Our quality framework

Our commitment to ‘best of breed’ quality standards.

Why accreditation matters in education payroll

Education payroll isn’t like most payroll. You’re managing multiple contract types, complex pension obligations across Teachers’ Pensions and the Local Government Pension Scheme, term-time calculations, supply staff variations, and a regulatory environment that expects accuracy every single time.

The consequences of getting it wrong extend beyond an unhappy employee. Errors in Teachers’ Pensions or LGPS contributions can take months to unwind. Late or incorrect submissions to HMRC or pension bodies create compliance risk that falls on your school, academy or trust – not your payroll provider.

That’s why we launched Ascend, we went straight for the top standards.

Our quality and data security certifications

ISO 9001 – Quality Management

Our processes are formally documented, consistently applied, and independently audited. ISO 9001 certification means our service quality isn’t dependent on any one person having a good day — it’s built into how we operate.

For education payroll, this means every payroll run follows the same rigorous process, regardless of how complex the variables are that month.

ISO 27001 – Information Security

Schools and trusts hold highly sensitive employee data. ISO 27001 is the internationally recognised standard for information security management, and achieving it means our approach to protecting that data has been independently verified — not self-assessed.

ISO 27701 – Privacy Information Management

Going beyond information security, ISO 27701 addresses how personal data is managed throughout its lifecycle. This is particularly relevant in education, where data protection obligations are taken seriously by governors, trustees and regulators alike.

Payroll-specific standards

CIPP Payroll Assurance Scheme (PAS)

The CIPP’s Payroll Assurance Scheme independently evaluates how payroll is actually run – the processes, the controls, the outcomes.

Unlike general business standards, PAS looks directly at payroll quality. Achieving it means our operations have been tested and verified by the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals, not just self-assessed.

Bacs Approved Bureau

We are a Bacs-approved bureau, meaning we can process payments directly through the Bacs scheme. This matters for education organisations that need confidence that payroll payments are processed securely and reliably, every pay period.

What this means for your pensions compliance

Education pension schemes are among the most complex in the UK — and the most scrutinised. Teachers’ Pensions and LGPS both have strict submission deadlines, specific contribution structures, and reporting requirements that change regularly.

Poor systems don’t just create errors; they create problems. The kind of errors that are hard to spot and even harder to correct.

Our quality framework is designed with this in mind. Every process that touches pension data, from employee record management to monthly submissions and annual returns, is documented, audited, and quality-checked.

We work to ensure that your contributions are calculated correctly, submitted on time, and reconciled accurately, so that your employees’ pension records are always right.

“If you don’t have watertight systems and processes in place, mistakes and poor service are inevitable. After years of working in payroll, I know how important it is to establish best practice processes from day one.

In education, the stakes are even higher. Teachers and school staff have earned their pension entitlements — and they trust their employer to make sure those records are accurate. That responsibility doesn’t sit with the school alone. It sits with us, too.”

Stewart Waddell
CEO, Ascend Education