Human Resources

The central HR team is established, experienced and accessible. The team is dedicated to the Trust, and works closely with Headteachers, SLT, school HR staff and all staff.

The HR model for the Cranmer Education Trust is a centralised team providing an experienced, professional and comprehensive provision across the Trust, with local staff at each school having some HR responsibilities as well.

When schools are joining the Trust, the centralised HR team works closely with senior leaders to complete:

• HR due diligence, to understand the processes and culture currently in place as well as organisation information.  
• The TUPE process including staff consultation.
• The transfer of staff to the Trust’s payroll system which is an education specialised system and market leader, which supports complex and varied terms and conditions of employment and can be tailored to meet individual school requirements.

For Trust schools, the centralised team:

• Supports the school’s culture whilst embedding Trust culture.
• Are ambassadors of the Trust’s wellbeing strategy, working with Headteachers regarding their individual schools.
• Provides specialised HR advice, tailored to specific circumstances, and leads on employee relations cases including disciplinaries, grievances, sickness absence, ranging from low level cases to complex cases resulting in dismissal.
• Produces tailored management information that can help shape and inform decisions such as organisational design, key areas for improvement and recognising what is going well.
• Provides detailed advice on NJC and teachers’ terms and conditions, with a robust understanding of job evaluation. This allows the team to support Headteachers with structure and staff queries.
• Leads employment changes, including changes to terms and conditions, restructures and TUPEs.
• Supports headteachers with organisational design based on school needs and circumstances.
• Contributes to effective performance management across our family of schools.
• Has a comprehensive suite of HR policies based on legislation and best practice, which have been subject to union consultation, and approved by Trustees via a dedicated HR committee.
• Has effective and longstanding relations with unions. The Trust was the first Trust in Oldham to establish a JCNC in the local area, and the HR department continues to work effectively with representatives in North-East Manchester.
• Has effective and efficient systems and processes in place, such as recruitment, pre-employment check, the single central record, and payroll changes which will enable school staff to have ownership of their work and be confident in HR administration. The central team supports school-based staff with HR administration responsibilities with training providing at the start of the relationship and on an ongoing basis as needed.

HR at the Cranmer Trust is supported by a range of third-party organisations who are specialists in their areas, which in turn, is beneficial to each school in the Trust as and when this external support is required.

• An external legal team who are specialised in employment and academies.
• Occupational Health who undertake pre-employment checks as well as management referrals