Governors and School Finance
A letter from Lorraine Butcher
(PDF, 118KB), Director of Children and Families, which provides
explanatory detail around Schools Delegated Budgets for 2011/12 can
be downloaded.
A Special Educational Needs (SEN) Funding
letter for 2011/12 (PDF, 86KB) which provides further
explanatory detail around SEN allocations can be downloaded.
National Funding Formula for Schools Consultation
The Government is consulting on a national
funding formula. This is the second stage of this
consultation.
Details of the earlier consultation and the schools forum response (PDF,
174KB) are available.
Scheme for Financing Schools 2011-13
The Cheshire East Scheme for Financing
Schools 2011-13 (PDF, 539KB) sets out the financial
relationship that exists between the Authority and the Community,
Nursery, Voluntary, Foundation, Community Special and Foundation
Special schools which it maintains. The scheme contains
requirements relating to financial management and associated issues
which are binding on both the Authority and on schools. Governing
Bodies are responsible for the operation of the scheme within their
school.
The main changes contained in the
2011-13 scheme PDF, 67KB) are summarised here.
The Scheme Specific Financial Regulations
(PDF, 215KB) and the Local Bank Account Scheme for Schools
(PDF, 253KB) accompany the Scheme for Financing Schools,
and aim to provide further information and clarity in respect of
the information enclosed within the main scheme document.
School Financial Value Standard
The Department for Education launched the new
Schools Financial Value Standard (
SFVS
) on 18th July
2011 The standard is available to schools to use from
September 2011.
SFVS
replaces the Financial Management Standard in Schools (FMSiS),
which was withdrawn by the Secretary of State with effect from 15
November 2010. The
SFVS
has been designed in
conjunction with schools to assist them in managing their finances
and to give assurance that they have secure financial management in
place. Governing bodies have formal responsibility for the
financial management of their schools, and so the standard is
primarily aimed at governors.
The Schools Finance Team will be in contact with schools after
the summer holidays to discuss recommendations in respect of the
scheme.
In the meantime the documents provided below are still
considered good practice and are recommended to schools for
adoption.
The model Manual of Internal Financial
Procedures for schools (PDF, 832KB) can be downloaded here.
The FMSiS Aide
Memoire (PDF, 60KB) for Governing Bodies can be downloaded
here.
Audit Commission
The Audit Commission has published (March 2011)
four brieing sessions called
'Better Value for Money for Schools' which can be accessed by
following the link.
The Audit Commission has produced a report called
'Valuable Lessons - Improving
Economy and Efficiency in Schools' (PDF, 252KB) for
governors. The full report is available by following the
link.
