Managing the school budget
- Academy Trust Handbook: changes from September 2023 Changes to the Academy Trust Handbook 2023 include looser requirements on sharing management accounts with your board, a higher threshold for related party transaction value before ESFA approval is necessary, and a new list of estates guidance to apply.
- Allocating departmental budgets Find out about the different ways you can allocate curriculum budgets. Download our curriculum budget formula calculator and see case studies from different types of school.
- Benchmarking data: questions to generate discussion and analysis Download our list of questions to help you analyse your benchmarking data, and find guidance from the DfE.
- Budget planning: how to and templates Get to grips with your budget planning. Use our template 5-year budget plan spreadsheets to help you model a range of scenarios and then cost your chosen one in detail.
- Calculating the cost of lessons and courses See how to calculate the cost of lessons and courses to help budget for your curriculum. You'll find variables to take into account and suggested methods to use.
- Calculating the cost of your whole-school SEN provision Understand how to calculate staffing costs for SEN provision so you can better estimate how much money you're spending on your overall SEN provision. Download our tools to help keep track of how much each intervention costs and whether it offers value for money.
- Consistent financial reporting (CFR) Find out the purpose of the consistent financial reporting (CFR) framework for maintained schools and pupil referral units (PRUs), and how to use COLLECT to submit a data return. Plus, see what's changed for 2023-24.
- Cost-of-living crisis: how to manage the impact on your school Find practical steps to help you balance your school’s budget and support your community through this financially challenging time.
- Financial benchmarking for multi-academy trusts (MATs) Effective financial benchmarking is harder for MATs than for standalone schools. Get expert advice on using internal and external benchmarking to improve your trust's financial health, and learn how to find trusts to benchmark against.For Trust Leaders
- Financial benchmarking: how-to guide See how you can identify schools similar to yours and make comparisons using the financial benchmarking service from the DfE. You'll also understand the benefits and limitations of benchmarking, and see examples of how other schools use it.
- Financial procedures manuals: examples See examples of financial procedures manuals from a range of schools and a local authority.
- Financial transparency: requirements for maintained schools Get up to speed with the financial regulations for maintained schools designed to improve financial transparency. Find out what you’re required to do, so you can make sure you're compliant.
- Integrated curriculum and financial planning (ICFP): checklist and guidance Find out more about integrated curriculum and financial planning (ICFP), which can help you improve your school's financial efficiency and maximise resources. Use our checklist to walk you through the process.
- Paying for refreshments out of the school budget Understand the rules on using school funds to pay for staff food and drink and see examples of others schools' policies.
- Presenting your budget to governors: templates Keep your governors fully informed about your budget planning and decision making with our downloadable templates. You'll find a detailed budget planner, and a planning report that will help you head off likely questions from governors.
- Request form for curriculum funds: template and guidance Get your curriculum budget holders to use our form to request annual funds. Use our checklist to make sure your budget bid request forms for one-off projects cover everything they need to.
- Schemes of financial delegation for multi-academy trusts (MATs) You must have a scheme of financial delegation, but what that looks like depends on how your trust manages its finances. Read expert advice, see an example of how to delegate to different roles, and view examples from other schools.
- School budget: expenditure on staffing Get advice on what percentage of your budget should be spent on staffing, and which staffing costs you should include in your calculations.
- School budget monitoring: questions to discuss With finances squeezed, use this guide to help you make the most of your budget monitoring meetings. See what to cover and use our questions to help you spot issues and identify next steps.
- School resource management self-assessment: summary Academies must complete the school resource management self-assessment checklist every year. Find out what it covers, so you know what to expect.
- Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS): summary Maintained schools must complete the SFVS every year. Here's a rundown of what it covers, so you know what to expect.
- Staff salaries: internal benchmarking Benchmarking internal staff salaries helps to make sure you’re paying staff fairly and following equality legislation. See advice on when and how to carry out a review.
- Teachers' pension grant: what you need to know Learn about what the grant covers and how you'll receive it. You can also find out this year's allocations and what you can spend it on.