Kaizen!

Every school, academy and college wants to get better. This week we look at research that might help you.

Research, Collaborate, Streamline – revisited. In an earlier blog we discussed what steps schools and academies might wish to consider to be more effective and leverage greater value for money. We suggested schools consider greater collaboration, the use of technology and a challenge to existing ideas about staff structures. Recently the National Association of School Business Management (NASBM) published its ‘Guidance for improving financial outcomes – research report’. This document considers opportunities to improve workflow processes, more effective management deployments and possibilities through collaboration to achieve economies of scale. The paper considers models for continuous improvement strategies – prevalent in many commercial operations. The Japanese used continuous improvement, referred to as Kaizen (Kai = change, Zen = good), to re-engineer their automotive and electrical industries in the 1980’s to make them world leaders in their field. Behind the strategies lie the following principles:

• Good processes bring good results.
• Go see for yourself to grasp the current situation.
• Speak with data, manage by facts.
• Take action to contain and correct root causes of problems.
• Work as a team.
• Kaizen is everybody’s business.

NASBM’s report uses work from a study at an outstanding school that was viewed as efficient but which wanted to improve further and create better value for money and time. The school’s drive was to ensure it could focus on student-facing activities. Guidance is provided on what all school might consider doing differently. For further information click here. NASBM/EFA Library Many schools and colleges spend time creating and reviewing policies and procedures. If you are looking to write or update a policy or procedure then the templates available from the EFA might be a good starting point. Click here for details. Academy Land & Building Valuations Between April and June every year, the EFA procures:

• Valuations of the land and buildings of all new academies that opened between 1 April of the previous year and 31 March of the current year
• Revaluations of academy land and buildings that were last valued 5 years ago.

New academies should complete and submit the online form within 6 weeks of opening. Academies that fall into the 5-year revaluation exercise should complete and submit the online form when requested by EFA. Quick Reminders

• March Accounts Return to be completed by 31 May – click here for details

• Monthly eBulletin from the Teachers' Pension Scheme reminds us of:
  • Annual Service Return.
  • End of Year Certificate.
  • The opportunity to be part of the Monthly Data Collection service – no more Annual Service Returns!
  • Updated HR and Payroll guides.
  • The availability of online benefit statements for members.

Click here for all TPS bulletins

• From 1 April 2016 most companies (including academy trusts) are required to keep a Register of People with Significant Control (PSC) as part of their statutory records and, from the 1 June 2016, this information must be filed at Companies House. Persons who directly or indirectly own more than 25% of a business or have 25% or more of the voting rights need to have their details filed. Academy trusts with three or fewer members will be affected. Click here for more.