Advance Learning Partnership (ALP) is a multi-academy trust comprising 22 primary and secondary schools across County Durham.
Since its establishment in 2017, ALP has developed a robust educational blueprint that has strengthened the quality of education across its schools, transforming the life chances of the children it serves. As a ‘family of schools’, ALP academies work collaboratively under a shared vision and a common set of values.
Central to the Trust’s ethos is a commitment to “Financial Efficiency Focused on the Child”, ensuring resources are optimised to deliver the best possible outcomes for every pupil.
The Challenge: Implementing a scalable, consistent budget system to streamline MAT budgeting
ALP is firmly committed to financial sustainability and effective financial management. Central to its strategic priorities is the emphasis on “strong and effective financial management underpinned by robust systems, structures and processes”. This ensures that resources are managed efficiently to minimise risks, maximise value, and ultimately deliver the best possible educational experience for every child.
Alongside this, ALP’s growth strategy focuses on “long-term financial stability and informed financial decision-making” to support its growth aspirations; its financial strategy is designed to complement the Trust’s growth objectives to ensure ambitions are supported by a sustainable and resilient financial framework.
As the Trust continued to grow, it became clear that its existing budget system was no longer scalable to support its increasing demands. The system lacked the level of centralisation necessary to maintain a consistent approach to budget setting. Key processes, such as implementing pay scales, remained manual and time-consuming, requiring uploads to each individual location. Recognising the need for greater efficiency, transparency and accuracy in financial operations, Claire Oates, ALP’s Chief Operating and Financial Officer, took proactive steps to explore an alternative budgeting, forecasting and reporting tool that could better serve the Trust’s evolving needs.
The Solution: MAT-first budgeting software, providing greater “confidence and clarity”
For Claire, and Advance Learning Partnership, there was only one clear choice to support this critical strategic and operational mission.
“I was already familiar with Will Jordan, Co-founder of IMP Software, from his previous work in the sector and had seen demonstrations of IMP Planner at various events,” Claire explained. “We began our implementation journey in February 2023, and the impact was immediate. Reporting improved significantly, giving us far greater confidence and clarity at both Trust and individual school levels. We collaborated closely with IMP on the forecasting process, streamlining each stage, reconciling data and ensuring accuracy throughout.
“From where we started, IMP Planner has resolved all the challenges we faced. The platform is purpose-built for multi-academy trusts, they understand the complexities and challenges we deal with. Their team, many of whom are accountants, also appreciate how the system needs to function in a school and Trust environment. For us, it is become a single source of truth, consistent, user-friendly, and a significant time-saver. It also aligns with our digital strategy, providing a single point of entry for all our budgeting and forecasting needs.”
Caroline Munroe, Head of Finance, shared how IMP Planner has transformed the role of the finance team: “Put simply, we now have confidence in our figures. The standout feature is the reporting functionality and the wealth of information available at our fingertips. IMP’s ability to pull actuals directly from our finance system has significantly streamlined our forecasting processes. The system is incredibly user-friendly, allowing us to set clear access parameters and limit permissions by school level. For our Headteachers, IMP Planner has made it much easier to understand their financial position and plan effectively for the year ahead.”
Claire added: “The progress from the initial build to where we are now has been exceptional. The structured meetings, the support we have received, and the entire implementation process have been superbly managed by IMP.”
The Impact: A fully transparent system, supporting the MAT strategy and saving time
Claire highlighted how IMP Planner has developed into one of the most robust and sustainable systems implemented by ALP to support its schools. “Optimising financial effectiveness enables the continued investment in our schools, and with IMP, there is now a fully transparent budget planning process enabling Headteachers and Trust leaders to clearly and comprehensively understand both the current and future financial position,” she said.
“IMP Planner has significantly influenced our Trust’s financial planning, accelerating important conversations at both executive and Trustee levels and providing fast support for challenging discussions with Headteachers. This has been particularly valuable during a difficult external environment, such as navigating the impact of the Core Schools Budget Grant and the Teachers’ Pay Additional Grant, which are seamlessly built for you into IMP.”
Claire also emphasised the system’s practical benefits: “IMP Planner allows us to extract and share customised reports at Trust and individual school levels, while seamlessly integrating and bookmarking data to enhance reporting. This functionality delivers a clear, Trust-wide overview and instils confidence in our figures, thanks to its integrated features. For instance, we can set parameters for Trust-wide top-slice allocations, and the system manages the rest with precision. IMP continually innovates, introducing new features that enhance user experience. For instance, the AI chat tool allows us to quickly ask the system for assistance, saving time and ensuring we get the answers we need efficiently.”
The level of support from IMP Software has impressed Caroline too. “The work that the IMP development team did on automating school management accounts has saved so much time,” she said. “It was the same with the Budget Forecast Return, using the workbook in IMP Planner highlighted a few areas in our internal processes that we are now improving for next time. The relationship is exceptional, whether it is through the online chat or speaking directly with a team member, you always feel recognised and supported. The team genuinely wants to help and takes the time to understand what you are trying to achieve. Their approach is refreshing, personal and proactive, and the supporting webinars they offer are fantastic too.”
In 2023, as part of its commitment to continuous improvement, ALP also began working with IMP’s development team to integrate IMP ICFP into its curriculum and budget planning cycle, with the aim of further enhancing efficiency, improving effectiveness and streamlining reporting processes.
Case study developed: December 2024
