer Agreement – an agreement covering the transfer of the assets and contracts of your school to the Trust.

Land Transfers – formally recognising the transfer of ownership of land.

Funding Agreements – recognising the incorporation of your school’s funding agreement within our Trust’s Master Funding Agreement.

TUPE Transfer – recognising the protections of employees transferring to the Trust.

If your school is not already an academy then there are a number of additional considerations we would support you to address.

During this stage our Central Team will also be working with you to refine and finalise your Onboarding Plan.

Transition & Onboarding

Often overlapping with finalisation of legal arrangements this final preparation stage sees our Central Team work closely with you on the fine detail necessary to make your onboarding a success from day one, including:

Building your dedicated school area in our finance system.

Meeting with staff for a “no surprises” approach to joining our staff team and reassuring colleagues through the changes.

Background work to prepare for integration into our IT systems including our VOIP phone network; managed print services; access control infrastructure and staff & visitor management systems to name but a few.

Staff training and induction tailored to role, including a buddy/ mentoring opportunity to support and assist with the transition.

Welcome to Endeavour MAT

With all of the preparation and planning that will have gone into your joining Endeavour MAT the date of formal transfer can seem quite an anti-climax! By the time we welcome you to our family of schools we will feel like old friends.

That said, there will still be some formal elements for you to deal with relating to your school as it operated previously (final audited accounts, closing of bank accounts, final submissions to the ESFA and other agencies for example) and we will support you to address these.