CJK case study: Excalibur Academies Trust

Growth and merger can create significant opportunities for school trusts, but they also bring important decisions about how services should be organised and delivered.

Following the merger of two trusts, Excalibur Academies Trust faced a challenge familiar to many growing organisations: how to create a single operating model from two successful, but very different, approaches. One legacy trust operated through a highly decentralised model, while the other had embraced shared services. Rather than simply choosing one approach over the other, Excalibur wanted to understand what was working well, where inefficiencies existed, and how to design a model that would best support schools in the future.

Working in partnership with CJK, the Trust undertook a comprehensive review of its operational model, combining benchmarking, stakeholder engagement and operating model design. The review provided an evidence-based assessment of current arrangements, creating a clear baseline and a compelling case for change. Importantly, it was not viewed as a cost-cutting exercise, but as an opportunity to improve service quality, consistency and long-term sustainability.

The result was a fully costed blueprint for a future operating model, a roadmap for implementation, and a stronger foundation for future growth. As Alex Richardson, CFO at Excalibur Academies Trust, reflected, the partnership enabled the Trust to draw on experience from across the sector and "cherry pick the best" from different approaches to create a model that worked for Excalibur's unique context.

For trusts considering growth, merger or a review of their central services, Excalibur's experience demonstrates the value of combining independent benchmarking with genuine stakeholder engagement and collaborative design to create an operating model fit for the future.

CJK Excalibur case study FINAL.pdf

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