19/10/2025
Established in 2016, Eko Trust operates 10 schools across three regional hubs in London, Suffolk and Brighton. The trust is entering a significant period of growth, with three additional schools joining in early 2026 and a merger with Compass Partnership of Schools creating a 28-school trust with approximately 1,600 employees and an £80 million staffing budget.
As the trust expanded, leaders recognised that their existing payroll arrangements were no longer delivering the efficiency, accuracy and flexibility they required. In 2022, Eko Trust undertook a competitive tender process to find a new payroll provider.
The trust also wanted greater ownership of payroll processes within schools and needed a system that would reduce administrative burden while minimising the risk of costly payroll errors.
Strictly Education was appointed as Eko Trust’s payroll provider in 2023, with the service successfully transferring to Neo People Management in April 2025.
Having already experienced improvements through the partnership, Eko Trust chose to continue its journey with Neo People Management, confident in the team’s expertise and service quality.
The transition was managed smoothly, allowing trust leaders to focus on day-to-day operations without disruption.
