Simon Freeman

• From pressure to performance: what school and trust leaders need to know about workforce and procurement

  The pressures facing finance and operations leaders across schools and trusts right now is high. Budgets are tighter, expectations are higher, and the day-to-day demands leave little room to step back and think strategically. At...

  Simon Freeman | 13th May 2026 | 6 min read

  

• In-house or outsourced: pain-free payroll for your school or trust

  School and trust payroll isn't like payroll anywhere else. Staff hold multiple roles under different contracts, pay scales, and pension schemes – often within the same payslip. There are over 174 pieces of legislation to...

  Simon Freeman | | 4 min read

  

• The DfE Education Estates Strategy: What every school and trust leader needs to know

  Big changes are coming to school estates management – and if you haven't had a chance to fully explore the Department for Education's new 10-year strategy yet, here's a clear and practical guide. In February...

  Simon Freeman | 6th May 2026 | 4 min read

  

• What is the Fair Work Agency, and how can admins prepare their schools and trusts?

  From April 2026, a new body – the Fair Work Agency – will begin reshaping how employment rights are enforced across the UK. School and trust back-office teams need to know what this entails. Although...

  Simon Freeman | 11th February 2026 | 6 min read

  

• What the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) means for you

  If you work with support staff in schools, you may have heard about the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB). The new forum is being put in place as part of major changes introduced by...

  Simon Freeman | 6th February 2026 | 4 min read

  

• 10 ways MATs can reforecast without losing strategic momentum

  In a MAT, there’s no getting away from reforecasting. But how reactive does it feel, and how happy are you with the result? Thankfully, reforecasting doesn’t have to mean being on the back foot. Nor...

  Simon Freeman | 11th December 2025 | 7 min read

  

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