Benefits for Schools

OWN Trust grew out of the success of its founding schools, and the desire to achieve together what we could not achieve alone. Working together is central to our vision, with staff and trustees learning collaboratively to create an ambitious and resilient Trust. All our schools commit to nurturing both staff and pupils to achieve their very best.

OWN Trust offers:

Support for wellbeing
We value the health and wellbeing of staff. It is through supporting them that we know we will get the best of support for the children in our schools. Support and guidance is provided across the Trust so that no-one feels alone. Additional access to the Employee Assistance Programme from Education Support is provided for all, offering a full range of emotional and practical support.

Governance & Compliance
Our Governance & Compliance Manager oversees a range of support including the provision of a comprehensive governor induction programme. New governors know what is expected of them in the role and how best they can provide challenge and support to their school. A pragmatic approach to the organisation and running of meetings helps ensure governors are not overwhelmed by responsibilities, but can genuinely feel they are having an impact on outcomes for children.

Challenge
We challenge our schools but, in line with our vision, do so in a way that nurtures leadership to get the best out of our leaders and staff. Working together as peers within the Trust helps staff from within to grow and learn together. OWN trust works with Education Development Trust as part of their School Partnership programme.

Diversity
Despite their close proximity, OWN Trust schools are very reflective of the diversity that is present in Peterborough. The different demographics of each school give rise to the need for a diverse set of skills from the Trust’s practitioners. However, the range of teaching, support staff knowledge, and the backgrounds and experience of all staff enables a broad base of support for such varying needs across the Trust.

Career opportunities
As a growing multi-academy trust OWN is well-placed to support a diverse and wide range of CPD and career opportunities, often not available in LA maintained and standalone schools. Talent identification and management are key to our internal school improvement practice.

Support
Never before have the benefits of support from a Trust been more evident than during the recent and ongoing pandemic. OWN Trust ensures all our schools are supported from day one, responding quickly to needs and identifying where support is needed most. This may be through physical attendance in school, but is also evident in supporting decision-making or strategic thinking.

Central Operations
OWN Trust has a growing central team that drive and support not only the business functions in all our schools, but also Estates management, HR and communications. Much of this centralisation frees up school support staff to develop more innovative ways of working and to focus on supporting provision for pupils and pupils’ outcomes.

Procurement
Working together as a Trust enables us to achieve better economies of scale that ease the pressure of challenging school budgets. Better deals, better systems and a central overview of what works best for schools, take away some of the headaches of procuring the best services and providing value for money.

Strength through leadership and partnership
OWN Trust has direct links to Teach East through its work in Initial Teacher training. Within the Trust, we also have specialist Leaders of Education who are all about developing leadership capacity, together with local leaders of education who work to make a significant contribution to supporting schools in their local area.