Professional Services Offer
We are proud to be able to provide a range of high quality, value for money professional services to schools and MATs across the UK.
Our team of experienced leaders have crafted the service offering below to support your organisation in development, through services and even in times of crisis.
Our internal scrutiny programme, delivered by professionals with a sound and current working knowledge of MAT leadership, can provide boards and leaders with the assurance they need required to know where your organisation is and any actions required to move forwards.
Business Continuity and Resilience
Incident and Crisis Management
Incident and crisis management (ICM) is the process used to manage events that can, or could, lead to a disruption, loss, emergency or crisis requiring urgent attention or action. No matter what kind of incident your school faces, you need to be able to respond quickly and effectively. That's why we offer a service that helps you manage any incident, from minor emergencies to major crises.
What do we offer?
Our team of experts will help you prepare, respond, and recover from any situation, whether it's a fire, a flood, a lockdown, educational visit incident or a breach. We'll also help you maintain your compliance and resume your normal operations as soon as possible. With our service, you can trust that your school/MAT will be safe, secure, and resilient in any incident.
We offer access to our 24/7 Emergency Operations Centre and incident management software as well as a named incident manager to support at strategic, tactical and operational levels, based on the severity of the incident or crisis.
Our services include:
- Incident and crisis management training for leaders
- Access to our 24/7 Emergency Operations Centre (EOC)
- Qualified incident manager allocated to your incident (on-site or remote) through the response and recovery phase
- Access to our incident and crisis management software to enable full oversight of your incident
- Conduct reviews and investigations to drive learning from incidents
How to get started?
If you are interested in our ICM service, please contact us at services@voyage-education.org or 01205 331900.
Business Continuity Management
What is business continuity management?
Business continuity management (BCM) is the process of identifying, analysing, and managing the risks and impacts of potential disruptions to your school/MAT's operations. BCM helps you to prepare for, respond to, and recover from any incident that may affect your organisation, such as loss of property, natural disasters, cyberattacks, pandemics, or supply chain disruptions.
Why do you need business continuity management?
Business continuity management is essential for any organisation that wants to protect its reputation, assets, staff, learners, and stakeholders from the consequences of unexpected events. By implementing BCM, you can:
- Reduce the likelihood and severity of learning interruptions
- Minimise the financial, operational, and reputational losses
- Comply with regulatory obligations
What do we offer?
We offer a comprehensive and customised BCM service that covers the entire lifecycle of business continuity planning, implementation, testing, and improvement. Our service includes:
- A thorough assessment of your business continuity needs, risks, and objectives
- A tailored business continuity strategy and plan that aligns with your goals and priorities
- A dedicated certified and experienced BCM professional who will guide you through the process and provide ongoing support
- A suite of tools and templates that will help you document, communicate, and execute your business continuity plan
- A regular review and testing of your business continuity plan to ensure its effectiveness and relevance
- A continuous improvement process that incorporates feedback, lessons learned, and best practices
How to get started?
If you are interested in our BCM service, please contact us at services@voyage-education.org or 01205 331900.
Digital Services and Cyber Security
Cyber Incident Exercising
Cyber incidents are one of the most common and disruptive risks facing the education sector today. From ransomware attacks to data breaches, cyber incidents can compromise your organisation's operations, reputation, and legal obligations. That's why you need to be ready to respond quickly and effectively to any cyber event.
What do we offer?
Our cyber incident exercising (CIE) service helps you do just that. We design and deliver realistic and tailored scenarios that simulate real-world cyber attacks and test your school/MAT's response capabilities. Through these exercises, you can identify and address your strengths and weaknesses, improve your skills and procedures, and enhance your confidence and awareness. Our service also includes feedback and recommendations from our experts, as well as access to best practices and resources to help you improve your cyber resilience. Whether you want to test your technical, operational, or strategic response, we have a solution for you. Contact us today and find out how our cyber incident exercising service can help you protect your school from cyber threats.
How to get started?
If you are interested in our CIE service, please contact us at services@voyage-education.org or 01205 331900.
Cyber Incident Response
Protect your school/MAT from cyber threats with our incident response service (IRS).
Cyber incidents can have serious consequences for your organisation, such as data breaches, ransomware attacks, or system failures. They can disrupt your operations, damage your reputation, and expose you to legal and regulatory risks. That's why you need a reliable partner who can help you detect and respond to cyber threats.
What do we offer?
Our incident response service is designed for the education sector and tailored to your specific needs. We offer a range of services, including. We'll provide you with 24/7 support in the event of a cyberattack. We'll help you contain, investigate, and resolve the incident, as well as recover your systems and data.
With our incident response service, you can enhance your cyber security posture and reduce your exposure to cyber incidents. You can also improve your compliance with data protection laws and regulations, and demonstrate your commitment to cyber hygiene. Don't let cyber incidents disrupt your school. Contact us today and find out how we can help you protect your school from cyber threats.
How to get started?
If you are interested in our IRS service, please contact us at services@voyage-education.org or 01205 331900.
Educational Visits Support
Our Educational Visits Advisory Service is designed to support schools and educational institutions in enhancing their learning outside the classroom experiences. Drawing from the OEAP national guidance, our service offers expert advice, guidance, and training to ensure that off-site educational visits are conducted safely, effectively, and contribute to overall school effectiveness.
Service Offerings:
- Policy and Operational Process Advice: Assistance in aligning school policies with employer requirements and OEAP National Guidance.
- Risk Management Support: Advice on risk benefit assessment and management to protect all stakeholders involved in educational visits.
- Training and Competency Development: Directing and delivering training for Educational Visit Coordinators (EVCs) and leaders to meet OEAP standards.
- Visit Planning and Evaluation: Support in planning visits that align with the school curriculum and evaluating their impact on student learning.
- Incident Management: Access to our highly trained incident managers to support your team in the event of an off-site visit emergency.
Our service is committed to promoting high-quality learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom, fostering an understanding of how outdoor learning and visits contribute to the broader educational landscape.
For more information on how our Educational Visits Advisory Service can benefit your institution, please contact us at services@voyage-education.org or 01205 331900.
Health, Safety and Estates
Health and Safety Incident Investigations
Our Health and Safety Investigation Service is an essential function, dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure working environment for your learners and employees. We can conduct thorough investigations of all health and safety incidents and near-misses, with the aim of preventing future occurrences and promoting a culture of safety.
Service Objectives:
- To promptly and effectively investigate health and safety incidents and near-misses.
- To identify the root causes of incidents and work with you to implement corrective actions to mitigate risks.
- To enable you to comply with all relevant health and safety legislation and internal policies.
- To educate and train staff on health and safety best practices and learnings from investigations.
Our service is delivered by a team of qualified health and safety professionals who utilise a systematic approach to investigate incidents. This includes gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, analysing data, and producing detailed reports with recommendations for improvement.
A proactive Health and Safety Investigation Service not only helps in maintaining legal compliance but also demonstrates the organisation's commitment to the well-being of its learners and employees. It can play a vital role in reducing workplace accidents, which in turn can lead to improved employee morale and productivity.
How to get started?
If you are interested in our incident investigation service, please contact us at services@voyage-education.org or 01205 331900.
Human Resources
Mediation Support
Our independent HR mediation service provides a confidential and voluntary process for resolving workplace conflicts. Led by an impartial, ACAS trained professional, mediation assists individuals in working through disagreements and reaching mutually acceptable solutions. Our outcome-focused approach helps prevent escalation and fosters positive working relationships.
Key features:
- Informal and Voluntary: Mediation is a non-adversarial process where parties voluntarily participate to find common ground.
- Impartial Third Party: Our skilled mediators guide discussions, ensuring fairness and neutrality.
- Conflict Resolution: We address various workplace issues, from communication breakdowns to interpersonal disputes.
- Early Intervention: Mediation prevents formal grievance procedures or costly legal routes.
- Outcome-Oriented: Participants collaborate to reach their own resolution.
How to get started?
If you need assistance with workplace conflicts, please contact us at services@voyage-education.org or 01205 331900.
Independent Investigating Officer Service
Our Independent Investigating Officer Service provides unbiased and comprehensive investigations into workplace allegations, ensuring due process and integrity throughout the investigative process. Drawing on best practices and adhering to legal and ethical standards, our service is designed to support organisations in resolving disputes and maintaining a fair and respectful work environment.
Service Offerings:
- Thorough Investigation: Conducting detailed investigations into allegations of misconduct, ensuring all relevant facts and evidence are considered.
- Impartiality: Maintaining neutrality and objectivity to ensure fair treatment for all parties involved.
- Expertise: Leveraging extensive experience in investigative procedures and employment law.
- Confidentiality: Ensuring sensitive information is handled with the utmost discretion.
- Recommendations: Providing clear and actionable recommendations based on the findings of the investigation.
- Support and Guidance: Offering support and procedural guidance to HR teams and management throughout the investigation process.
Our service is committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism and confidentiality, ensuring that your organisation can address and resolve issues with confidence and clarity.
For more information on how our Independent Investigating Officer Service can assist your organisation, please contact us at services@voyage-education.org or 01205 331900.
Internal Scrutiny
Internal Scrutiny is a critical component of your organisation's governance framework. It provides independent assurance to the board that both financial and non-financial controls, along with risk management procedures, are operating effectively. This service is mandated by Section 3 of the ESFA Academy Trust Handbook and is essential for maintaining strong governance, risk management, and control arrangements within your trust.
Service Objectives:
- To conduct a thorough program of internal scrutiny as per the trust's risk register and decisions made by the audit and risk committee.
- To deliver unbiased and valuable insights that contribute to the trust's overall effectiveness and efficiency.
- To ensure compliance with the Academy Trust Handbook and provide an annual report to the ESFA.
Service Delivery: Your trust has the flexibility to choose how the program of internal scrutiny is delivered, ensuring it aligns with the trust's unique needs and objectives. The service can be tailored to focus on specific areas of concern as identified by your trust's risk register and agreed upon by your governing board.
Value Proposition: An effective internal scrutiny function is not just about compliance; it adds real value to your trust by enhancing the effectiveness of internal controls and contributing to your trust's reputation for strong governance.
Reporting: Findings from the internal scrutiny will be reported to your appropriate governance committee, with an annual summary provided to the ESFA, ensuring transparency and accountability.
Conclusion: The Internal Scrutiny Service is an indispensable tool for your trust, ensuring that the highest standards of governance and control are maintained, thereby supporting your trust's mission to provide the highest quality education and opportunities for all learners.
Areas of Focus:
The financial and non-financial audit process can include:
- Financial Evaluation
- Budgeting
- Procurement
- Risk Profiling & Management
- Governance Review
- HR Processes & Reporting
- Health & Safety
- IT Systems & Cyber Security
- Estates & Facilities Evaluation
For more information on how our Internal Scrutiny Service can benefit your organisation, please contact us at services@voyage-education.org or 01205 331900.