Compliance, administration and finance in academies and MATs

Your trust must submit its annual accounts to the ESFA by 31 December. Get up to speed on the process, so you know what to expect.

Your trust has different options for who carries out your internal scrutiny, depending on your context. Assess the options, choose the right one for your trust, and learn how to review the effectiveness of your approach.

You must have an audit and risk committee with oversight of the trust's finances and internal scrutiny. Be clear on what the requirements are so your committee is compliant.

A key responsibility of the audit and risk committee is to set a programme of work for those carrying out internal scrutiny. Find out what you need to consider when setting the programme of work, and use our questions to help you in the process.

Read our step-by-step guide to monitoring academy trust management accounts so you're clear on what the numbers mean, what to look out for and what questions to ask.

Integrated curriculum and financial planning (ICFP) is a process that helps your trust and its schools ensure value for money. Find out what you should expect your central trust team to do, and use our questions to help you challenge the process.

Your trust must have a register of people with significant control (PSC). Understand the requirements, see who counts as being a PSC and use our template register to help you stay compliant.

Understand what it means to top-slice or GAG pool budgets and to pool reserves, and how trustees can make an informed decision. Find out about the rules and what pros and cons to consider, as well as questions to ask.