Primitas Learning Partnership

The Primitas Central Offer

The Primitas Central Offer has been designed to provide a comprehensive, coherent and rounded package of Business and Educational Support Services. And at the heart of the offer is the principle that running successful schools is a team effort; No school is an island and there is always an extended team of professionals supporting each school, who have a vested interest in its success and who are only a phone call away.

As a Trust, we are mindful of the need to ensure that our support services do not inadvertently add to the burden on headteachers and distract them, instead of relieving their burden and helping them focus on leading their schools effectively. That is why we continuously review The Primitas Central Offer with all of our headteachers, in their capacity as Executive School Improvement Leads. They provide insights on a regular basis to help us shape our central support structures through the lens of what it truly means and feels like to be a headteacher.

As a result, the Primitas Central Offer continues to evolve, ensuring that our schools benefit from a high-quality, well-rounded, headteacher-informed package of support services that really do help.

Business Support Services

Our central business support services operations team aim to work quietly in the background to support the educational journey of every school.

Our central Business Support Services provide a coordinated, strategic and professional framework that supports academies whilst preserving strong local decision‑making.

Expert and extensive support is provided across the following areas, delivered through specialist central teams working in close partnership with academy leaders to ensure the highest quality provision:

  • Financial Management

  • Human Resources

  • ICT Network and Systems

  • Estates Management

  • Legal Support

  • Data Protection

These services are designed to be both robust and responsive, recognising that each academy operates within its own unique context. Academy leaders actively contribute to identifying priorities and shaping the support provided, ensuring that services reflect the different sizes, phases, pupil cohorts and distinctive characteristics of each school within the Primitas family.

By combining academy‑level insight with specialist central expertise, within a collaborative culture, Primitas achieves the right balance between trust‑wide oversight, centralisation and local responsiveness. This approach ensures consistency, compliance and value for money, while enabling leaders to focus on delivering high‑quality, inclusive education within safe, well‑resourced and sustainable environments.

We are never complacent about supporting our schools as effectively as possible and so our Central Services are continuously reviewed and developed; The Trust’s Senior Executive Leadership Team works in partnership with Headteachers in their capacity as Executive Schol Improvement Leads to evaluate the effectiveness of the support offer, taking into account the challenges schools face and direct feedback from leaders. This ensures that the Central Support Offer remains relevant, practical and responsive to the needs of their schools and appropriate to the ever- changing education landscape.

For more detailed information on the different aspects of central Business Services, plus the central management fee which schools are charged for the these services, please click on the relevant icon below.

Finances

HR

ICT

Estates

Legal

GDPR

Central Financial Management Services

The Trust’s Central Finance Service provides a strategic, efficient and robust approach to financial management across

all academies. Operating a single, centralised finance system, it combines academy‑level financial knowledge with specialist central oversight to ensure the right balance between local accountability and trust‑wide strategic control.

Academy leaders actively contribute to financial planning and priority setting, ensuring that budgets reflect the differing sizes, phases, pupil cohorts and staffing models of individual schools. This integrated approach supports consistent budgeting, forecasting and reporting aligned to educational priorities, while maintaining strong financial governance, transparency and value for money.

The model enables school leaders to retain informed ownership of their budgets, supported by central expertise that ensures sustainability, compliance and effective stewardship of public funds.

The Trust’s central finance function operates with a capacity of 2.5 FTE, and is therefore deliberately focused on strategic oversight, compliance, systems and assurance, alongside targeted operational support. This model reflects a shared responsibility approach, where academy‑based finance and administrative staff play a key role in managing and inputting day‑to‑day financial transactions and local processing activities. Central finance provides the framework, controls, expertise and monitoring to ensure consistency and compliance, while academies maintain responsibility for timely and accurate processing at source, enabling an efficient, proportionate and sustainable financial model across the Trust.

Financial Leadership and Governance

  • Strategic financial leadership provided by the Chief Finance and Operations Officer (CFOO) and central finance team.

  • Delivery in line with the Academy Trust Handbook and DfE guidance, ensuring full compliance.

  • Clear Financial Scheme of Delegation, preserving academy responsibility for budget management within a strong governance framework.

  • Support for trustees, governors and headteachers in financial oversight, risk management and decision‑making.

Budget Planning and Financial Management

  • Collaborative annual budget setting and medium‑term financial planning

  • Ongoing financial monitoring, forecasting and scenario planning, including salary costing and use of the Access HCSS budgeting system to produce budgets, scenarios and centrally aligned assumption updates

  • Regular liaison with Headteachers and academy business/finance leads

  • Production of monthly management accounts, providing clear and timely financial insight

  • Support with budget variances, efficiency planning and financial sustainability

  • Access to built‑in and customisable reporting tools across finance and budgeting systems, enabling detailed analysis (e.g. by supplier, income source, spend category, project and cost centre across multiple years)

Financial Operations and Systems

  • Operation of a central finance system (Hoge 100 Finance Portal) to ensure consistency, efficiency and auditability. Hoge works closely with the DfE and was one of the first financial management systems to support electronic submission of the Academy Accounts Return

  • A blended delivery model, where many processing tasks remain at academy level alongside targeted central support. Central processing and shared responsibilities include:

  • Purchase ledger and expenditure processing

    • Purchase orders, invoices, charge card transactions and expenses are input and approved at academy level through a fully automated, paperless workflow system. The system also links to vendor websites from within the purchasing system for direct order processing e.g. Amazon

    • Supplier and expenses payments are processed bi‑weekly by the central finance team, Creditors are paid promptly once invoices are approved, and the consistency and speed of payments help ensure favourable settlement terms with suppliers and more importantly staff

  • Sales ledger and income processing
    • Primarily managed at academy level, with central input for core grant income (e.g. GAG and other DfE funding)
    • Banking updated daily during term time and at regular intervals during holidays, providing near real‑time income visibility
    • Bank reconciliations across the single MAT current account reduces the need for individual Academy bank reconciliations
  • Banking and corporate card management
    • Charge cards allocated to approved academy staff, number dependent on school size and need
    • Additional banking arrangements available (e.g. foreign currency)
    • Option for school funds to operate through the same banking structure, reducing administrative burden
    • VAT returns, enabling academies to benefit from VAT recovery and reduced net costs

Compliance, Audit and Assurance

  • Coordination of the annual external audit and preparation of statutory accounts

  • Delivery of internal scrutiny and compliance monitoring through independent auditors

  • Maintenance of robust financial controls, audit trails and reporting processes

  • Support for academies in demonstrating value for money and effective use of public funds

Procurement and Value for Money

  • Support with procurement processes, contract review and supplier selection

  • Review of service level agreements (SLAs) to secure best value and multi‑academy efficiencies

  • Use of approved suppliers and frameworks, including credit checks for new suppliers where contracts are material

  • Identification of opportunities for collaborative purchasing and economies of scale

Funding and Income Generation

  • Proactive identification and coordination of external funding opportunities, including:

  • Grants and funding from awarding bodies and foundations

  • Support for academies in maximising income streams and financial resilience

Payroll and Staffing Financial Support

  • Monthly payroll checking and reconciliation alongside academy leaders

  • Posting of payroll costs to academy budgets and cost centres

  • Support with staffing models, cost analysis and financial planning

Partnership with Academies

The finance model is built on collaboration between the central team ad the school and proportionality:

  • Academies retain control of their budgets and day‑to‑day financial decisions.

  • Central finance provides strategic oversight, systems, compliance and specialist expertise.

  • Support is responsive to individual academy context, while maintaining trust‑wide consistency.

This approach ensures clarity, accountability and sustainability, enabling leaders to focus resources on delivering high‑quality education.

Central Human Resource Services

The Trust’s central HR service provides a consistent, professional and people‑focused approach to workforce management across all academies. Through a centralised HR framework, academy‑level insight is combined with specialist central expertise to support both local operational needs and trust‑wide strategic workforce planning.

Academy leaders actively help shape HR priorities, ensuring that support reflects the different sizes, phases, staffing structures and community contexts of individual schools. This collaborative model promotes fairness, compliance and best practice, while strengthening organisational culture and staff wellbeing. This is further supported by centrally funded specialist services and digital platforms, ensuring academies benefit from both expert advice and efficient, modern HR systems. The approach enables academies to manage their people effectively at a local level, underpinned by central guidance that builds capacity, consistency and resilience across the Trust.

The Trust’s central HR function operates with a capacity of 1.2 FTE, with the team also fulfilling wider professional responsibilities across GDPR and governance. As such, the model is designed to prioritise strategic HR leadership, employee relations expertise, compliance and policy development, supported by centrally funded external advisors and systems. Academy leaders and administrative staff retain responsibility for local HR processes and day‑to‑day workforce administration, supported by clear guidance, systems and escalation routes. This balanced approach ensures professional oversight and consistency, while enabling academies to manage operational HR activity effectively within their own context.

HR Leadership and Workforce Strategy

  • Strategic leadership from an experienced central HR team

  • Development of a trust‑wide workforce strategy aligned to educational priorities

  • Support for organisational design, staffing structures and workforce planning

  • Alignment with statutory requirements, employment law and sector best practice

Recruitment and Onboarding

  • End‑to‑end support for advice for staff recruitment processes, including:

    • Vacancy design and advertising

    • Shortlisting and interview processes

    • Safer recruitment compliance

  • Coordination of appointment procedures, contracts and onboarding

  • Advice on recruitment strategies to attract and retain high‑quality staff

Employee Relations and Casework

  • Provision of proactive and responsive HR advice on employee relations matters

  • Support for academies in managing:

    • Disciplinary processes

    • Capability procedures

    • Absence management

    • Grievance cases

  • Oversight and management of appeals at school level, ensuring fairness and consistency

  • Close working with academy leaders to navigate complex or sensitive HR issues

HR Advice, Support and Partnerships

  • Access to specialist external HR consultancy support, fully funded by the Trust, with two providers available for academies to choose from, ensuring flexibility and best fit.

  • Central funding of HR Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to remove barriers to timely advice and support.

  • Provision of Occupational Health services, funded centrally, supporting absence management, staff wellbeing and informed decision‑making.

  • Close partnership working between central HR, external advisors and academy leaders to provide consistent, high‑quality support across all employee relations matters.

  • Additional bespoke support available where required for more complex or non‑standard cases.

HR Systems and Digital Transformation

  • Investment in a centrally funded HR and recruitment platform (SAM Recruit and SAM People), streamlining end‑to‑end workforce processes across the Trust

  • A fully integrated system has recently been implemented supporting:

    • Online recruitment campaign creation and management

    • Application processing, shortlisting and interview workflows

    • Offer management and pre‑employment checks

    • Onboarding, contract generation and employee record creation

  • This investment supports consistency, compliance and efficiency, while reducing administrative burden at academy level and strengthening workforce oversight at both academy level and across the Trust

Policy, Compliance and Governance

  • Development and maintenance of central HR policies, procedures and templates

  • Ensuring compliance with employment legislation, safeguarding requirements and best practice

  • Support for academies in implementing policies consistently and effectively

  • Contribution to risk management and organisational assurance

Staff Wellbeing, Development and Culture

  • Promotion of a positive organisational culture aligned to Trust values

  • Support for staff wellbeing initiatives and absence reduction strategies

  • Guidance on professional development and performance management approaches

  • Contribution to building engaged, motivated and high‑performing teams

Operational HR Processes

  • Ongoing support for contractual changes, restructures and staffing adjustments

  • Maintenance of accurate HR records and documentation

  • Advice on terms and conditions, pay and employment matters

  • Regular liaison with academies to review workforce needs and emerging issues

Partnership with Academies

The HR model reflects a shared responsibility approach:

  • Academies manage their staff locally, maintaining day‑to‑day responsibility

  • Central HR provides expertise, consistency, compliance and strategic oversight

  • Support is flexible and responsive, reflecting individual academy context

Future Development of HR Systems

  • Ongoing current operational functionality implementation features being phased over the next 6 months include:

    • Absence management

    • Additional hours and staffing workflow management

    • Improved visibility and efficiency in workforce administration

  • Planned phased access of additional centrally funded HR modules over the next 18 months, including:

    • Single Central Record (SCR) compliance management

    • Performance and appraisal management

    • Probation tracking and review processes

    • Disciplinary case management

    • Systemized policy distribution and acknowledgement tracking

This approach ensures that people are managed with professionalism, sensitivity and respect, enabling academies to focus on delivering excellent outcomes while fostering a strong, collaborative Trust culture.

Central ICT Management Services

The Primitas central ICT function provides strategic leadership, shared infrastructure and proportionate operational support to enable academies to use technology safely, effectively and sustainably. Delivered through a specialist central team, the service focuses on Trust‑wide systems, security, standards and resilience, while routine day‑to‑day ICT support is delivered through a shared model that combines central input with appropriate academy‑level capacity.

This approach reflects the finite central ICT resource available across the Trust, and ensures that ICT provision is realistic, responsive and sustainable, taking account of differences in school size and complexity.

 ICT Leadership, Capacity and Governance

Central ICT services are delivered through a trust‑wide structure comprising:

  • Trust Network Manager and Trust Technical Lead, who are responsible for:

  • Trust ICT architecture, policies, standards and cyber security governance

  • Oversight of centralised platforms including MIS and Microsoft 365

  • Supplier and contract management

  • Capital planning and prioritisation of ICT investment

  • Long‑term digital strategy and transformation programmes

  • Risk ownership, regulatory compliance and executive / board reporting

  • Central ICT Technicians (1.4 FTE)

  • Providing first‑ and second‑line technical support across the Trust through a blend of remote and
    planned onsite activity.

The total central ICT capacity of 3.4 FTE is therefore deliberately focused on areas where Trust‑wide consistency, security and assurance add the greatest value, rather than replacing local operational support.

Shared Model of ICT Delivery

Primitas operates a shared ICT delivery model, recognising that the nature and level of day‑to‑day ICT support required varies significantly between academies.

Central ICT provides:

  • Strategy, systems, standards and security

  • Shared infrastructure and enterprise platforms

  • Professional oversight and escalation support

Academies retain responsibility for routine, immediate and context‑specific ICT matters, supported by central guidance and clearly defined escalation routes.This model supports clarity of accountability, avoids duplication, and enables central resource to be deployed proportionately.

Academy‑Level ICT Support and Shared Responsibilities

While central ICT establishes the Trust’s digital framework, routine day‑to‑day ICT tasks are expected to be managed locally, supported by central systems, advice and escalation where required.

Arrangements vary according to school context. By way of example (rather than prescription):

  • Larger or more complex schools (such as secondary schools or larger primary schools) may sustain a higher level of local ICT capacity to manage:

    • Immediate classroom and curriculum technology issues

    • Basic device setup and troubleshooting

    • On‑site support during peak operational periods

  • Smaller primary schools may manage routine ICT issues through:

    • Internal school capacity for basic issues (e.g. password resets, basic device handling, classroom set-up)

    • Scheduled or remote support from central ICT staff

    • Escalation of more complex issues via the Trust helpdesk

  • Arrangements are flexible and evolve over time to reflect changing needs, staffing models and digital maturity

Across all academies:

  • Central ICT focuses on systems, security, shared platforms and risk management.

  • Academies retain local oversight of operational ICT use

  • Ownership of specialist educational or administrative applications sits with the primary users in
    school, supported by suppliers and central guidance rather than direct central administration

Operational ICT Support (Central Provision)

Within capacity limits, central ICT provides a baseline, prioritised level of operational support, designed to minimise disruption and manage risk.

This includes:

  • A centralised ICT helpdesk for logging, triaging and tracking issues

  • First‑line advice and troubleshooting where appropriate

  • Escalation to third‑line suppliers when required

  • Regular remote health checks of servers and infrastructure

  • Monitoring of backups, system availability and security alerts

  • Support for exam‑related ICT setup where feasible

  • Due to limited central capacity, continuous daily on‑site ICT support is not provided. On‑site activity is:

  • Planned in advance, time‑limited and focused on priority checks, fixes and advisory support

Devices, Users and Systems Management

The Trust funds and centrally manages a number of key digital systems to improve security, consistency and value for money. Central systems include:

  • A single Trust Microsoft 365 tenancy, enabling secure collaboration and consistent policy enforcement

  • Locker user management software, supporting onboarding, offboarding, licence allocation and group management

  • Microsoft Intune policies for Windows and iOS devices, including compliance and configuration profiles

  • Central ICT supports the deployment and configuration of devices, while routine classroom‑level handling and basic issues remain local.

Management Information Systems (MIS)

  • Trust‑funded base MIS licences, including SIMS .NET Optimise and SIMS Next Gen (where applicable).

  • A centrally funded MIS support package via School ICT, providing:

    • Unlimited access to specialist SIMS support

    • Expertise in Census, Exams and Timetabling

  • Day‑to‑day application use and specialist system knowledge remain the responsibility of academy staff as primary users.

Cyber Security, Safeguarding and Data Protection

Central ICT provides Trust‑wide cyber security governance, aligned to DfE Digital and Cyber Security standards.

This includes:

  • Enterprise‑level email and threat protection using Barracuda and Microsoft security tools

  • Malware, phishing and account takeover protection

  • Cloud backups of mailboxes, SharePoint sites and OneDrive data

  • Clear escalation routes for cyber incidents, data breaches and safeguarding‑related ICT concerns, involving:

    • The Trust Technical Lead

    • The academy’s Designated Safeguarding Lead

Consistency and Digital Development

Given limited central capacity, the Trust prioritises consistency of systems where appropriate to:

  • Reduce complexity

  • Improve reliability

  • Support value for money

When systems are reviewed, alignment to Trust‑wide solutions (e.g. VOIP platforms) is considered alongside academy context, ensuring standardisation is enabled rather than imposed.

Central ICT supports academies with short‑, medium‑ and long‑term digital planning, aligned to the DfE Digital Standards 2030.

ICT and Site‑Based Systems

For systems that span ICT and estates responsibilities (such as CCTV/electronic access control), central ICT supports:

  • Network configuration

  • IP addressing

  • Server access and setup

Physical maintenance and day‑to‑day operation remain local or sit within estates arrangements where appropriate.

Partnership with Academies

The Trust’s ICT model is built on shared responsibility and proportionality:

  • Central ICT provides strategy, systems, security and assurance

  • Academies provide local capacity for routine operational support

  • Support arrangements reflect school size, phase and staffing context

This approach ensures clarity, sustainability and resilience, and supports Ofsted expectations that leaders understand how capacity and systems are deployed to manage risk and enable effective school operations.

Central Estates Management Services

The Primitas central estates function provides strategic leadership, professional assurance and operational support to ensure that all Trust premises are safe, compliant, sustainable and fit for purpose. Led by the Head of Estates, working closely with the Chief Finance and Operations Officer, the service operates in line with the Academy Trust Handbook and wider DfE expectations, supporting trustees and executive leaders in their responsibility for effective stewardship of public assets.

The service delivers a coordinated, trust‑wide approach to estates management that combines central expertise and consistency with strong academy‑level knowledge and decision‑making. Academy leaders actively contribute to priorities and planning, ensuring estates support reflects differences in school size, phase, pupil cohort and operational complexity. This balanced model strengthens compliance, value for money and long‑term sustainability, while enabling academies to operate safe, effective learning environments.

Estates Capacity Statement

The Trust’s central estates function operates with a capacity of 1.0 FTE, led by the Head of Estates, and is therefore focused on providing strategic leadership, compliance assurance and professional guidance across the Trust.

This model reflects a shared responsibility approach, where academies retain responsibility for the day‑to‑day management of their sites, including health and safety compliance, routine maintenance and the delivery of smaller‑scale building projects.

Strategic Estates Leadership and Asset Planning

  • Delivery and ongoing review of the Trust’s Estates Strategy and Asset Management Plan, developed collaboratively with Head Teachers and academy leadership teams to reflect local context alongside Trust‑wide priorities.

  • Commissioning and coordination of tri‑annual building condition surveys across all academies, providing a consistent, evidence‑based assessment of condition, compliance and risk.

  • Use of external survey data and continuous internal assessment to inform School Condition Allocation (SCA) priorities, ensuring funding decisions are:

    • Transparent

    • Data‑driven

    • Aligned with risk, condition and long‑term sustainability

    • Informed by the local knowledge of academy‑based staff

  • Oversight of long‑term lifecycle planning and investment strategy, supporting responsible stewardship of assets and best value for money.

Capital Funding

SCA Funding

  • The Trust receives in excess of £1 million per annum in capital funding, including access to a centrally managed Schools Condition Allocation (SCA) fund (circa £1m+ per annum for 2024–2026). This SCA funding is managed centrally in line with DfE expectations, with allocations prioritised using condition data from:

    • Independent Trust‑commissioned surveys

    • Ongoing internal monitoring and professional assessment

  • Typical projects supported include:

    • Whole or partial roof replacements

    • Boiler and heating infrastructure replacement

    • Window replacements

    • Fire safety system improvements

    • Toilet and kitchen refurbishments

    • Car park resurfacing

  • Projects are jointly planned and delivered, ensuring Head Teachers and site teams shape the final scope to meet their needs as primary beneficiaries.

  • Works are contracted directly by academies, with the Head of Estates providing active involvement and professional oversight, including:

    • Tendering and quote evaluation

    • JCT contract advice and agreement

    • Pre‑contract planning meetings

    • Valuations, variations, retention management and final completion sign‑off

Devolved Formula Capital (DFC)

  • Devolved Formula Capital remains within academy delegated budgets, to be used by Head Teachers in line with DfE expectations.

  • Where appropriate, DFC may be applied as an academy contribution to centrally supported projects.

For 2026/27, the average academy contribution toward capital projects is approximately 7.5%, reflecting DfE expectations for shared investment.

Procurement, Projects and Professional Advice

  • Professional oversight of estates‑related procurement and tendering to ensure compliance with Trust policy, public procurement rules and recognised contractual frameworks.

  • Practical support for academies throughout project planning and delivery, including:

    • Assistance with specifications and tender documentation

    • Recommended suppliers and consultants

    • Access to specialist estates advice (e.g. surveyors, planners, fire and compliance consultants)

    • Attendance at pre‑project meetings

    • Support with contract formation, risk assessment and JCT frameworks for both major and minor works

  • Identification and coordination of additional external capital funding opportunities, including DfE programmes and other appropriate funding streams.

Compliance, Health and Safety and Statutory Assurance

  • Establishment of a clear Trust‑wide framework for statutory and mandatory estates compliance, setting minimum requirements all academies must meet.

  • Central monitoring and assurance of compliance evidence, while recognising that operational responsibility for health and safety remains with Head Teachers.

  • Access to the Trust’s chosen property and compliance management system (iAM Compliant) to support academies with site management and regulatory evidence.

  • Academies typically source their own health and safety service level agreements for day‑to‑day advice, auditing and training, and procure contractors locally or via third‑party SLAs where appropriate.

  • Provision of training, guidance and professional advice to academy leaders and facilities staff to strengthen understanding of estates compliance, risk management and health and safety responsibilities.

  • Where available, the Head of Estates provides advice and support in managing significant estates‑related health and safety incidents.

  • Compliance to DfE reporting for the Land and Building Tool is undertaken by the central Trust n behalf the Partner Academies.

Estates Management Systems – iAM Compliant

The Trust centrally funds access to the iAM Compliant system, providing academies with a single, integrated platform to support estates management, compliance assurance and workforce training.

Core benefits include:

  • Automated scheduling and evidencing of statutory inspections and servicing

  • Secure document storage and inspection‑ready audit trails

  • Incident reporting and compliance oversight to reduce risk and missed actions

Optional enhanced functionality includes:

  • Weekly testing regimes

  • Site incident and call logging

  • Central visibility of issues and resolution

  • Access to iAM Academy, providing 400+ IOSH‑approved and CPD‑accredited training modules covering:

    • Compliance and health & safety

    • Safeguarding

    • SEND

    • Wellbeing and leadership

    • Cyber security and sustainability

  • Climate action planning tools, supporting academies to meet DfE expectations around sustainability

Academies retain flexibility to use features proportionate to their size, phase and operational needs, while the
Trust maintains governance and assurance.

Insurance and Risk Management

  • Central funding and management of the Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA), ensuring consistent cover and cost efficiency across the Trust.

  • Clear delineation of responsibilities where certain specialist insurances (including engineering and minibus insurance) are arranged and funded locally by academies.

  • Integration of estates‑related risks into the Trust’s wider risk management and assurance framework, supporting trustee oversight and accountability.

Sustainability, Energy and Environmental Responsibility

  • Trust‑wide leadership of energy, utilities and decarbonisation strategy, promoting efficient resource use and long‑term cost reduction.

  • Support and guidance for academy‑level environmental initiatives and Climate Action Plan creation.

  • Clarity that statutory responsibility for climate action planning remains at academy level, while all academies are expected to meet compliance requirements.

Partnership with Academies

  • Close working in partnership with Head Teachers, facilities teams and academy business staff, recognising different school contexts, sizes, phases and staffing models.

  • Active academy input into estates priorities and planning, ensuring support remains responsive, proportionate and supportive rather than directive.

  • A balanced model that strengthens consistency, resilience and assurance, while preserving appropriate local control over day‑to‑day estate operations.

Future Development of Central Estates Services

Primitas regularly reviews DfE guidance and sector‑wide developments to ensure its estates approach remains compliant, proportionate and sustainable. Planned developments over the next 18 months include:

  • Further digitisation of estates planning using iAM Compliant, in line with DfE Good Estates Management guidance (February 2026), with academy asset mapping already in place for the next condition survey data import by August 2027.

  • A review of arrangements for compliance contractors (e.g. water hygiene, fire systems, HVAC), assessing opportunities for improved value for money through recommended supplier frameworks or revised service level agreements by August 2027.

This approach supports Ofsted expectations that schools operate within safe, well‑maintained environments and that leaders can demonstrate effective systems, oversight and risk management.

Central Data Protection Services

The Trust provides a coordinated, compliant and proportionate approach to data protection and information governance, aiming to help support academies meet their statutory obligations under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act. This additional support is delivered through a central framework of policies, guidance and professional oversight, combined with clearly defined local responsibilities within each academy.

GDPR Leadership, Capacity and Governance

The Trust maintains a central Data Protection Officer (DPO) function (0.1 FTE), providing independent oversight, advice and assurance across all academies. This limited but focused capacity is therefore directed toward strategic guidance, compliance oversight, training and escalation support, rather than routine operational delivery.

Each academy is required to nominate a named Data Lead, responsible for managing data protection matters locally and acting as the primary point of contact within the school.

Shared Responsibility Model

The Trust operates a shared responsibility approach to GDPR:

  • Central Trust responsibilities include:

    • Provision of policies, templates and guidance, including privacy notices aligned to Trust expectations

    • Strategic advice on complex, sensitive or high‑risk data protection issues

    • Acting as the formal DPO function and point of escalation

    • Support and guidance in the event of serious or escalated data breaches or incidents

  • Academy responsibilities include:

    • Day‑to‑day implementation of GDPR requirements

    • Management of data breaches, including investigation, recording and reporting

    • Handling of Subject Access Requests (SARs) and Freedom of Information requests

    • Maintenance of accurate records, systems and local compliance processes

    • Ensuring staff awareness and adherence to data protection procedures

Training, Awareness and Policy Support

The central DPO provides proactive support to embed effective data protection practice across the Trust, including:

  • Development and regular review of standardised policies and privacy notices centrally which can be adapted for local use

  • Provision and delivery of annual GDPR updates and directions to training resources, aligned with the Trust’s safeguarding approach to ensure all staff remain informed of their responsibilities

  • Production of regular newsletters and updates, reinforcing awareness, highlighting key risks and supporting ongoing training and compliance

Cyber Security and Data Protection Integration

The DPO works in close partnership with the Trust Network Manager to ensure alignment between data protection and cyber security strategy. This includes:

  • Coordinated staff awareness initiatives, such as phishing simulation exercises

  • Input into cyber security testing, including penetration testing and vulnerability awareness

  • Promotion of a culture of safe, secure and responsible data handling across all academies

Legal Advice and Escalation Support

In addition to DPO support, academies have access to the Trust’s centrally funded Browne Jacobson Quickcall legal service, this would include GDPR law advice within the parameters of the Quickcall service.

This ensures that academy leaders can seek timely, expert guidance on more complex or high‑risk data protection matters, complementing the support provided by the DPO and strengthening overall compliance and risk management.

Approach and Assurance

This balanced model ensures that data protection across the Trust remains proportionate, consistent and sustainable, combining strong local ownership of operational processes with appropriate central oversight and professional assurance.

It enables academies to manage their statutory responsibilities effectively, while ensuring that risk, compliance and accountability are maintained at a trust‑wide level.

Central Legal Services

The Trust provides academies with access to a centrally funded legal advice service through Browne Jacobson, one of the UK’s leading law firms specialising in education. Supporting over 1,300 schools and academies nationally, they offer highly regarded expertise across the full range of education law matters.

 This service is delivered through a fixed‑fee annual “Quickcall” arrangement, providing academies with timely, practical and specialist legal advice when it is most needed. It is designed to support school leaders in navigating the day‑to‑day complexities of running an academy, particularly where situations are sensitive, complex or carry legal risk.

Benefits Package

Academies benefit from:

  • Direct access to specialist education lawyers via telephone or email

  • Unlimited queries that can typically be resolved within a short advisory timeframe

  • Support that is both responsive and pragmatic, helping leaders make informed decisions with

confidence

  • The service covers a broad range of areas, including:

  • Employment and staffing matters

  • Admissions, exclusions, SEND and equalities duties

  • Safeguarding, managing allegations and parental complaints

  • Governance and regulatory compliance

  • Data protection, information sharing and Freedom of Information

  • Property, estates and contractual matters

  • Support relating to serious incidents, investigations and inquest processes

This centrally funded provision removes financial barriers to accessing professional legal advice, ensuring academies can act quickly, manage risk effectively and maintain compliance in complex situations, while being supported by trusted sector specialists.

Educational Support Services

Empowering and enabling schools to provide the kind of education that every child needs and deserves

Our vision clearly conveys that we are, first and foremost, an educational organisation with an unequivocally educational mission. Therefore, continuous school improvement, both within our own academies and across the wider education system, lies at the heart of everything we do.

Many trusts seek to strengthen school improvement capacity by reducing the administrative burden on headteachers, enabling them to devote more time to leading and improving their own schools. Whilst we acknowledge that there is merit in this approach (which Primitas headteachers benefit from via the provision of our central Business Support Services) we believe that this only tells part of the story.

Therefore, at Primitas, we believe that school leaders require more than simply additional time in order to help them secure ongoing school improvement. They also need access to high-quality expertise, knowledge and support provided by experienced educational professionals with a vested interest in their school’s success. For this reason, we have developed a clearly defined, dedicated Educational Support Team whose purpose is to work with our schools to secure sustained improvement and deliver the very best outcomes for children and young people.

Our Educational Support Team

Drawing together professionals from the Primitas Central Team, Primitas academies, our Partner MATs and a carefully selected network of trusted external specialists, our Educational Support Team provides schools with access to high quality school improvement support, spanning primary and secondary education across both mainstream and special sectors.

For 2026-27, our dedicated Educational Support Team is comprised of the following:

  • Chief Executive Officer of Primitas

  • Deputy CEO of Primitas

  • Chief Education Officer of Primitas

  • Primitas’s Behaviour Specialist

  • Primitas’s Trust SEND Professional

  • Primitas’s Trust Safeguarding Professional

  • Eight Executive School Improvement Leads*1

  • An extensive network of identified experts in their field from Primitas academies*2

  • An extensive network of educational experts from our partner MATs*3

  • A range of trusted external experts from our “preferred supplier list”*4

 

*1 These are the serving headteachers of Primitas academies who serve as Executive School Improvement Leads to ensure that our school improvement work is relevant and grounded in real-life context. Their expertise spans primary and secondary education in mainstream and special settings.

*2 Thee are current staff employed in Primitas academies who can be deployed and commissioned to carry our school improvement work across and beyond our Trust on the condition that detriment will not be caused to their essential work in their home school.

*3 This provides us with a vast and growing wealth of leadership and school improvement capacity with MATs whom we work collaboratively and reciprocally to share expertise and to commission support

*4 Our preferred supplier list includes Ofsted Inspectors, Executive Leaders (E.g CEOs, CEdOs, Directors of School Improvement, Director of Inclusion etc), headteachers and recognised local/regional/national recognised experts in their field

Supporting Primitas Schools

All Primitas academies therefore have the benefit of this considerable wrap-around educational support from our Educational Support Team.

Indeed, as conveyed via our core value of collaboration, school improvement is a team pursuit and no headteacher should ever feel isolated and unaware of where to turn for help when urgent school improvement needs arise.

Therefore, we ensure that there is always someone to reach out to, at any time, in order to respond to a pressing need.

Furthermore, we ensure that there is always an appropriate range of well-qualified and appropriate professionals to support with strategic, ongoing school improvement planning, as well as developmental school enhancement, as facilitated, supported and monitored via our School Improvement Strategy

Even though Primitas is increasingly expected (and willing) to make school improvement contributions to the wider education system, our own family of schools is our No.1 priority. Therefore, they have full access to the Primitas School Improvement Strategy. It is an ambitious, well-developed and forward-looking School Improvement Strategy that is continuously reviewed and developed in partnership with our headteachers in their roles as Executive School Improvement Leads. They work closely with the CEO, Deputy CEO and CEdO, to ensure that the strategy is grounded in reality and results in timely, relevant, and impactful support for every school in the current educational landscape.

Our School Improvement Strategy is built upon a number of core principles which we deliberately seek to hold in balance. This helps ensure that our approach remains coherent, well-rounded and responsive to the needs of individual schools, whilst maintaining a strong collective focus across the Trust. In particular, the balances we strive to maintain are:

  • Trust-wide improvement initiatives balanced with school-specific support
    We have a wide range of generic school improvement initiatives which all schools participate in and benefit from. Plus we provide support tailored to the specific needs of individual schools as identified through our Health Checks and ongoing evaluation processes.

  • Trust challenge balanced with school autonomy
    The Trust provides robust evaluation, constructive challenge and clear accountability for improvement, whilst giving headteachers significant degree of ownership over how improvement priorities are implemented within their own school context.

  • Receiving support balanced with contributing support
    All schools benefit from collective expertise, resources and support available across the Trust, whilst also contributing their own effective practice for the benefit of others.

  • Addressing priorities balanced with pursuing ambitions
    There is a clear focus on improvement priorities arising from external evaluation, including Ofsted findings and IDSR analysis. However, schools are also supported to pursue developmental priorities that broaden, enrich and strengthen their educational offer.

  • Internal capacity balanced with external expertise
    We harness and utilise the school improvement expertise that exists across our Trust wherever possible, whilst recognising that specialist support and expertise is required from beyond the Trust to ensure schools receive the highest-quality support available.

The School Improvement Strategy for 2026-27 can be accessed by clicking here

Furthermore, continuously reviewed and developed in partnership with our headteachers in their roles as Executive School Improvement Leads. They work closely with the CEO, Deputy CEO and CEdO, to ensure that School Improvement Strategy is grounded in reality and continues to provide timely, relevant, and impactful support for schools in the current educational landscape.

It is important to note that all headteachers of Primitas academies fulfil the role of Executive School Improvement Leads because we firmly believe that all headteachers have something positive to contribute to our Trust’s school improvement work and to development of our Trust in general. As a Trust which is determined to remain, first and foremost an educational venture, it is vital that current serving headteachers have a strong voice in our Trust’s direction of travel.

 And for Primitas schools, it is clearly beneficial that their headteachers have a Trust-wide role to play in shaping the MAT that they belong to. And for the headteachers themselves, having measure of Trust-wide responsibility is clearly beneficial for their professional development.

 Supporting Schools Beyond Primitas

As a Trust, although our family of schools are our No. 1 priority, we are outward looking and take our responsibility to provide school improvement support to the wider education system extremely seriously. Therefore, we intentionally engage with the following schools on matters of school improvement:

  • RISE Support Schools
    As an official RISE Support Organisation, Primitas is proud to work in partnership with the Department for Education (DfE) to support schools facing significant challenges and barriers to improvement. Through this role, we are commissioned to provide targeted, high-quality educational support to schools identified as requiring additional capacity, expertise and challenge to accelerate their improvement journey.

  • Associate Schools
    Associate Membership provides an opportunity for schools to gain a deeper understanding of what it is like to be part of the Primitas family before making any long-term commitment. And every Associate Membership arrangement is centred on and rooted in school improvement work as the vehicle for building strong professional relationships, understanding one another's values and ways of working, and assessing whether there is a genuine long-term fit between the school and Primitas.

  • MAT Partner Schools
    There are also regular opportunities for Primitas to work with schools in our Partner MATs that require school improvement support. This work provides valuable professional development opportunities for Primitas staff, allowing them to gain experience in different school contexts, to further develop their leadership and school improvement skills. At Equally, Primitas schools gain from the support, insights and expertise provided by colleagues from our partner trusts on a reciprocal basis.

  • Individual Commissions
    We also undertake school improvement work with schools who pay us for a one-off commission, which the school arranges directly with ourselves or via their MAT (if is not one of our Partner MATs when a reciprocal arrangement would be the default arrangement) These bespoke commissions are tailored to the specific needs, priorities and context of each organisation, enabling schools to access high-quality educational expertise in a flexible and responsive way.

How We Support Schools

Since Primitas was formed, we have developed a strong track record of implementing a full and comprehensive range of school support methods and approaches, when meeting the bespoke needs of each school.:

  • Consultancy and advisory support

  • External and internal peer reviews

  • School evaluation and improvement planning

  • Data analysis

  • Diagnostic assessments and needs analysis

  • Strategic planning and implementation support

  • School systems and process development

  • Leadership coaching and mentoring

  • Leadership and team development

  • Capacity-building and succession planning

  • Training and professional development

  • Quality assurance

We also have a proven track record of successfully supporting schools to improve in all aspects of educational provision across primary, secondary and specialist settings. Whilst our expertise extends across the full spectrum of educational provision, we have achieved particular success in the following areas:

  • Leadership and governance

  • Curriculum design, implementation and review

  • Teaching, learning and pedagogy

  • Assessment, feedback and pupil progress

  • Raising attainment and improving educational outcomes

  • Personal development, enrichment and extra-curricular provision

  • Ofsted readiness and inspection preparation

  • Self-Evaluation Form (SEF) and School Improvement Plan (SIP) development

  • SEND provision and inclusive practice

  • Behaviour, culture and pupil conduct

  • Attendance, engagement and persistent absence

  • Safeguarding, compliance and statutory responsibilities

  • Early Years provision

  • Staff wellbeing, workforce development

  • School systems, structures and organisational effectiveness incl. staff restructuring

  • Parental engagement, stakeholder engagement and community partnership

The examples outlined above do not represent an exhaustive catalogue of our school improvement services. Instead, they provide a flavour of the extensive range of high-quality expertise, support and improvement capacity available to schools through Primitas. Our approach is deliberately flexible and responsive, enabling us to tailor support to the specific context, challenges and aspirations of each school, ensuring that every school receives the bespoke support it needs to thrive.

Fee Structure and Value for Money

Primitas operates a transparent and proportionate fee model, based primarily on a percentage of GAG funding. This approach reflects the Trust’s core principle of maintaining a lean, non‑top‑heavy central structure, ensuring that the maximum proportion of funding remains within academies to directly support teaching, learning and pupil outcomes.

Since the Trust was established in 2021, the core fee has not increased, despite rising costs and sector pressures. During this time, Primitas has been able to significantly expand the scope of centrally funded services, systems and professional support, demonstrating the effectiveness and sustainability of its collaborative operating model.

The Trust is committed to maintaining a stable, transparent fee structure and strong centrally funded offer. However, all services, systems and funding arrangements are subject to periodic review, This ensures continued alignment with DfE requirements, financial sustainability and responsive to the evolving needs of the Trust and its academies.

This approach reflects a clear strategic belief that full centralisation of services does not necessarily lead to better educational outcomes. Instead, Primitas prioritises a balanced model, combining strong academy‑level autonomy with targeted central support, enabling both financial efficiency and local responsiveness.

Current Fee Structure

  • Secondary academies: 5.5% of GAG (excluding FSM and student bursary funding)

  • Primary academies: 4.5% of GAG (excluding FSM)

  • Special academies:

    • 5% (middle school age range)

    • Otherwise aligned to phase as above

The fee includes GAG and GAG‑related grants but excludes other funding streams such as Pupil Premium, LA funding, AEN, Mentor and ITT/SCITT income.

Academies contribute to their own School Condition Allocation Projects, with recent contributions averaging approximately 7.5% of total project costs, in line with DfE expectations for shared investment.

Centrally Funded Material External Costs and Services

Within this fee, the Trust currently funds a number of significant cost areas, as part of the package of Business Support Services, which reduces the financial burden on individual academies and improves value for money. These include:

  • Apprenticeship Levy (0.5% of staff costs) – effectively reducing net contribution rates to approximately:

    • 4.1% for primary

    • 5.1% for secondary

  • Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA) – Trust‑wide insurance provision

  • Devolved Formula Capital Allocations remain within Academy budgets

  • MIS systems – base licence and support (additional modules Academy funded)

  • Finance systems – HCSS budgeting and Hoge 100 finance platform (including hosting and licences)

  • Payroll processing – centrally coordinated (Stoke Payroll use MyView)

  • HR systems – SAM Recruit and SAM People platform

  • External HR consultancy – access to specialist providers (Insight HR / PHRP)

  • Occupational Health services – centrally funded provision

  • Legal advice – Browne Jacobson Quickcall service

  • Estates management system – iAM Compliant

  • Exchange 365 Cyber security and backup – Barracuda Exchange 365 protection

  • User account provisioning systems – Locker licensing

Value and Sustainability

This model demonstrates that Primitas has been able to increase the breadth and quality of its central offer over time without increasing cost to academies, reflecting:

  • Strong financial stewardship

  • Efficient central service design

  • Effective collaboration across the Trust

  • A clear focus on value for money and sustainability

As a result, academies benefit from a comprehensive and evolving support offer, while retaining the flexibility, autonomy and resources needed to respond to their own context and priorities.

↑
External Links External Links ×
↑