As part of Consortium Trust's ethos of establishing a collaborative working culture with a wealth of opportunities across our schools, we aim to host a Trust wide social event annually.

Past events have included:

2019 Gala - 6th July 2019

The Trust was delighted to host the third Gala Dinner & Dance at Ivy House Farm, Oulton Broad. 

Guests enjoyed a Champagne Reception followed by a 3 course Banquet Dinner and live music by Mark Anthony & the Funky Stuff Band with their varied repertoire of disco classics, soul sensations and Motown legends.

2018 Gala - 14th July 2018

Staff, Trustees, Members and Governors came together again this summer at Ufford Park, Woodbridge to celebrate the Trust's second year of successes and growth to nine schools. 

Following a champagne reception and banquet meal, the dance floor was bouncing with eager revellers dancing to the pop and rock classics by London band 'The Guns'.

2017 Gala - 14th July 2017

In July 2017, staff across our schools and the central team, together with representatives from our local governing bodies, members and trustees came together to celebrate the Trust's first anniversary with a champagne reception, followed by dinner and dancing by 'Bandit'!

We were kindly joined by Hektor Rous of Henham Park, who spoke of his love for Norfolk and Suffolk and the aspirations and inspirations of the people who live and work in them.

In recognition of the hard work and commitment which our staff bring to the Trust and our schools, we offer every staff member a 'Thank You Day' every academic year.  Specifics in relation to the entitlement are below:-

•  Staff must have been employed continuously by the Trust for at least one year.
• All staff are included in the scheme.
• All staff are invited to apply for a ‘Thank You Day’ - a paid day of leave – agreed between the staff member and their Line Manager/Academy Head.
• The ‘day’ of leave must be taken within an academic year and cannot be rolled forward or accumulated year on year.  
• Any untaken day in a given academic year is lost.
• Additional pay is not claimable if a ‘Thankyou’ day is worked and not taken.
• After 5 years continuous service with the Trust a further ‘Loyalty day’ may be requested increasing by a further 1 day for every additional 5 years continuous service with the Trust.

Unfortunately, where an individual staff performance is not at expectation (i.e. a Professional Improvement Plan is in place), the member of staff will not be entitled to exercise the reward while the intervention is in place.

Days agreed with the Line Manager may not incur additional costs to the Trust – i.e. replacing a teacher with supply cover or a cleaner with a contractor.

Days agreed with the Line Manager require mutual agreement, colleagues should be aware that the end of the Summer term and around the Christmas period are likely to be popular choices.  

The decision of the Line Manager is final and it should be understood that the scheme is implemented and administered in good faith.

We are delighted to advise that all Staff across the Trust may enjoy a Christmas lunch or alternative option at their school free of charge, to celebrate the festive season as a goodwill gesture from the Trust. This benefit is specifically for a two course Christmas lunch or alternative option, which is not exchangeable to be used on any other day, or for a lunch credit. 

All Christmas lunches should be pre-ordered with your school office.

The Trust permits staff to utilise extended school provision (Breakfast and After School Clubs) across the Trust, if it is required to allow the employee to work either side of core school hours. That provision can be at the school the pupil attends (if within the Trust) or any other school within the Trust. 

Staff who work during school holiday times can also utilise the Holiday clubs to enable them to work without the worry of childcare.  This provision is limited to school based activities and if any day trips are happening these will need to be paid for at the standard cost. The free provision does not extend to use of clubs when the employee is not working or extra-curricular after school clubs (such as judo, art, music etc).  These must be paid for in the same way as any other parent.

Breakfast and After school clubs can not be run for solely for employee children.  If the number of paying pupils drops to a level that the club would be cancelled, this must still happen. If the club were run just for employee children this would qualify as a benefit in kind and the value of the staffing would have to be declared to HMRC and would affect the tax code of the employees.

All places at Breakfast, After School or Holiday clubs must be booked directly with the Office Manager and marked on School Comms as a discretionary place. The number of places used will need to be advised to the Senior Audit Officer on request so that statutory HMRC P11D forms can be accurately completed.

The provision of a discretionary place is not considered to be a Benefit in kind by HMRC as the club is operating anyway to paying pupils and so staff would already be in place.  However, pupils attending Breakfast, After School or Holiday club are entitled to snacks, breakfast and drinks and this element is considered a Benefit in Kind by HMRC.

As such, we are legally required to declare to HMRC the value of the food and drink consumed by employee children discretionary places.  It has been agreed that a notional 50p per Breakfast club and £1 for Holiday Club and After School club.  The impact of this is that HMRC may adjust the tax code of the employee to the value of the benefit.

For Example:

A pupil attends Breakfast club and After School club 5 days each week and Holiday School for 1 week

                        Breakfast club        - 5 x 50p x 38 weeks   = £95

                        Afterschool club    - 5 x £1 x 38 weeks       = £190

                        Holiday School      - 5 x £1 x 1 week           = £5

Total Benefit in Kind = £290

HMRC would then adjust the Tax code, to reduce the personal allowance by £290. If you have the standard Tax code of £12,500, it would become £12,210 meaning that you would pay an extra £58 tax per year. If your earnings do not exceed the reduced personal allowance of £12,210 then you will not be affected as your income remains below the tax threshold.

This is a legal requirement as it was when we were Local Authority schools.

There will not be any recharging between schools if the child attends a school that is different to the location that the parent works at.