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.

Last reviewed on 24 July 2023See updates
School types: MaintainedSchool phases: AllRef: 5296
Contents
  1. What is CFR and who is it for?
  2. Key changes for 2023-24
  3. Further guidance on CFR
  4. Submitting a return

What is CFR and who is it for?

The CFR framework applies to:

  • Maintained schools
  • Pupil referral units

It's optional for nurseries and non-maintained special schools.

There is a standard template for you to collect information about income and expenditure by financial years. If you're a maintained school, your governing board needs to provide this to your LA in a financial statement each year.

The information:

  • Supports benchmarking
  • Allows governors and LAs to produce comparative reports between similar schools

Read more in the guidance from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).

Key changes for 2023-24

The following sections of the guidance have been updated:

I01 funds delegated by the LA Teachers' pay grant and teachers' pension employer contribution grant removed as they are no longer separate funding Mainstream schools additional grant added I03 high needs top-up funding Updated to include: Any funding corresponding to the mainstream schools additional grant for special schools and pupil referral units Any funding which replaces the teachers' pay grant