David Clayton, Chief Executive of Consilium Academies, based in Eccles, Salford, has been named MAT Finance Champion of the Year in a national awards scheme which celebrates the achievements of individuals and teams working in education’s multi-academy trust sector.
The MAT Finance Champion of the Year category was one of six at The MAT Finance Awards, sponsored by specialists in MAT budgeting and financial management software IMP Software which works with over 120 Trusts. This particular category recognises inspirational MAT leaders who at a strategic level champion innovative practice around MAT finance and/or who motivate and inspire the core team to achieve success through effective leadership.
David was one of six individuals shortlisted for the award having been nominated by the Trust’s Director of Finance and Operations John Halstead. An expert judging panel – comprising Confederation of School Trusts CEO Leora Cruddas, Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) CEO Stephen Morales, Dartmoor MAT CEO Dan Morrow, L.E.A.D Academy Trust Deputy CEO Bobby Thandi, Bishop Fleming Audit Partner and Head of Education Pam Tuckett, and IMP Software Co-Founder Will Jordan – reviewed nearly 100 nominations across the board.
Having chosen David for the MAT Finance Champion of the Year prize, the judges commented: “David Clayton was nominated for this award for his tireless work in ensuring all students within Consilium Academies have access to an equitable education. As part of this, he has championed the adoption of GAG pooling within the Trust, which helps drive value of equity across the Trust. Through his hard work, all members of the finance team (and wider teams) work with the values of equity and integrity at the forefront of everything they do. David is clearly an exceptional role model with a deep understanding of finance underpinned by his background as a Chartered Accountant. He has a keen eye for detail to ensure maximum resource makes its way into the schools and into classrooms, while always achieving value for money. The finance team feel empowered to suggest new methods, come up with new ideas that may help to streamline processes and make life easier for school-based staff.”
David, who has been Chief Executive of Consilium Academies since July 2019, said: “I am thrilled to have won this year’s MAT Finance Champion of the Year award. There were so many amazing nominees in my category and I feel honoured to have been selected with them. My approach to MAT finance, and leading the Trust itself, is to always put students and staff at the forefront of the decision-making process, while ensuring the Trust remains a beacon of good practice for regulatory compliance. I ensure our staff are empowered to suggest new methods and ideas that can streamline processes, ultimately leading our school-based staff to focus on the quality of education they are providing. Our mission at Consilium Academies is to transform the life chances of every member of our Trust – whether student or staff –therefore, by incorporating progressive systems that align and support these values we can truly succeed and see our communities thrive. Additionally by championing efficient financial planning, to direct maximum resource into schools and classrooms, it means we have the greatest impact on our students and staff.”
IMP Software Co-Founder Will Jordan added: “It was only 12 months ago that we first had the idea to set up The MAT Finance Awards given the gap we perceived for MAT finance leaders, teams and wider Trust champions to be recognised and rewarded through such an awards scheme. We wanted individuals and teams to come forward with their nominations, and to hear from both unsung heroes as well as leading lights in the sector, through providing a unique platform for MAT finance professionals to celebrate their hard work, share best practice and showcase their impact across all categories. We were overwhelmed by the response and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for submitting such fantastic nominations, engaging with this project and helping to shine a light on the great work that is taking place within the sector. The judging process was a really tough challenge, reviewing nearly 100 nominations and picking winners for each category, from a truly inspirational set of entries. Congratulations to all the winners, and all those highly commended runners up. Given the number of worthy nominations received, being shortlisted was also a terrific achievement. We look forward to repeating these awards in 2022.”
