About MLG
Our mindset is simple.
MLG Education Services was formed in May 2013, to support schools that are converting to academy status. Many schools have found that making the change can be challenging, and our goal is to help schools overcome the challenges so that both staff and pupils can enjoy the benefits of being part of a thriving school.
With the growth in the number of schools converting to academies, and the number of academies needing to restructure, demand for our services has increased and we now work with over 40 academies on a broad range of assignments.
We specialise in supporting newly formed trusts and existing trusts that are changing their structures. Based in Warwick, our growing team works with schools across the UK – working with directors and business managers – and increasingly working closely with the Education Funding Agency finance team in Coventry.
Our goal is always to share best practice so that our clients can benefit from the knowledge and experience we have gained in the education sector. We regularly host complimentary seminars to deliver information, pool our knowledge and allow school directors and managers to learn from colleagues in other schools.
MEET THE TEAM
At MLG Education services we have a steadily growing team with a solid financial background and a wide-ranging experience of working in the education sector.
Mike Giddings
Managing Director
Mike is an academy expert, working with schools that are looking to convert to academy status, multi-academy trusts that want to expand, and existing academies that require operational support.
Mike trained with Grant Thornton and qualified as a certified accountant in 1991. He worked for seven years as a school business manager for leading city technology college, Brooke Weston, and was instrumental in the creation of independent school funding policies. Mike was also the finance director of an independent school in Warwickshire for three years.
In 2011, he became a trustee of one of the first primary school umbrella trusts in the country and also helped the same trust to create a multi-academy trust. In 2012 he became a director of a multi-academy trust and school sponsor.
Mike Ison
Finance Consultant
Arriving in the education sector in 2008, headhunted by a sponsor of a Midlands based MAT as Finance and Operations Director, Mike has been part of a sector where the only constant has been “change”. As a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, Mike appreciates that school finance and administration systems have a major part to play in transforming educational outcomes for pupils.
Over the last twelve years Mike has been involved in the full range of activities within the sector including rebrokerage of schools, both incoming and outgoing, serving on local governing bodies and on three Midlands LA schools forums. Building high performance finance teams that support educational colleagues locally and centrally whilst not forgetting the operational aspects such as paying suppliers, analysing grant income and working with external stakeholders such as banks, external auditors and ESFA.
Since joining MLG in 2019 Mike has supported clients both operationally, through day to day financial support, and strategically, including but not limited to, supporting due diligence activities, contract review and internal scrutiny reports.
Jane Hounsome
Finance Consultant
Jane joined the team at MLG Education Services in 2015, having worked as an academy finance manager for the last five years. In both the schools where she held this role, Jane established the finance department from scratch.
Her experience includes: setting up management reports and presenting these to governors, running and managing a finance team, writing and developing school finance policies, budgeting and forecasting, introducing payments via BACS, setting up ParentPay, leading a contract re-tender process on behalf of a group of schools, applying for government grants, dealing with auditors, completing Education Funding Agency returns, establishing a risk register, managing the bookings of lettings and implementing a bespoke lettings system.
Jane is CIMA qualified and can draw upon 20 years’ financial experience in the automotive, banking and retail sectors, plus additional experience of running her own business prior to working in schools. These roles allowed Jane to develop her skills and experience in recruiting and managing finance staff, budgeting and forecasting techniques and management reporting.
Amy Maude
Finance Consultant
Amy joined MLG Education Services in 2016 having worked previously for a firm of chartered accountants and an outsourcing company providing finance services to small companies.
Amy is AAT qualified and is also an accredited qualified Xero accounting advisor.
Responsibilities: Amy is the point of contact for a number of our academies and specialises in management report development and new accounting system development.
Lakhpreet Bains
Finance Consultantt
Lakhpreet joined MLG Education Services in 2018 having worked previously for 5 years at a 20+ school Multi Academy Trust in Birmingham. Lakhpreet is AAT qualified and is also an accredited Xero advisor.
Responsibilities: Lakhpreet is the point of contact for a number of our academies and specialises in PS Financials and multi academy trust system development.
Tracey Giddings
Business Development Director
David Dovydaitis
Finance Consultant
David qualified with the ACCA in 2010. He works mainly with schools that are looking to convert to academy status, multi-academy trusts which are looking to expand and restructure, and existing academies that require operational and financial support. He also takes the lead on internal control reviews for the company.
He has been working predominantly within the education sector since 2001, undertaking consultancy, audit and funding advisory work during this period.
Courtney Doherty
Finance Consultant
Courtney Joined MLG Education Services in 2020 having worked previously in chartered accountants for 3 years. Courtney is trained in bookkeeping, VAT and payroll.
Courtney Is AAT Level 3 qualified and also an accredited Xero accounting advisor.
Responsibilities: include the transfering and the implimentation of new accounting systems. Preparing management accounts and efficiency reviews for trusts.
Lucy Minton
Finance Consultant
Hayley Clarke
Finance Consultant
