Our team is made up of finance, payroll, HR, and recruitment experts. Our joined-up solutions coupled with our unrivalled expertise in the education sector offer all-encompassing solutions for school business professionals.
SAAF was founded in 2012, when co-founders Su and Andi saw a demand for bespoke financial management support when the Academies Act 2010 was passed, which allowed maintained schools to convert to academy status.
Organic growth and word-of-mouth referrals soon led to the introduction of more services. To date, SAAF offers finance, payroll, HR, and recruitment services – plus, additional services in our expert areas.
And we’re not resting yet. Forever evolving, learning, and listening to our client’s needs, we aim to be the first choice for all schools, academies, and trusts – helping you navigate an ever-changing and complex sector.
Our services
Our definitive aim is to save our clients time, money and resources. We define success through our client’s experience and build long-lasting relationships.
We maintain rigorous compliance and regulatory standards, staying dedicated to transparent communication and accountability.
We dare to be different, challenging the status quo through our determination to deliver fantastic results and an excellent service for our clients.
We're consistently refining our services and optimising performance in each of our service areas. We empower our clients to deliver the highest educational standards.
School & Academy Finance
Need help managing your school, academy, or trust’s finances? Get the support you need, with guidance from our dedicated team of education finance experts. We can support in all school and academy finance areas from strategic, operational, and transactional support to a fully outsourced service.
School's Payroll
Cost-effective. Responsive. Flexible.
Say goodbye to time-consuming processes and the administrative burden of payroll, and say hello to SAAF’s efficient and accurate payroll bureau! Package your payroll with our education HR solutions for all-encompassing support with all employee relations.
School Recruitment
We specialise in supporting schools, academies, trusts, higher education, and other educational institutions in finding ideal candidates. Whether you need a teacher, school support staff or senior leadership, for day-to-day, short-or-long-term supply – we're here to help.
The breadth of knowledge and understanding from within the education sector is a core strength we value immensely. I would describe the services as responsive, solution-focused, and flexible to our needs.
CEO, Raleigh Education Trust
We’ve had an outstanding experience with SAAF’s payroll team. They go above and beyond and are always there to answer our queries. The payroll service is highly efficient, and cost-effective for our trust.
CFO, One Academy Trust
Our school has worked with SAAF for the past 10 years for Financial support and 8 years for Payroll support. In all this time we have found them to be very efficient, helpful and supportive. All staff have great knowledge of their area of expertise and are very personable. We would highly recommend the SAAF team.
Business Manager, Glade Hill Primary School
The support from SAAF has been brilliant, with help being available as and when it is needed, allowing you to progress at your own pace. The team are very responsive, and customer driven, so knowledge of the education sector is outstanding. The support we have received has exceeded our expectations!
Finance and Operations Manager, The Blue Kite Academy Trust
Having had a poor experience with a previous external payroll provider, we entered into a new SLA with SAAF. From the initial presentation through to the diligence shown throughout the transfer the experience has been so different to what we have experienced before. Queries are answered quickly and diligently and nothing seems to be too much trouble. We are very much looking forward to a long-term relationship with SAAF.
School Business Manager, Allestree Woodlands School
Introducing SAAF to my new Trust has proved transformational and well received by the whole central team for whom IRIS/PS Financials has been revolutionised as a product and their day jobs made considerably easier. SAAF knowledge is excellent, staff are always polite and responsive, but I think the main thing is the amount and breadth of work one gets for the core support offer never ceases to amaze me.
CFO, Life Education Trust