Employment & HR for Schools and Academy Trusts

Our specialist HR Consultants have extensive experience in advising on all aspects of HR as it relates to the education sector. We have a deep understanding of the context and structure in education, regularly advising schools on highly technical and complex matters, and can bring a wealth of experience to the queries you may have. Because we work with so many schools and academies, we can provide context in relation to our advice and are always able to add value and insight to the support provided.

We work sensitively and within the ethos of your organisation to provide bespoke solutions that meet your requirements. Our services are delivered by telephone/email advice, video call or on-site visits.

We provide a partnership approach and we are available to advise on all aspects of HR and employee relations. This includes:

Leading on and advising on complex casework (disciplinaries, grievances, sickness absence, capability etc)
Advice and support on STPCD, Burgundy Book, Green Book and other collective agreements including advice on pay awards and appeals
Guidance on individual contractual terms
Guidance on day to day management issues
Recommendations and review on Trust policies and procedures
Overview of your contract templates, and offer letters to ensure they meet legislative requirements and reflect the Trust pay policies

Talent Management and succession planning
Assistance with the management of the customary aspects of individual cases
Management training
Recruitment process including Employer Branding
Advice on Trade Union relations and attendance at meeting with trade unions if required.
Advice on Safer Recruitment and single central record in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education

We can offer a range of solutions and have no long terms contracts to tie you in:

Our HR retainer service allows you to fix the cost of your day to day requirements as well as build a relationship with a specialist team which can work alongside your senior management, Finance and HR team as well as individual schools and work with you on additional projects as necessary. This is a full telephone and email advice service, including the production of documents and letters to suit the issue that you are dealing with. We can also include in this service a package of visits. This service is costed in relation to the number of employees that you have. Please ask us for a quote.

You choose a set amount of telephone or email advice you would like each month, for example 10 hours, and we will quote you at a preferential rate. This will be less than our standard hourly rate and there is no expiration on the hours you purchase. With this service you will get written or telephone advice and can also include visits.

Should you need help with a specific project, such as a disciplinary investigation, a business transfer, restructure support, rewriting a staff handbook or attending your premises to provide training, we can quote you a fixed fee for a specific piece of work.

If you have very few HR issues, this service allows you to pick up the phone or email an HR Consultant as and when you need it. There is no monthly retainer fee, you only pay for what you use.

Rather than relying on promotional material, we refer you to our clients - all of whom are schools and academies just like you - to explain how they have found working with us:

	“A galactic difference in quality from that experienced with our previous HR provider. The main benefits being speed, quality and ‘can do’ rather than a risk-averse approach”. Chelmsford Learning Partnership
	“The HR team at Stone King are exceptional! As Head of HR I can confidently focus on strategic HR as I know all schools in our MAT are being well supported by the HR team. Thank you, HR team,” Greenshaw Learning Trust
	“The HR team at Stone King have a deep understanding of the issues in the sector and years of experience in advising education clients which really shows. They always provide options for us in terms of managing employee related queries and are readily available to assist us when we need them”. South Pennine Academies Trust
	“Is the retainer value for money? Yes. Not only for the advice offered and the speed of the service but also the considerate way advice is given. Care is taken to ascertain the real issues and the advice supplied is designed to resolve issues rather than be overly legalistic... Stone King have always been extremely effective in the HR and legal advice they offer us. In addition, they have been willing to act as sounding boards to help us formulate our thinking.” The Hoddleston Trust
	“I did check which firm they used and smiled when I found it was Stone King”. Ark Schools