12/10/2025
Cornovii Trust was established in 2022 following the merger of two successful trusts. Comprising two secondary schools and five primary schools across Alsager, Crewe and Nantwich, the trust employs more than 500 staff and is continuing to grow, with a further secondary school joining in 2026.
Prior to appointing Neo People Management, payroll was managed by an external provider. However, a change of system led to significant payroll issues, including delayed staff payments during one of the most critical periods of the year.
“Everybody needs their money every month, and it is especially important that you get your money at Christmas, but people didn’t get paid.” – Sharon Houghton, HR and Payroll Lead, Cornovii Trust
The trust also faced challenges with payroll administration, including rigid deadlines for processing new starters and time-consuming reconciliation processes.
In 2023, Cornovii Trust undertook a competitive tender process and selected Strictly Education for payroll services. In 2025, the service transferred seamlessly to Neo People Management.
Neo People Management worked closely with the trust to ensure a smooth transition and introduced a payroll service that offered:
The trust quickly saw improvements in both efficiency and service responsiveness.
“We were a little nervous at first, but it has been a seamless transition.”– Sharon Houghton
