New School Finance

Thursday, 1 October 2015

MATs included in DfE financial benchmarking for the first time

According to the EFA's latest Academies Bulletin: "The Department for Education has updated the academies financial benchmarking website with 2013 to 2014 income and expenditure data. For the first time we have included income and expenditure details for academies in multi-academy trusts."

Four London boroughs no longer on deprivation index

The Office of National Statistics has published its 'English indices of deprivation 2015' in which one of its headlines is: 'The 20 most deprived local authorities are largely the same as found for the 2010 Index, but the London Boroughs of Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Newham and Haringey have become relatively less deprived and no longer feature in this list.'

Academy given powers to issue parking fines

A report from ITV says: 'A school in Thurrock has become the first in the country to be given the power to issue parking fines. From this week, a parent volunteer will begin patrolling the streets around Tilbury Pioneer Academy where there have been growing problems of the roads being clogged by parked cars.'

NGA: Academy founders underestimated charity status

An article in Third Sector magazine includes comments from Emma Knights, CEO of the National Governors Association, comparing the problems of Kids Company with those facing academies - where problems may be caused by what she sees an increasing number of founders being trustees. She said she recently spoke to a

Academy in mid-staff restructure loses head

From the Cornish Guardian - As reported by the Cornish Guardian earlier this year Fowey River Academy, recently part of the Adventure Learning Academy Trust has been undergoing a major staffing restructure with senior teachers required to reapply for their jobs.

Unresolved liabilities issue sees SPTA drop out and Wakefield City move in

The Yorkshire Post reports that prospective sponsor SPTA has been replaced by Wakefield City Academies Trust due to issues related to a fitness centre partnership the Hanson Academy was involved in. The paper reports Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, executive member for education, skills and culture, saying: “The proposed sponsor at the time failed to reach an agreement with the Department for Education relating to buildings liabilities on the site which is why that conversion fell through."

Friday, 7 August 2015

More than 10% of academies haven't submitted budget forecasts on time

The EFA's academies bulletin from August 6 says: 'Reminder: submission of budget forecast returns due 31 July. Nearly 90% of academy trusts open as at 31 March 2015 submitted their budget forecast for the 2015 to 2016 academic year by the deadline of 31 July 2015.'

SAT to sponsor-led MAT application simplified

From the 6 August EFA academies bulletin: 'Changing from a single academy trust to a sponsor-led multi-academy trust Single academy trusts (SAT) applying to become sponsors are no longer required to undertake a separate application to become a multi-academy trust (MAT) through the Department for Education (DfE) significant change process.

Inspiration Trust's takeover of Hewett School coverage

Hewett School in Norwich had a £430k deficit due to falling pupil numbers over nine years -(demographics and/or competition) and was put into Special Measures by Ofsted last year.

AET shelves academy merger to save money

AET has shelved merger plans for two academies and appointed new heads - reports the Essex Chronicle (story from July 20)

Warning letters to academy trusts

The TES reports that the DfE has updated its list of warning letters to academy sponsors and multi-academy trusts. The latest of these is a warning letter from Dominic Herrington, Regional Schools Commissioner, which was given the title of a 'Pre-Termination Warning Notice Letter to the Directors of Oasis Community Learning.'