Last reviewed on 17 May 2023
Statutory/mandatory for: Academies Free schools

Download our model statement of accounting policies and adapt it to suit your context. You'll also find a template from the ESFA.

Who's this for?

All academy trusts, whether single academy or multi-academy, are required to have accounting policies, as explained below.

In a multi-academy trust (MAT), the trust usually sets this centrally as it's ultimately accountable for finance. If you're a school leader in a MAT, you can still use our model to get a sense of what your trust's document might look like. 

If you're a maintained school, you're not required to have accounting policies.

Download our model statement of accounting policies 

We created these with Martin Owen, our associate expert who's also a chartered accountant.

Academy trusts are required to prepare an annual report and accounts in line with the Charity Commission’s Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), and the Education and Skills Funding Agency’s (ESFA's) Accounts Direction (see paragraph 4.1 of the Academy Trust