Finance

Our financial team ensures that Trustees, Executive Team and each of our member academies can take full responsibility for our financial affairs, so that we use resources efficiently to maximise outcomes for students.

This means that we carefully review expenditure making best use of the Trust’s size to secure economies of scale.

Operational Financial services are provided centrally in combination with localised services provided by academy-based business professionals.

Our core offer and areas of support include:

• Strategic Financial Planning and the production of three-year financial plans
• Provision and maintenance of the system of internal financial controls incorporating the Trust’s Scheme of Financial delegation and the associated devolved budgetary control system
• Preparation of the annual budget – working with the Trust’s Executive Team, principals and academy-based business professionals incorporating both revenue and capital budgets
• Support with monthly management accounts and forecast outturns
• Transaction coding advice and enquiry resolution
• Payment advice, enquiry resolution and payment runs
• Management of the annual external audits and ensuring that our financial controls are as prescribed by the Academies Handbook
• Management of the Trust’s Financial Regulations policy
• Completion of Statutory Returns to the DfE, ESFA, Companies House and HMRC
• Ensuring that all academies meet all the current and future requirements of regulations and standards associated with ESFA/DfE guidance contained within the Academies Handbook and other EFSA/DfE instructions
• Management of externally provided internal audit and internal scrutiny of annual programme
• Management of all aspects of VAT
• Completion of statutory pensions returns including TPS and LGPs
• Integration with Trust’s financial system, involving the transfer of budget allocation and subsequent, on-going support with the system when required
• Management of all aspects of banking and cash flow
• Management of Trust reserves in line with reserves and investment policy
• Liaison with DfE and Local Authority contacts

Finance Contacts: