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    • John Halstead revealed as MAT Finance Leader of the Year at MAT Finance Awards 2022 ​​​​​​​

      Published 01/03/23

      John Halstead, Chief Finance and Operating Officer at Consilium Academies, a team of nine schools across Salford, Gateshead, Darlington, Sunderland, and Doncaster, has been named MAT Finance Leader of the Year, as part of the MAT Finance Awards 2022.
       

      The MAT Finance Leader of the Year category was one of five announced as part of The MAT Finance Awards 2022, sponsored by specialists in MAT budgeting and financial management software IMP Software, last week on 24th February. This category recognises outstanding CFOs, or equivalent, in a multi-academy trust for their leadership and management of trust finances.

       

      John Halstead was one of three individuals shortlisted for the coveted award. An expert judging panel – comprising Confederation of School Trusts CEO Leora Cruddas, ISBL CEO Stephen Morales, Dartmoor MAT CEO Dan Morrow, Epworth Education Trust CFO Adeel Sahi, Bishop Fleming Audit Partner and Head of Education Pam Tuckett, and IMP Software Co-Founder Will Jordan – reviewed high-quality nominations from a wide range of trusts.

       

      Having chosen John Halstead as the MAT Finance Leader of the Year, the judges commented:
      “John has led centralisation and GAG pooling at Consilium Academies, delivered cost savings within the trust’s administrative functions of over £1.4 million and ensured that the resources available are utilised to have the most significant impact on students. In the process, school leaders who had lost confidence in the previous financial leadership of the trust, have been re-engaged.

       

      “John’s ability to build a finance team who go out of their way to support all schools is also impressive. Excellent customer service is often the forgotten part of a strong finance function, and perhaps the hardest to instil into your team as a leader. However, John has managed that successfully whilst also spearheading some key changes across the trust.”

       

      John Halstead, Chief Finance and Operating Officer at Consilium Academies and MAT Finance Leader of the Year, said:

      “Winning this award is a huge honour and something that our entire team has made possible. At Consilium Academies we truly are a team who cares about every member of our community, and that drives everything we do. It is essential that we have the best possible and most equitable financial processes in place so that we can offer the right support at the right time to every one of our students and staff, so that they can thrive and deliver on our ambitious promises every day.”

       

      IMP Co-Founder Will Jordan said:

      “Congratulations to John, and indeed all our winners and runners-up. We were blown away by the quality of entries this year and, whilst it is a cliché, choosing a winner for each category was a really difficult task. In our work we see the impact of trust finance teams every day and are pleased to shine a spotlight on their contributions through the MATFAs. “As our new insight report, The 2030 MAT Growth Challenge: Effective Strategies and Systems, demonstrates MAT finance teams are critical for supporting expansion and sustainability in the sector going forward.”

       

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    • HEADTEACHER MAKING A REAL DIFFERENCE TO THE MENTAL WELLBEING OF CHILDREN

      Published 17/02/23

      Consilium Evolve school’s headteacher Robert Bell and his staff are making a real difference to improve the mental wellbeing of school refusers who’ve dropped out of mainstream education in the city and are now being given a second chance to fulfil their potential.

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    • FORMER INTERNATIONAL RUGBY STAR GEORGE FOUCHE INSPIRES ARMTHORPE ACADEMY STUDENTS ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

      Published 16/02/23
      This half term, Armthorpe Academy, part of Consilium Academies, welcomed former international and premiership rugby star George Fouche into school to share with them his story as an example that dreams can always be fulfilled.   Doncaster
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    • CONSILIUM EVOLVE COMMUNITY LEARN TOGETHER ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

      Published 15/02/23
      Every term Consilium Evolve is bringing together its community to learn and explore the important issues facing their young people, last term they learned about the effects of mental health and the tools that can be used to enable every child to succ
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    • WASHINGTON STUDENTS CROWNED REGIONAL ROBOTICS CHAMPIONS

      Published 09/02/23

      Washington Academy students win regional robotics challenge and are set to compete in national championships

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    • THORNHILL ACADEMY STUDENTS 'GIVEN THE CHANCE TO SHINE' AT SUNDERLAND VS FULHAM GAME

      Published 09/02/23

      Students were rewarded for excellent attendance and behaviour 

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    • THORNHILL ACADEMY TO CREATE MEMORIAL AS IT REMEMBERS VISITING HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR ZIGI SHIPPER

      Published 06/02/23
      Thornhill Academy was saddened to hear of the death of Auschwitz survivior Zigi Shipper, who passed away on January 18 on what was also his 93rd birthday. His death was given extra prominence as it came just nine days before International&nbs
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    • WASHINGTON ACADEMY WINS FUNDING BID FROM LOCAL COUNCIL TO SUPPORT FUNDRAISING PROGRAMME ​​​​​​​

      Published 03/02/23

      Washington receives £500 to aid work with Newcastle’s neonatal hospital.

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    • LOCAL STUDENTS CHOSEN AS FLAG BEARERS FOR SUNDERLAND A.F.C MATCH ​​​​​​​

      Published 30/01/23

      Thornhill Academy students “given the chance to shine” at Sunderland vs Middlesbrough game

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    • DURHAM POLICE COMMUNITY DOGS VISIT WYVERN ACADEMY’S ‘CRITTER CLUB’ ​​​​​​​

      Published 20/01/23

      Wyvern students learn about importance of animals to society as part of animal education club

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    • DONCASTER SCHOOL IS FIRST TO TRIAL FOOD EDUCATION GAME APP ​​​​​​​

      Published 10/01/23

      Armthorpe Academy in Doncaster is the only school nationally to be chosen to trial a new gaming app which is raising awareness of healthy eating and nutrition, as part of a partnership with the University of Leeds.

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    • MAT of the Year!

      Published 03/01/23

       

      Consilium Academies has been named as Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) of the Year at The National Schools Awards 2022, which took place on 1 December at the House of Lords in London.

      Selected from a strong field of academy trusts, we have been recognised as a trust with a clear vision, organisational strategy, and culture of collaboration, which is leading to better outcomes for every child in their care. The judges commented that Consilium is a trust that lives and breathes its values and does not rest on its laurels.

      We have an exemplary strategic vision to put funding back into the classroom and provide an excellent learning experience for every child across its nine schools in the North West, North East and Yorkshire. In 2020, Consilium introduced a centralised pool of funding and resources to give every one of its 6,236 students exactly the same opportunities. 

      Consilium schools have worked collaboratively to share ideas and best practice, especially in the face of challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, while placing a focus on the arts at the heart of the curriculum and wider school life, including enabling every student to have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. Consilium schools have shown rapid improvements as a result, with all nine schools receiving either ‘Good’ or improving Ofsted outcomes since 2019.

      The National Schools Awards 2022 brought together over 250 school and MAT leaders alongside frontline practitioners, to reward their contributions to the education sector over the past year. As the sector continues its journey towards recovery from the pandemic, as well as ongoing funding and recruitment challenges, the Awards celebrate the achievements of schools and leaders in uncertain times.

      The judges of MAT of the Year 2022, Tim Bowen, Immediate Past President of the NAHT, and Steve Edmonds, Director of Advice and Guidance at the National Governance Association, said:
      “It was a privilege to be part of the judging team that awarded Consilium Academies the award for MAT of the Year at the 2022 National School Awards. We agreed unanimously that, amongst a strong field of shortlisted trusts, Consilium stood out for their clear vision, organisational strategy and culture of collaboration leading to better outcomes for every child. It was clear that this is a trust that lives and breathes their values and does not rest on its laurels. They are a role model for the sector.”

      David Clayton, Chief Executive at Consilium Academies, said:

      “We are so honoured to have been named as MAT of the Year 2022. At Consilium, we are a team that really cares about every member of our community. And we mean it.

      “So, for our dedicated team to be celebrated and recognised in this way, for the focus they all place on giving all our children the best opportunities and care is the most wonderful accolade we could ask for.

      “Over the last few years, our team has achieved incredible things – from supporting our students through the challenges of the pandemic, to improving the performance of every one of our schools. Which is all made possible because of our collaborative ethos and focus on equity for every child in our care.”

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