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May 2017Dear ApplicantAssistant Financial Control ManagerPermanent, 37 hours per week, all year roundGrade 9, Points 30 to 34, 26,821 to 30,152 p/aThank you for your interest in our recent advertisement for the above position at BluecoatAcademies Trust. I have pleasure in enclosing details.Bluecoat Academies Trust is seeking to appoint an Assistant Financial Control Manager towork alongside the Financial Control Manager to provide accurate accounting reports and anefficient, high quality financial service to the Trust.We are a highly successful Trust, with an expanding number of academies serving studentsin Nottingham city between the ages of 3-19 years and operating across a growing numberof campuses. The growth and development of our Multi-Academy Trust makes this anexcellent opportunity to join us as this provides excellent professional developmentopportunities.The successful candidate will be an integral part of the Finance Team and we welcomeapplications from candidates who have good technical knowledge and are self-motivated,able to prioritise and work to deadlines with excellent communication skills.Please see below for further details in relation to the Trust and the post, including a jobdescription and person specification.To formally apply for one of these positions, please complete the application form availablefrom the vacancies section of our website, www.bluecoat.uk.com and submit torecruitment@bluecoat.uk.com clearly demonstrating your suitability for the role. Pleasenote that the deadline for applications is 9am Monday 12th June, with interviewsprovisionally scheduled to take place week commencing 19th June 2017.Due to the number of applications we receive, it is with regret that we cannot respond toevery application, if you do not hear from the Trust within two weeks of the deadline, pleaseassume that on this occasion your application has unfortunately not been successful.I look forward to receiving your application.Yours sincerelySian HamptonExecutive Principal
BLUECOAT ACADEMIES TRUSTBluecoat Academies Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfareof children and young people. All staff and volunteers are therefore expected tobehave in such a way that supports this commitment.Information for ApplicantsAssistant Financial Control Manager
INTRODUCTION AND TRUST OVERVIEWBLUECOAT ACADEMIES TRUSTBluecoat Academies Trust was formed in April 2014 as a result of the very long andsuccessful history of Bluecoat Academy. Bluecoat Beechdale Academy (previously HaddenPark High School) formally joined the Trust on 1 April 2014, and in January 2015 we openedour brand new Church of England Primary Academy.Bluecoat Academy is the lead academy and is a highlysuccessful, oversubscribed, 11-19 academy operating acrosstwo campuses within the city. Bluecoat Beechdale Academy isa growing academy which has benefitted from a very real andpositive impact as a result of joining the Trust in April 2014.The creation of our Church of England Primary Academy, is themost recent stage of the Trust’s growth. We regard the growthof our Multi Academy Trust as an excellent opportunity forpotential candidates to join us as we seek to serve a growingnumber of young people across the region.Our aim as a Trust is to provide an excellent education for young people in the City ofNottingham, to be recognised nationally and internationally as we develop our innovativeapproach to inclusive, enriching and balanced cross curricular teaching, preparing youngpeople for lifelong learning based firmly on our Christian principles.BLUECOAT ACADEMYWith over 2000 students (including almost 500 in the Sixth Form) across two sites in the Cityof Nottingham, Bluecoat is a large, exciting and challenging place to work. We have a historyof very successful exam results and pride ourselves on creating a curriculum for each studentthat gives them the best possible opportunities to succeed whilst maintaining ourcommitment to a broad and balancedcurriculum.Teaching and learning lie at the heart of theAcademy with considerable time and energydevoted to supporting our staff in becomingoutstanding teachers. In addition to giving ourstaff time, we have also invested heavily inBluecoat Academybespoke training which all middle and seniorAspley Lane Campusmanagers receive. This ethos is extended to allnon-teaching teams across the Trust with extensive training programmes for all teams bothwithin their specialist area and in developing key skills to facilitate career paths foreveryone.Members of our Senior Leadership Team have been designated as NCSL SLE’s (SpecialistLeaders in Education), providing support and advice for others regionally. Many of our staffhave or are undertaking MA’s in School Leadership and 14 other teaching staff memberscurrently undertaking master’s degrees in ‘Building Capacity in Research & Development’with Sheffield Hallam University. Many members of the support teams have also embarkedon professional qualifications supported by Bluecoat Academies Trust ranging from financequalifications to accredited Health and Safety practitioner qualifications. Ofsted rated us asgood with many outstanding features, with leadership and management as one of these
outstanding features. Our staff regularly present atlocal and national conferences. We believe ininnovation, risk taking and welcome new ideas.We play a full part in the City’s EducationalImprovement Partnership working with over 20primary schools and secondary schools. Weunderstand the importance of preparing our youngpeople for a global society.Bluecoat AcademyWollaton Park CampusOur international visits include Post 16 visits to South Africa, visits to The DominicanRepublic, Auschwitz, the Atlas Mountains Trek, our Italian exchange and visits to Austria,Germany, France, Switzerland and New York.Underpinning all of this is our Christian belief. We workclosely with the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham asBluecoat is a Church of England Academy. At its heart isthe belief that all students are unique and valued byGod. Our mission statement: ‘Believe; in yourself, inothers, in God’, sums up what we stand for.During the 2015/2016 academic year the Trust wereinspected by the Church of England under the remit ofStatutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist SchoolsBluecoat Academy(SIAMS) inspection with the Trust very proud to say thatSixth Formwe were judged as outstanding saying they were “Proudof its Christian foundation, the academy is explicit aboutits beliefs, values and ethos .The result is a harmonious community where all are respectedand valued for who they are”. We feel that this rating reflects the hard work andcommitment of a whole team of staff working together with students and parents.We are truly inclusive and pride ourselves on the wide range of students that attend ouracademy with a truly diverse intake. We have received national recognition for the work wedo with students who have special educational needs.Over the next academic year our hope is for Bluecoat Academy to be judged by Ofsted asoutstanding.BLUECOAT BEECHDALE ACADEMYBluecoat Beechdale Academy joined the Trust on 1st April 2014, since then staff, students,parents and governors have been working hard to make Bluecoat Beechdale Academy assuccessful as it can be. The Academy are extremely proud to say that it has recently beenrated as GOOD by Ofsted in March 2017.Much like our expansion into the Wollaton Park Campus ten years ago, it is believed therelationship will allow Bluecoat Academies Trust to bring greater opportunity to all of itscommunity members and enhanced outcomes for more local young people.Bluecoat Beechdale Academy is a growing academy, with over 650 students currently onroll. The numbers have increased each year since out sponsorship began and we aredelighted with the growing confidence that local families are expressing by making
Beechdale their first choice academy in increasing numbers. The academy has worked hardin preparation for the 2016/2017 intake to ensure a positive transition from primary throughto Year 7 with many of our staff having the opportunity to visit all of the feeder schools inorder to meet students and to ensure they have the best start possible in their neweducation journey.Bluecoat Beechdale Academy campus also hosts the Vocational Education Centre which ispart of Bluecoat Academy’s successful Sixth Form. Since opening in September 2014 with anannual intake of 80 students there hasbeen excellent provision for our Key Stage4 students to aspire to and plan for theirPost-16 options.Unlike Bluecoat Academy, BluecoatBeechdale is not formally designated as aChurch of England academy, but shares theethos and many of the Bluecoat values.Bluecoat Beechdale AcademyAttendance has risen from around 90% tobe at least in line with national averages at over 94% in only a few months. Exclusions havefallen significantly, as a result of our Behaviour Policy and system. The senior team andgoverning body, alongside some of the most experienced leaders from Bluecoat Academy,are driving improvement year on year.This year the Academy is very pleased to say that Bluecoat Beechdale Academy haveenjoyed their best results yet and a third consecutive set of improving GCSE outcomes. Initialindications show that the Academy has surpassed the government floor standard Progress 8accountability measure.Teachers and support staff benefit from a comprehensive programme of CPD, oftenalongside colleagues from Bluecoat Academy and across the Trust.CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY ACADEMYBluecoat Academy Church of England Primary opened in January 2015 representing furthergrowth for the Trust creating an all through learning experience from ages 3 to11. ThePrimary Academy is an integral part ofBluecoat Academy benefitting from theChristian ethos, all the shared servicesand vibrancy of the well-establishedacademy and staffing body. The PrimaryAcademy is located on the site next toBluecoat Beechdale Academy.There are strong links between theprimary and secondary schools, whichBluecoat Academy Primarypresents exciting opportunities for crossphase learning and integral linksbetween primary and secondary provision of great advantage, including transition work,academically more able work and enriched programmes of teaching and learning.
The Primary Academy is led and managed by an experienced Head of School. As the schoolis in its early stages of growth, it also receives support from the SLT at Mellers PrimarySchool, including an Executive Head via a secondment for two days per week.The school has just moved into the newly built, state of the art building on Harvey Road. Itcurrently educates 180 students from Reception to Year 3. Each year the school willwelcome 60 new Reception children until the school is full from Reception to Year 6. InSeptember 2017, the school will also open a 26 place Nursery and a Focus Provision forchildren with ASD. The new building has been designed to create a wonderful learningenvironment for children to help us maximise their opportunities to flourish whilst in ourcare.Bluecoat Church of England Primary Academy is a happy, dynamic, vibrant and well-orderedenvironment. Ours is an exciting environment in which to work, with pupils from a range ofcultural backgrounds. Our pupils have very positive attitudes towards their learning andtheir behaviour.We aim to provide education for the children in the city of Nottingham. This Primary Phaseallows Bluecoat Academy to intervene earlier in children's lives to provide hope, aspirationand education to be whatever they believe they can be. We aim to provide educationwhere: We can dream, imagine and be inspiredEveryone is unique and valuedEnquiry and creativity lead to successChildren are safe, happy and independentLearning is fun, innovative and challenging.THE FINANCE TEAMThe Finance team at the Trust is a small, hardworking team and although we are based atBluecoat Academy’s Aspley Lane Campus, we are responsible for finance across the wholeTrust.We aim to be a strong, supportive team capable of meeting our statutory obligations andensure effective support for teaching and learning throughout academies. We work closelyalongside all stakeholders, in particular the Business Managers at each academy and ourcolleagues in other central teams such as IT and HR.THE VACANCYThe Assistant Financial Control Manager will be an integral member of the Finance Team andwill work closely alongside the Financial Control Manager to ensure the accurate financialreporting function of the team.We are looking for a resilient, hard worker who is capable of working to tight deadlines andunder pressure, someone who has the ability to re-prioritise at short notice and who canshow initiative, and be pro-active. They need to be an excellent communicator, and willneed to be able to build good working relationships with staff across all of our sites. Soundtechnical knowledge and ability is vital to meet the complexities of the role.
SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLEBluecoat Academies Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare ofchildren and young people. All staff and volunteers are therefore expected to behave insuch a way that supports this commitment. Appointment to this post will be subject to thefollowing satisfactory pre-employment checks: HealthIdentityRelevant work qualificationsRight to work in the UKTeacher Prohibition Check (for teaching staff)Barred List Check (previously List 99)Disclosure & Barring Service Check (for all staff and volunteers)ReferencesChildcare Disqualification Declaration Check (relevant Primary School posts only)APPLICATIONSFor further information and a copy of the job description, person specification andapplication from please visit our websites www.bluecoat.uk.com orwww.bluecoatbeechdale.uk.com.Closing date: 9am, Monday 12th June 2017Provisional Interview date: Week commencing, Monday 19th June 2017If you have any queries, wish to discuss the role or visit the Academy informally or requireany assistance accessing the application form, please do not hesitate to contact us asfollows:Email: recruitment@bluecoat.uk.comTelephone: 0115 929 7445
Bluecoat Academies Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare ofchildren and young people. All staff and volunteers are therefore expected to behave insuch a way that supports this commitment.JOB DESCRIPTIONAssistant Financial Control ManagerResponsible to:Finance Control ManagerGrade:9Job Description Issue Date:September 2016
Job Purpose The postholder will work under the direct supervision of the Financial ControlManager processing transactions utilising the Trust’s finance software, ensuring thatthe accounting reports reflect an accurate picture of the Trust’s financial position. The postholder will analyse and interrogate the financial data to ensure accuracyand provide useful and relevant information to stakeholders as requested.General Responsibilities Support the overall Christian ethos of the Trust. Demonstrate a commitment to safeguarding children. Provide first aid assistance to staff, students and visitors. Be aware of and comply with policies and procedures relating to child protection,health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, copyright etc.reporting all concerns to line manager. Be aware of and support difference and ensure equal opportunities for all. Contribute to the overall aims of the Trust. Develop and implement own skills Be professional, friendly, fair and firm with students, demonstrating the sort ofpoliteness and respectfulness that we wish them to emulate. Be friendly, helpful and welcoming to stakeholders visiting or making contact withthe Trust. Show a record of excellent attendance and punctuality. Adhere to the Trust’s dress code. Work cooperatively as part of the Finance Team, covering absence, vacancies andsupporting colleagues at times of heavy workload to ensure a seamless service to allstaff, students, parents and other stakeholders. Undertake any other duties which may reasonably be regarded as within the natureof the duties and responsibilities/grade of the post as defined.Specific Responsibilities Performing bank reconciliations including dealing with banking queries and anychanges to signatories. Provide oversight of cash handling, banking and other transactional processes,providing guidance to the team on ensuring consistent and appropriateimplementation of policy, procedures and legislation and accounting standards. Checking, processing and payment of staff expense claim forms. Perform checks of all new suppliers and recommend for approval to the ApprovedSupplier list. Carry out annual review of all suppliers on the approved suppliers listto ensure their continued status and risk assessment. Be aware of coding structures and be vigilant for inconsistent usage of nominal orother codes reporting uncertain instances to the Financial Control Manager. Be responsible for the credit control function. Negotiate payments with debtors.Devise complex charging structures for lettings taking into account current VATlegislation and regulations Processing income onto the Trust’s finance system, with due regard for the Trust’scoding structures; including invoiced income, cashless catering income, trip income,grants, income from the Trust’s online payment system. Be responsible for tracking income and following up on any discrepancies toexpected income with Budget Holders/Business Managers/EFA/outsideagencies/others.
Regular production of statutory reports, tax reports (including monthly VAT return),reports to the DFE/EFA and other ad hoc reports as directed.Maintaining the Fixed Asset Register, ensuring depreciation, additions and disposalsare correctly accounted for.Update and manage the asset management software, ensuring any changes arecorrectly and promptly recorded. In conjunction with the Financial ControlManager manage the annual verification of assets and calculate and processdisposals, losses and additions.Assist the Financial Control Manager to process budget information onto theaccounting system.Carry out month end procedures for approval by the Financial Control Manager.Assist the Financial Control Manager in the production of the Financial StatementsAssist the Financial Control Manager in the production of regular cash flowforecasts.Downloading and disseminating the monthly payroll reports for Business Managersto authorise.Calculation and processing of recharges across academies and other service linesacross the Academy Trust, liaising with Business Managers and Budget Holders toensure re-charges are comprehensive and complete and the appropriateauthorisations have been gained.Assist the Financial Control Manager in consolidating management accounts for theTrust.Assist the Financial Control Manager in preparing EFA return as required.Assist the Financial Control Manager with the development of financial processesand internal controls.Prepare benchmarking analysis across academies in the Trust as well as acrossacademies nationwide.Preparing costings information for purchases/projects or other requests, as andwhen require.Provide support for the Academy Trust’s tendering process and contractmanagement.Maintaining the online payment system, including setting up new payment items,downloading information, producing reports, analysis and letters as required.Processing Payroll variances and other HR data as required.Filing and storing documentation including annual archive and purging.Interrogating the financial data and preparing reports and analysis as requested.Assist the Financial Control Manager in preparing information for internal andexternal audit visits and requests.Provide first aid as needed for staff, students and visitors.Staff ConductWe are professional people and expect professional conduct (behaviour and language)based on mutual respect, good manners, politeness and common courtesies for all membersof our community - adults and students. Physical violence, verbal abuse and swearing istotally unacceptable and not tolerated. Employees are in loco parentis and also expected tomaintain a professional relationship with students. Staff will be fully supported by theAcademy at all times in carrying out the behaviour policy.Dress CodeAt Trust we expect staff to wear professional, business not casual, clothes.
Person SpecificationEssentialEducation and TrainingRelevant higher educationRelevant accounting or financequalification e.g. AAT, ACCA, CIPFA, ICAEWTake responsibility for own professionaldevelopment and be willing to partake infurther in-service or external staffdevelopment and training.Possess or must be willing to train for theFirst Aid at Work or Emergency First Aid atWork qualification approved by the HSE asrequested.ExperiencePrevious experience of working in accountsprocessing transactions and preparingreports.Previous experience of handling cash andall forms of income and expenditure.Experience of using computerisedaccounting packages.Professional SkillsStrong working knowledge of MicrosoftOffice packages. Excellent user of ExcelStrong accounting knowledgeunderstanding accounting legislation andstandards.Understanding of good practice controlswithin the finance area.An eye for detail being able to analysefinancial data, identify areas where errorsmay have been made.Personal QualitiesBe happy and have a sense of humourAbility to work flexibly to take on andchange responsibilities and task to meetthe ever changing needs of the TrustAn ability to work flexibly in a teamsituation whilst being able to prioritise,show initiative and work independently,ensuring key routine tasks are achievedwithin specified deadlines and financialcontrol cycles.Desirable**AA*I*A/I*A, I*A, I*A, I*A, E, I*A, E, I*A, I*A, E, I**II*I
Possess excellent organisational andcommunication skills and relate well with awide range of audiences, demonstrating anenthusiasm for working in an Academy andwith young people.Be honest and fair when dealing withstudents and staff.Commitment to Equal OpportunitiesWillingness to work within the Christianframework of the school.Bluecoat Academy is committed tosafeguarding and promoting the welfare ofchildren, young people and vulnerableadults. All staff and volunteers aretherefore expected to behave in such away that supports this commitment.All appointments are subject to asatisfactory DBS Check and other preemployment checksA ApplicationE ExerciseI InterviewO Other*I, O*I**II*I
successful history of Bluecoat Academy. Bluecoat Beechdale Academy (previously Hadden Park High School) formally joined the Trust on 1 April 2014, and in January 2015 we opened our brand new Church of England Primary Academy. Bluecoat Academy is the lead academy and is a highly successful, oversubscribed, 11-19 academy operating across
