- Academy Trust Handbook: changes from September 2023
Changes to the Academy Trust Handbook 2023 include a move away from the Governance Handbook for descriptions of quality governance, and looser requirements for meeting frequency and sharing management accounts with the trust board.
- Financial transparency: requirements for maintained schools
Get up to speed with the financial transparency regulations for maintained schools. Find out what your school is required to do, so you can monitor compliance.
- How to interrogate a finance report
Read our step-by-step guide to monitoring the finance report so you're clear on what the numbers mean, what to look out for and what questions to ask in your finance committee meeting.
- How to monitor your LGBs' delegated financial responsibilities
Find out how you can make sure your local governing bodies uphold their delegated financial responsibilities, so that you maintain oversight of what's going on across your trust.
- How to monitor your school's pupil premium report
Learn about your school's pupil premium reporting requirements for 2023-24, and see examples of other schools' published strategy statements.
- How to support your school through the cost-of-living crisis
As schools navigate the cost-of-living and energy crisis, understand what your role is and what questions to ask senior leaders, so you can provide challenge and support.
- How to use financial benchmarking
Get a handle on how to use the DfE's financial benchmarking website. See how your school compares with others and understand how to ask your school business manager the right kinds of questions.
- Monitoring school/trust finance: an overview
Financial oversight is one of the governing board's core functions. Get to grips with what your board's key responsibilities are, and learn what financial oversight means in practice, so you can monitor effectively.
- Pupil premium spending: report to governors
Know what info to look out for in pupil premium reports from your school, so you can effectively monitor spending.
- Risk registers: summary and guidance
Understand the difference between a risk assessment and risk register, and find out what a register should include and who has responsibility for it.
- School resource management self-assessment: summary and questions to ask
Academy trusts must complete the self-assessment checklist annually. Find out what questions you can ask your trust leaders to make sure your trust meets good financial standards.
- Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS): summary and questions to ask
Maintained schools must complete the SFVS every year. Here's a rundown of what it covers and how you're involved. Also, find out what questions you can ask your school leaders to make sure your school meets good financial standards.