ION announces partnership with West Norfolk Academies Trust to implement Sage Intacct for Education as their new finance solution that will bring them into the modern era of cloud-accounting.

ION, a leading provider of cloud-based financial management solutions, is delighted to announce its partnership with West Norfolk Academies Trust. With 4 secondary schools and seven primary schools, West Norfolk Academies Trust is an 11-school Multi-Academy Trust based in King’s Lynn.

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ABOUT WEST NORFOLK ACADEMIES TRUST

West Norfolk Academies Trust has been operating on Civica RM32, but with the system approaching end-of-life in December 2025, the Trust recognised the need to move to a modern, cloud-based finance solution. As part of their review, they sought a system purpose-built for MATs, one that could not only address immediate challenges but also support the Trust’s evolving needs over time.

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PREVIOUS SYSTEM CHALLENGES

The Trust faced several pain points with their existing system, most notably the lack of cloud capability, which required maintaining costly and hard-to-manage on-premise servers. Reporting was another key challenge — the system’s limited and inflexible reporting often resulted in additional costs and significant manual effort to meet their needs.

West Norfolk Academies Trust had a clear set of rrequirements for their new finance system, including:

• Consolidated reporting capabilities

• Cloud-based delivery to eliminate the need for on-site infrastructure

• Automated DfE reporting and automatic AAR submission

• Integration with budgeting software

• Alignment with the DfE Chart of Accounts

• Bespoke reporting capabilities, with training and support included

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THE SOLUTION: SAGE INTACCT FOR EDUCATION

Following a rigorous selection process, West Norfolk Academies Trust selected ION to implement Sage Intacct for Education, a best-in-class financial management platform designed specifically for the education sector. Sage Intacct for Education will address the Trust’s challenges by providing:

• Cloud-native flexibility: Removing the need for on-premise servers and reducing IT overhead

• Automated, customisable reporting: Offering real-time insights and reducing manual workloads

• Seamless approvals and workflows: Empowering budget holders and increasing spend control

• DfE compliance and integration: Supporting the DfE Chart of Accounts and automatic AAR submissions

• Future-proof scalability: Ready to support the Trust’s growth and integration with additional systems

This strategic move will transform the financial operations of West Norfolk Academies Trust, enhancing efficiency, improving reporting accuracy, and enabling the team to focus on delivering outstanding education across their schools.

“We are delighted to partner with West Norfolk Academies Trust to implement Sage Intacct for Education,” said Rob Mathieson, CEO of ION. “Our solution is built to address the complex needs of Multi-Academy Trusts, and we are confident it will bring the flexibility, automation, and insight the Trust needs both today and as they grow in the future.”

As West Norfolk Academies Trust embarks on this transformative journey with ION, both organisations are committed to delivering a financial framework that empowers the Trust’s mission and supports long-term success.

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About West Norfolk Academies Trust

West Norfolk Academies Trust is a Multi-Academy Trust based in King’s Lynn, overseeing 11 schools — four secondary and seven primary. The Trust is dedicated to delivering high-quality education, improving life chances for all pupils, and building a strong, supportive community across its schools.

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About ION

Founded in 2016, ION has become the CFOs’ choice for technology. Its team of specialists works with education, mid-market, and private equity-backed organisations to implement powerful financial technologies, enabling the vertical integration and automation of billing, payments, revenue recognition, and accounting.

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