“Anago does what the big-name systems do, but with a more personal, collaborative feel.”

Why Strive4 chose Anago

Like many trust finance leaders, Rachandeep initially assumed she would go with one of the older, default options available in the market. But after one of Strive4’s support partners suggested looking at Anago, Rachandeep’s conversations with the team – and reference calls with existing customers – quickly changed the picture.

For Strive4 Academy Trust, the decision came down to three things: capability, people and partnership.

1. A platform that does what trusts need – quickly

In demos with Anago’s specialists, it was evident that Anago matched the functionality that Strive4 expected from a modern MAT budgeting platform – and added some powerful touches.

The staff adjustments screen stood out straight away. Instead of going into individual records to end contracts or add vacancies, Strive4 could manage everything from a single page.

“The main thing that stood out to me was the staff adjustments – just having it all on one screen. I don’t have to go into each individual staff member to change a contract or add a vacancy. It’s much quicker.”

2. A genuinely personable, “family feel” relationship

Alongside the product fit, Anago’s culture made a difference. Conversations with the team across the board, from sales to implementation, felt warm, open and collaborative.

“It felt like you were joining a family. Everyone was really friendly and I could see us working with these kinds of people.”

3. A partner that listens – and drives improvements at pace

Strive4 also wanted a partner that would act on feedback, not park it on a long-term roadmap. Early on, Rachandeep explained that they needed to handle recruitment and retention allowances in a particular way. Shortly afterwards, she logged in and saw the feature live and ready to use.

“I mentioned our recruitment and retention allowances to the Anago team, as there was nothing in there for it. When I logged in the following day, it had already been updated. So the platform has been very much geared to what we need it to do.”

That sense of co-creation helped ease any concerns about choosing a newer name in the UK market. Anago’s established track record in the Netherlands – with hundreds of education customers – provided further reassurance, both for Rachandeep and for her CEO.

A collaborative implementation, at pace

Once Strive4 decided to move ahead, implementation moved quickly, which suited the trust. Working closely with Anago’s implementation specialists, they wrapped up the project in weeks.

Throughout the implementation, weekly Microsoft Teams meetings helped to maintain a clear working rhythm between Strive4 and Anago. Between sessions, Rachandeep would test scenarios and prepare questions; in each call, they worked through issues together.

Crucially, support didn’t stop at go-live. The helpdesk remains responsive and accessible whenever the team needs a hand.

Planning ahead with three-year forecasts

Beyond immediate time savings, Strive4 now has a much clearer line of sight over the next three years. With all staffing data in Anago, the trust can see how roles roll forward year-on-year, and users can easily model future changes – including the impact of falling pupil numbers at one of its schools. That long-term view is particularly valuable where Strive4 knows it will need to adjust staffing to stay sustainable.

“It’s so handy having the three-year forecast in the platform. I can go into, say, the 26–27 budget, remove a vacancy we know won’t exist, and it updates straight away. Before, I was creating three separate spreadsheets and making the same change in each.”