Note: the government has announced plans to close the ESFA by March 2025. Instead, funding will be administered directly by the DfE. We don't expect funding and reporting arrangements to change, but we’ll update this article if new guidance is published.
Download our annual budget checklist
It has all the tasks you may need to carry out during the year, and suggests months in which to carry them out.
Maintained schools – based on the April to March financial year
Academies – based on the academies' financial year, from September to August
Plan at least 3 years ahead
To create an effective budget:
External factors such as inflation, major repairs and falling or increasing rolls are likely to impact your school’s finances over the next 3 years. You'll need to take these