Integrated Curriculum and Financial Planning (ICFP) has huge potential for Multi-Academy Trusts. But too often, it becomes a static, once-a-year task – a spreadsheet exercise that sits in isolation.
Done well, ICFP isn’t just a framework. It’s a lens for connecting curriculum ambition with financial reality – and it can drive more confident, strategic decisions across your trust.
Why ICFP often falls short
Many MATs struggle to embed ICFP fully. Common challenges include:
- Disconnected data – finance, staffing, and curriculum live in separate systems.
- Siloed teams – assumptions and timelines vary between schools, curriculum leads, and finance.
- One-off mindset – ICFP happens once a year, often as an afterthought after the budget is drafted, rather than at the right time ahead of budget setting to guide all your planning decisions.
- Limited trust-wide visibility – making it hard to compare schools and spot issues early.
- Cultural divides – curriculum and finance teams often speak different languages and approach ICFP from different angles, without a shared understanding of how it should work in practice.
The result? A powerful framework becomes a missed opportunity, and friction can still exist between curriculum and finance teams.
What effective ICFP looks like
When ICFP is embedded well, it’s:
- Continuous – part of day-to-day planning, not just an annual report.
- Integrated – actually living by the word, with planning and ICFP tools joined up in one view.
- Visible – giving leaders insight at both school and trust level.
- Collaborative – enabling better questions and challenge between teams.
- Actionable – supporting scenario modelling to test ideas and trade-offs.
Good ICFP unlocks better decisions about recruitment, delivery models, and how resources are deployed.
How IMP ICFP helps
Having the right tool makes embedding ICFP practical and sustainable. IMP ICFP helps trusts:
- Bring all relevant data into one place – no more juggling separate spreadsheets.
- Apply consistent assumptions across schools while respecting local context.
- Model scenarios quickly, testing different staffing or delivery options.
- Benchmark schools based on similar school types and trust priorities, with context always taken into account.
- Equip curriculum and finance leads with shared insights to guide strategic decisions.
The result is smarter, joined-up planning that connects people, numbers, and priorities.
Is your Trust getting full value from ICFP?
If your ICFP still lives in a spreadsheet – or only happens once a year – you’re likely missing the chance to make it truly strategic.
Used properly, ICFP becomes a live, collaborative process that helps your trust align plans and deliver better outcomes.
See how IMP ICFP helps over 500 trusts embed ICFP in a way that works.
