Academy updates Spring 2018
Spring 2018 governance update Griffin summarise some of the more impactful announcements affecting academies. Multi Academy Trusts paying their CEO more than £150,000 asked to justify the salary Eileen Milner, the Chief Executive of the ESFA, has written to the chairs of all Multi Academy Trusts paying their CEO, or any other staff member [...]
Key changes: Academies Financial Handbook 2017
Key changes: Academies Financial Handbook 2017 The Academies Financial Handbook 2017 (AFH) applies from September 2017. We’ve summarised the key changes below. The ESFA have updated the new handbook to give more guidance on the roles of members and trustees. They have also included stronger emphasis on having significant separation between the roles. [...]
Fraud risk in academy schools
Fraud and academy schools Fraud has become a key area of concern for academy schools and the Education Funding Agency (EFA) has recently published a guide to help trusts reduce their exposure (link later in the article). We discuss some of the high profile frauds that have become public as well as [...]
Telford Co-operative Multi Academy Trust loses control of all four of its schools
Telford Co-operative Multi Academy Trust loses control of all four of its schools Following four woeful Ofsted inspection reports across all of its schools, Telford Co-operative Multi Academy Trust (MAT) has passed over leadership to the Community Academies Trust, a nearby MAT consisting of 6 schools. Ofsted inspected all four [...]
The importance of good governance
The importance of good governance Good governance is becoming increasing important for academy schools. More notices to improve are being issued and some schools are continuing to hit the headlines for the wrong reasons. Furthermore, the Department for Education (DfE) have shown they are willing to take a hard-line where necessary and only [...]
Should you join a MAT?
Should you join a MAT? In his recent letter to all Academy School Heads, the School Commissioner has now confirmed, the long held suspicion, that academies are being encouraged to join together into groups in a formal way, predominantly as Multi Academy Trusts (MATs). MATs have been highly successful, providing the obvious benefit [...]
£1m to help recruit high-calibre governors
£1m to help recruit high-calibre governors A new £1m fund has been announced by schools minister, Lord Nash to try and bring more highly-skilled governors into schools (see original announcement here). The funding is intended to support a new partnership between SGOSS - Governors for Schools and the Education and Employers Taskforce, to recruit [...]
