Academy services

Valuable input from knowledgeable experts

As one of the eastern region’s major providers of services to academies we act for around 100 academy trusts in every county across East Anglia, the eastern home counties as well as six London boroughs. 

Our clients include every type of establishment – from small rural primary schools to large inner-city comprehensives and faith schools, and from single schools to larger multi-academy trusts with a national reach.

Whether your school is a late converter; is under pressure to become a multi-academy trust or is just looking for a change in advisor our close-knit team, most of whom have experience working in governance themselves, can help and guide you through the extensive regulations and confusing jargon.

Value-added services

Our overriding focus is on providing academies and their trustees with the answers before anyone thinks to ask the question. Support offered within our fixed fee service has grown based upon the requirements of our clients and includes:

Free governor presentation

Whether upon conversion, or now more likely to newer new governors we are always happy to present to your governors on topics such as governor and trustee responsibilities, good governance principles and risk mitigation. We are currently assisting many governing bodies on understanding the implications of becoming a multi-academy trust.

Pre-audit workshops 

Prior to the commencement of each years’ audit process, these sessions help ensure your finance staff are fully aware of the issues concerning end-of-year reporting and accounting.

Unlimited free helpdesk

By phone or by email, if we either know or should know the answer to your query (and our experience is such that this is no longer confined to just financial and reporting matters) then that advice is free – as much as you need – as often as you like.

Ongoing support

With our service, you receive support with:

• statutory audit
• assurance report on regularity
• audited accounts returns (and preparation if required)
• reporting on agreed-upon procedures of the teacher’s pension scheme
• grant audits
• corporation tax (statutory returns plus advice on “trading” / gift aid etc)
• internal audit, scrutiny and governance – Download brochure 
• governor documentation and policies
• VAT health checks and advice on specific projects
• review or completion of ESFA returns such as budget forecasts
• company secretarial tasks
• payroll and HR services
• investment and cash management services
• MAT due diligence
• regular updates via our @AcademyHelpdesk Twitter feed.

Key members of the Academies team:

Here is a list of some of the key people you would deal with, along with a link to their profile pages.

Gary Miller

John Warren

Tom Meeks

Paul Bartlett

Suzanne Goldsmith

Alice Marshall-Chalk

India Payne