What is it?
All academy trusts which have an open academy must complete the school resource management self-assessment checklist once a year.
The checklist helps governing boards and trust boards to:
- Check they have appropriate financial management and governance arrangements
- Check they're meeting the right standards to achieve a good level of financial health and resource management
- Identify areas for change to make sure the trust is using resources to support high-quality teaching and the best education outcomes for pupils
This is explained in DfE guidance.
This checklist is not required for maintained schools. Instead, they must submit the Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS).
When is the deadline?
All academy trusts with an open academy on 31 December 2025 must submit the checklist for the 2025-26 financial year by 13 March 2026.
How to complete the checklist
The checklist includes 47 questions. Each question can