For Multi-Academy Trusts, managing data efficiently is no mean feat and the challenges involved are amplified as MATs expand. The UK has over 1000 active MATs, predominantly consisting of 2-5 schools, and we’re seeing signs of MAT expansion over recent years as the average number of schools per MAT has continued to increase. In fact, only in 2022 the Department for Education stated in their Schools White Paper that the aim is for all academies to be a part of a MAT, or planning to join or form one, by 2030.

Whether or not that is a realistic goal, the principle remains the same - we’re seeing more academies joining or forming MATs, often for the associated financial and collaborative benefits. As SATs transform into MATs, or as MATs increase the number of academies within their network, challenges over data management begin to emerge. Data plays a critical role in modern education and how its collected, stored and utilised can have a significant impact on a trust’s overall performance. In this blog, we wanted to explore data management across large MATs, including steps that can be taken to make it work.

 

Data challenges for MATs

MATs need to deal with a vast amount of data from multiple sources: student records, attendance data, financial information, and curriculum planning are just a few examples of the data being handled on a daily basis. This data needs to not only be organised and secure, but also accessible to those who need it. MATs collect a wealth of information including student performance, wellbeing, parent and student satisfaction, and attendance rates just to name a few.

The unique challenge that MATs face is capturing that data from different schools, presenting a major hurdle for successful data management. A centralised approach is often used to ensure all data from all schools is stored and secured in a single ‘location’. This isn’t as simple as it sounds though, and depending on the effectiveness of data collecting and sharing processes, the likes of inconsistencies and discrepancies can start to occur. Inaccurate or incomplete data can have a significant impact on decision-making processes and hinder the overall effectiveness of the MAT. 

To complicate the matter further, MATs also need to navigate the complexities of data protection regulations, particularly General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Compliance with GDPR is crucial to safeguarding sensitive information and ensuring that data is used lawfully and ethically, where failure to comply can result in severe consequences, including hefty fines and damage to the reputation of the MAT.

 

Benefits of effective data management 

Despite the challenges, implementing effective data management practices can bring numerous benefits to MATs. A streamlined and centralised approach to data management can directly lead to more efficient operational processes, eliminate duplication and reduce the time spent on data entry and retrieval. This allows staff to focus on more value-added tasks and improves overall productivity.

By having access to accurate and up-to-date data, MAT leaders can gain valuable insights into the performance of individual schools and the trust as a whole, facilitating more informed decisions. This data-driven decision-making has been recognised by many as a key process for pushing the education sector forward as it allows for quantitative insights into every aspect of an institution.

Furthermore, when done well, data management supports collaboration and knowledge sharing within the trust. With a centralised data repository, staff from different schools can easily access and share information, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement. This enables the trust to identify best practices and replicate successful initiatives across all schools.

 

Best practices for managing data

We’ve mentioned ‘effective data management’ or ‘best practices’ a couple of times already, so let's explore what we mean by that. To effectively manage data across large MATs, several areas need to be explored:

1) Data governance framework: A data governance framework ensures that data is managed consistently, accurately, and securely across all schools within the trust. This includes defining data ownership, roles, and responsibilities, as well as establishing policies and procedures for data management.

2) Centralised data management system: A centralised data management system allows for easy access, sharing, and analysis of data across the trust. This eliminates duplication and ensures data consistency and accuracy. Cloud-based solutions can provide the scalability and flexibility required for large MATs.

3) Data audits and quality checks: Conducting regular data audits and quality checks is essential to maintain data integrity. This involves identifying and resolving inconsistencies, errors, and duplications in the data. Data audits and strategies for MATs is a service we provide at Novatia, using our decades of experience providing IT support to the UK education sector.

4) Staff training: MATs must prioritise data protection and security to protect sensitive information, and one of the most effective ways of doing this is by properly educating and training staff via workshops, meetings and training courses. Staff in all departments will benefit from understanding how data is used and managed within their workplace.

5) Data analytics and reporting: Leveraging data analytics tools can provide a MAT-wide view of performance and data, helping to identify trends, patterns, and areas for improvement. Modern platforms will often utilise artificial intelligence to provide real-time insights and recommendations based on even the most recent data.

6) Data protection and security: Encryption, access control and even blockchain technology can help keep data safe from tampering and cyber threats. Many data management systems will have these features built-in, and third-party cybersecurity services are available to provide MATs with extra reassurance. Data breaches and compromised personal information of staff, students and parents is catastrophic and near impossible to recover from.

 

Making sense of MAT data

We are IT specialists in the UK education sector and have worked with over 20 MATs providing services including data audits, procurement and strategy development. We understand the importance of not only protecting data but also making it actually work for MATs. There’s no benefit to having robust systems that provide in-depth data analytics and insights if it's not properly understood by the people using it. 

We have developed a 5 step approach that MAT senior leaders and decision-makers can use to get a clearer picture of where they’re at with data management, where we can support in delivering each step if required:

1) Data Vision - MAT leaders must first determine how they want data to be used, including any objectives and goals, to enable a clear approach.

2) Data Audit - Explore the whole data management process currently used, identifying the gap between the current situation and where MAT leaders would like the data to be, in order to fulfil the data vision. Is the data accurate? How is it being collected and stored? Does the data provide us with any meaningful insights?

3) Actionable Plan - You know what your data needs are and what your current situation is. It is now possible to develop an action plan to close the gap. We often recommend that an action plan includes how to create a culture of good data collection and usage in order to reduce errors, duplication and poor trust of the data. 

4) Tools & Resources - There are a whole host of tools and resources available to MATs that aim to deliver on various aspects of data management, if not all. We’d recommend consulting with Novatia as independent, vendor-agnostic experts and exploring the market fully to best determine which are most suitable for your requirements.

5) Implementation - Now that the goals have been set and a plan has been made, it's time to implement the necessary changes. Our team can make this happen, always keeping you in the loop and aware of what's happening. We also ensure that the processes are understood by spending time with you after implementation.

To find out more about how we can help with your data management challenges, contact us here and a member of our team will be in touch to discuss your enquiry.

 
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