The centralisation debate: what role does tech play?
Since the start of academisation around a decade ago, the topic of ‘centralisation’ has sparked a range of opinions from across the sector.
Despite the initial concern, many teaching and non-teaching staff have now become advocates of shared service teams, viewing them as an effective way of improving standards and increasing efficiencies – providing the right tech systems are in place.
Others remain skeptical, preferring to maintain finance and HR teams within each individual school, relying on cloud-based systems to connect the relevant teams as and when necessary, firmly committed to the belief that this is the best option for pupils and staff.
Education Technology recently spoke to two Access Education customers with differing opinions on the matter, Adele France, CFO of the Minerva Learning Trust, which officially centralised services several years ago; and Debra Briault, CFO at the Circle Trust, which recently decided against the implementation of a central team.
