Consultancy Services

Who are we?

Areté is a specialist division of Select Education Plc, the country's foremost teacher recruitment company. As well as providing specialist search and selection services for leadership positions within education, Areté also offers Local Authorities and schools specialist consultancy services.

What can we offer?

We have consultants with a range of specialist knowledge and skills, gained in local authorities or senior school leadership positions, who are available for short term assignments or interim management positions.

What are the benefits to you?

• You will be dealing with a company that understands the education world.
• You will have access to experts who know the world of education intimately.
• We can offer you a simple solution to managing a short term capacity problem.
• You will receive an impartial and independent view from people with a fresh perspective on the issue in question.
• We can find you consultants who are available for short term assignments at short notice.
• We can find you consultants who will operate from day one and who are familiar with the strategic context and current Local Authority issues.
• Each project/assignment can be individually tailored and negotiated according to your specific needs.
• We offer a completely free, no-obligation briefing meeting to assist you in defining your specific requirements.
• We have access to a nationwide network of resources.

What sort of projects can be undertaken?

We can offer bespoke solutions to meet your specific needs which might include:

• Management of Change projects (including re-structuring exercises)
• Complex casework (e.g. complaints, grievances, disciplinary investigations)
• Policy review and development work
• Advice on succession planning
• Mentoring/professional development for leadership teams
• School improvement
• Strategic Management (e.g. Federations, Trust schools status, Executive headships)
• BSF/PFI building projects
• Governor training
• Review and development of internet school profiles

How do we work?

We will find you the best match to meet your specific requirements. This will be based upon:

• our knowledge and understanding of the education sector.
• a full briefing from you as to the specific requirements of the assignment (this will be clarified in a briefing sheet with you at the commencement of the assignment to ensure that your requirements have been completely understood).
• a face to face meeting (if necessary) between you and the appointed consultant prior to the decision to proceed.

What can you expect from us?

• Prior to the assignment, precise terms of reference will be agreed between you and Areté. These will include the agreed fee or charge rate.
• To protect your interests, Areté and the consultant will sign a confidentiality agreement prior to the commencement of the assignment.
• You are free to raise any issues or concerns with us at any time during the assignment.
• Where written reports of assignments are required these will be provided to a common standard (including introduction, executive summary, background, findings, conclusions and recommendations). They will be written with the intended target audience in mind.
• Upon completion of the assignment, the client will receive a final invoice from Areté for the agreed fee.
• Clients will be invited to complete an evaluation pro-forma at the conclusion of an assignment.

How do you pay for the service?

Before the assignment commences we will agree with you how the service will be paid for. We can either agree a set fee for the project or, alternatively, agree a daily rate. You will then be invoiced the fee at the end of the assignment or (in the case of longer term assignments) you will receive invoices at agreed intervals identifying the number of days worked during that period.

Next Step

Simply contact us about the projects you wish to undertake, even if you have not yet considered outsourcing. Remember, the first no-obligation briefing meeting is completely free. Contact us by phone (0121 616 6800) or email consultancy@areteleaders.com.

Sample Case Studies are available on request.