Oasis Community Learning: A strategic partnership to build cohesion between teams

Oasis Community Learning (OCL), one of the UK’s leading multi-academy trusts, manages over 50 academies across the country.

OCL identified challenges with their organisational alignment. Teams were siloed, using different processes and terminologies, which led to inefficiencies, breakdowns in communication, and a lack of unified goals.

After years of attempting to tackle these issues through conventional training, OCL needed more than a provider; they needed a partner. That’s when they turned to QA for help.

The challenge: silos blocking progress

For nearly 20 years, OCL had implemented training, but silos between its teams remained, keeping the change they needed out of reach. As their academies grew independently, misalignment became entrenched. Senior staff were working towards different goals using varying terminologies. Without a common framework, OCL found it increasingly difficult to ensure consistency and collaboration across the organisation.

OCL needed a solution that would unify their approach, align their teams, and eliminate silos once and for all.

The solution: a bespoke ITIL® programme

QA responded with a clear action plan to deliver change: focus on the leadership first and then scale.

To break down silos, OCL’s senior staff needed to be aligned around a shared set of principles and practices. QA’s expert ITIL®4 Masters designed a custom training programme based on the ITIL® framework.

ITIL® is widely recognised for helping organisations manage risk, strengthen customer relations, and foster growth by delivering IT services in a structured and efficient way.

Phase one: C-suite alignment

The programme kicked off with targeted on-site sessions for the C-suite. This was essential to ensure that senior leadership would champion the changes across the organisation. The aim was to equip them with the skills and knowledge to lead OCL into a unified future, where processes and goals were aligned.

Phase two: training for directors and managers

After securing leadership buy-in, the programme expanded to include over 250 senior staff members. By providing a blend of in-person and virtual training, we ensured flexibility while reaching staff across multiple locations.

Delivered over two years, the training brought together directors and managers, equipping them with a consistent framework to streamline operations and improve communication across the academies.

The result: a unified and cohesive workforce 

The results of QA’s partnership with OCL were transformative. The ITIL® programme broke down long-standing silos, creating a unified approach across the organisation.

According to OCL’s Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Rob Lamont, the transformative benefits of this ITIL training manifested in two key ways:

“One goal we had was to make teams feel more valued and part of a larger organisation. The face-to-face training sessions helped bring people together, even from different teams who might not normally interact.

“Another was to improve the way services were managed. Previously, our service leaders struggled with managing services across the country because there was no framework. ITIL gave them that structure. We’ve also reduced firefighting, as we’re now solving problems before they escalate.”

The new reality for OCL includes:

• Aligned teams: OCL staff were now operating with a shared language and understanding, leading to improved collaboration and faster decision-making.
• Improved communication: With consistent processes in place, communication across teams became smoother, with less confusion and fewer bottlenecks.
• Cohesion and growth: By aligning OCL’s leadership and senior staff around shared goals, the entire organisation became more cohesive, positioning OCL for sustainable future growth.

A strategic partnership, not just a provider

Like many organisations, OCL had initial misgivings due to poor previous experiences with typical providers.

“We’ve been working with QA for over 10 years. Every time we’ve gone out to tender, QA has come out on top. The relationship works because of the flexibility they offer, and their willingness to adapt training to meet our specific needs.

“With QA, it’s more than just a supplier relationship – it’s a partnership. We co-create solutions together, which has been essential in crafting the training programmes we need.”

OCL’s feedback also highlighted QA’s exceptional service as a factor that made all the difference; including the expertise of the trainers, deep understanding of their organisational needs.

It was this level of partnership that enabled OCL to overcome challenges they had faced for so long.

The future

OCL continue to invest in training, and their ongoing partnership with QA; Rob highlighted their pioneering plans for the future:

“We’re looking at going deeper into the ITIL framework and integrating service management more across our national services, including shared service centres, for a single point of contact. We're also looking at how service management as a discipline reflects into the design of educational services – something that hasn’t been done much in the education sector. The partnership with QA will continue to evolve, focusing on these new areas”

The success of QA’s partnership with OCL highlights the power of custom training programmes and strategic alignment. By helping to identify, and then addressing the core issues, QA helped OCL transform from a fragmented organisation into a unified, collaborative entity.

If you’re facing obstacles like organisational silos, communication breakdowns, or misalignment - explore our ITIL® portfolio here and discover what a QA partnership can do for your organisation.