Enable Trust case study
Explore how Keystone's insightful finance and mentoring services gave Enable Trust stronger alignment, greater clarity, and increased confidence across its leadership team.
About the trust
Enable Trust is a multi-academy trust based in the Southwest of England, focused on supporting children with some of the most complex needs, often those who can't thrive in mainstream settings.
Formed in 2018, the trust has grown rapidly under the leadership of Andrew Buckton, who brings over 30 years of experience in special education. Today, the trust includes:
- Three special schools supporting pupils with severe and complex needs
- One alternative provision setting
- A free school in development, extending its reach into a new local authority
The reality
Growth in this space brings opportunity, but it also brings complexity.
Funding often changes and is tied to individual pupils. Staffing ratios are significantly higher than in mainstream settings. And delivering education alongside therapy, healthcare, and safeguarding creates additional layers of coordination and compliance.
At the same time, the trust welcomed a newly appointed CFO, stepping into a role that required not just financial expertise, but also a real understanding of how education works.
The challenge
As the trust expanded, the challenge wasn't simply managing growth; it was managing it without losing focus.
There was increasing pressure to scale provision, navigate funding uncertainty, and maintain operational stability across multiple settings. Alongside this, there was a real risk of losing what made the trust effective in the first place.
At the same time, the new CFO needed to quickly build confidence in a complex and unfamiliar environment while contributing to strategic decision-making at a trust level.
The approach
The focus was on building the foundations to support sustainable, purposeful growth.
With support from Keystone Knowledge, financial planning became more closely aligned with long-term strategy, and leadership discussions were supported by clear financial insight. Greater structure was introduced around planning and decision-making, helping to connect day-to-day operations with long-term priorities.
Alongside this, targeted mentoring supported the CFO's development, strengthening confidence in education-specific finance, compliance, and strategic reporting. Work at the CEO level also helped strengthen the link between financial leadership and wider trust strategy.
The impact
Day-to-day operations improved, and the trust had a clearer approach to growth.
- Increased confidence across the leadership team
- Stronger alignment between finance and strategic priorities
- Greater clarity in decision-making
- Improved ability to manage uncertainty in funding and planning
Most importantly, the trust was able to continue growing without losing sight of its purpose.
What's next?
Enable's focus remains clear, but stronger foundations now support it. The trust is focused on:
- Expanding specialist provision to meet increasing demand
- Sharing expertise across both specialist and mainstream settings
- Supporting greater inclusion across the education system
- Contributing to the wider SEND conversation
All while maintaining a clear focus on delivering the best possible outcomes for children with the most complex needs.
Supporting trust leaders through growth
Enable Trust's journey shows that successful growth is about more than expanding provision. It requires strong leadership, clear financial planning and the right support to help navigate increasing complexity without losing sight of what matters most.
Through a combination of consultancy, financial support and mentoring for both CFOs and CEOs, Keystone Knowledge worked alongside Enable Trust's leadership team during a period of significant growth. By supporting both financial and executive leadership, we helped strengthen decision-making, build confidence across the leadership team and ensure growth plans remained aligned with the trust's purpose.
Whether supporting trusts through expansion, leadership transitions or organisational change, our focus is on helping leaders make informed decisions that create lasting impact for their schools and communities.