HR & Legal

The James Marks Academy Trust delivers a high quality HR service which enables each school to provide its staff with excellent working conditions and its pupils an environment in which they are able to achieve the best outcomes.

Under the remit of the Trust’s Executive Head and CFO, we offer:

1. Access to HR consultants 
2. Audit of HR practices, processes and systems
3. Equality and diversity guidance and training
4. HR consultancy covering:

•  Attendance, capability, disciplinary and grievance procedures
•  Bespoke training
•  Change management, staffing reviews and restructuring
•  Policies
•  Recruitment and retention of staff
•  Safeguarding
• Mediation to resolve workplace issues
• Strategic and operational HR support
• Updates on employment and education legislation

The trust works with HFL HR Services which comprises of a seasoned team of HR professionals with a range of experience across diverse backgrounds and different sectors, including education, public sector, not-for-profit and commercial organisations. 

HR service

A remote support service, providing unlimited phone and email advice and support in relation to any HR and people management topics.

This gives schools direct access to a credible, experienced  team who fully understand the educational environment and frameworks, and are committed to providing solution-focused guidance. The team have experience of supporting different educational settings through ensuring information is relevant, current and applicable.

Subscribers can also access the HR portal including model employment policies, toolkits, templates and guidance on a range of topics.

Including:

• disciplinary and capability issues
• absence management guidance 
• workplace conflict and grievances (including bullying, harassment and whistleblowing) 
• guidance and assistance with settlement agreements
• effective management of trade union negotiations/relations
• general guidance on TUPE scenarios around employer obligations, consultation and processes
• guidance on restructures and redundancies, involving implementation of the process and consultation with employees
• advising on job grading

For more complex cases, we offer on-site visits from a member of the HR advisory team, enabling these cases to be discussed face-to-face. 

Further additional benefits include:

• HR presence in agreed meetings to support school leaders address sensitive employment topics
• implementation support for planned restructure/change project, with attendance at agreed stages/briefings
• HR adviser support in formal meetings including potential terminations, appeals and scenarios where a sanction could be imposed

For more information please contact:  mandy.crow@romanfields.herts.sch.uk.