About Us
A UNIQUE ORGANISATION WITH FLEXIBLE SERVICES TO MEET YOUR NEEDS
Here to help...
Who we are
SIPS is the not-for-profit education support services provider for Sandwell, the Black Country and the West Midlands.
Our mutual status enables us to focus on people, communities and places.
Our primary purpose is not to make huge profits, but to enrich children and young people’s learning and well-being through excellent service partnerships and products.
We’re owned and governed by schools – who are co-operative voting members of the organisation; the SIPS board is made up of representative community headteachers and local authority colleagues.
What we do
We’ve crafted a proven customer-focused approach to get to know your individual demands, and offer assistance when and where they’re needed.
Our versatility and expertise are underlined by our many established working relationships within the mainstream and specialist sectors.
We can help…
- Nurseries
- Primary schools
- Secondary schools
- Maintained schools
- Special schools
- Academies
- Multi Academy Trusts
Our overarching aim is to be the first-choice education service provider in the region. We do this by offering high-quality, effective services that are tailored to meet the needs and expectations of our members and clients.
What we offer
We can support you in myriad ways – our breadth of services includes Catering; Information Management & Information Technology; Music & Arts; Human Resources Services; Schools Finance; Governance; Safety Management; Education Business Partnerships and Early Career Teachers (ECT) support.
Contact us today to find out how we can help you: enquiries@sips.co.uk or call 0121 296 3000.
We would welcome the opportunity to understand your unique requirements, so please get in touch for a no obligation, informal conversation.
Guardian House, Cronehills Linkway, West Bromwich, West Midlands, B70 8GS
enquiries@sips.co.uk
">0121 296 3000 or email enquiries@sips.co.uk
0121 296 3000 or email enquiries@sips.co.uk
Meet the leadership team
Brian Cape, Chief Executive Officer
Brian joined SIPS in January 2020 from Birmingham City Council, where he was Head of Service at Cityserve Education Catering, and a member of the council’s Extended Leadership Team, including council-wide business partnering for commercial performance and innovation.
“I consider myself very lucky to be part of such an incredible co-operative. Being able to put children, people and communities at the heart of everything I do is a genuine privilege.
“As a not-for-profit, schools owned organisation, SIPS is the natural first choice for education services across Sandwell, the Black Country and the West Midlands. Being governed directly by school leaders with no owners or shareholders demanding profits, means that we always aim to do the right thing whilst creating genuine social-value.”
Kim Whiting, Strategic Director responsible for People and Product
Kim, who has been with SIPS since its formation in 2013, oversees the product and service delivery teams working in partnership with the service managers within Governance, HR and Learning, IT, Music and Arts and Risk Management. In addition, she leads on SIPS People Strategy and Trade Union Consultation.
“I am incredibly proud to work for SIPS Education, I’m passionate about the work we do, and I believe that the support services we offer to schools are all of a high quality and designed with schools at the heart.
“We pride ourselves on strong effective partnerships and dedicated support for and with schools; we are owned by our members who shape the services they want and provide our company with its strategic direction. I believe this ensures that we deliver and design quality services offering best value, that schools, customers and communities.”
Laura Hadley, Strategic Director responsible for Catering and Corporate Risk Management
Laura was a member of the strategic team which set up SIPS from 2013, and has been a member of the SLT ever since. Organisationally, she leads on Catering, Safety Management, CSR and social value, and safeguarding. Laura is the SIPS DPO and also Company Secretary.
“I am incredibly proud of the organisation that we have created and which continues to evolve. As an organisation, I think we are very approachable, with a bunch of really great, friendly yet professional staff, which builds trust. I’m proud of the enduring relationships we have built with our customers; I think people make an organisation, and we have some truly fab folks who make a real difference to the schools and communities we support.
“Long-standing priorities of the Catering service have always been quality of the food, and looking after our staff and customer care. We pride ourselves in being responsive, always here for the schools, and becoming an extended, and trusted, part of their school community.”
