Category: Finance

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Finance Schools

Changing the date on which an employer pays its employees

Concerns were raised recently at the Schools Consultative Group by Support Staff Unions. Following a change in payroll provider, it was reported that a number of schools had made changes to the dates on which some support staff receive their monthly salary.

A change to the date on which an employer pays its employees will amount to a change to the terms of the employees' contract. This means that the change needs to be agreed with the employees concerned before it is implemented. An employer that proceeds to make such a change without agreement will be acting in breach of contract, a course of action which could lead to resignations followed by claims of constructive dismissal.

If a school wishes to change the date on which it pays employees, then the school will need to consult all affected employees (or their representatives) with a view to reaching agreement on both the change itself and the way in which it will be implemented. If, for example, due to the amount of notice given for the change in pay date, staff incur additional costs, (i.e. as a result of changing direct debit payments), it may be appropriate for the school, as a one-off arrangement, to agree to meet those costs.

Following consultation, if some or all of the employees involved still refuse to agree to the change, further advice should be sought from the schools HR provider.

Additional advice is available from ACAS:  Varying-a-contract-of-employment-Acas-leaflet

 

 

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Events Finance Schools

FFT announce road show for primary schools

Key Stage 2 autumn road shows for head teachers and senior leaders responsible for performance and data in primary schools have been announced by Fischer Family Trust (FFT) Education. Two sessions will be held in London on Friday 29 September.

The replacement of RAISEonline with a slimmed down package called Analyse School Performance (ASP) will bring a new set of challenges for schools and Inspectors. The key changes will be outlined at this autumn’s FFT Roadshows, together with how FFT Aspire can be used in combination with the DfE’s replacement system to ensure that schools can effectively evaluate their performance and measure progress.

Delegates will also get a first look at the latest national performance trends, including an exclusive FFT data report for your school, where they can and find out how their school has performed in the second year of a scaled score world.

The three-hour roadshow, which is open to subscribers and non-subscribers to FFT Aspire, will cover:

• An outline of the key features of the new FFT Aspire and ASP systems.

• A blended approach to self-evaluation – maximising the impact of Aspire and ASP.

• How do you compare?  Early access to an FFT data report for your school.

• Life after levels – understanding national trends one year on. What can we learn from this year’s results?

• Tracking progress – autumn will see the development of a brand new tracking module in Aspire. Be part of our pilot project and see how this new facility can be used effectively alongside Aspire’s target setting and intervention modules.

• FFT research – a look at the latest primary school research from Education Datalab.

The roadshow costs £95 plus vat per delegate.  To book, or for more information, please visit the roadshow website (external link)   or email training@fft.org.uk.

Categories
Finance Governance

Schools financial health check survey

Last summer, the Department for Education (DfE) developed a financial health check structure for schools (external link) to help them identify whether or not they would benefit from an external financial review. The Department is now undertaking a review to improve the offer and are keen to hear from those governing in schools about their views and experiences of the schools financial health checks offer. Whether or not your school has used the offer, if you would like to contribute to the review, you can do so through a short online survey(external link)  

One of the core functions of the governing board is to oversee the financial performance of the organisation and making sure its money is well spent. A financial review is just one way in which the governing board can ascertain whether or not the school is securing good value for money. In the current climate of uncertainty over school funding, governing boards need to ensure that their schools are running as efficiently as possible and seeking ways to assure themselves of this.

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Finance Schools

Haringey school savings scheme for students in years 6 and 7

Haringey Council and London Capital Credit Union are keen to encourage children to develop the savings habit and get some practical experience of numeracy. To promote this, the council will pay £20 into a Young Savers account with London Capital Credit Union for any child in year 6 or year 7 at a school in Haringey. Parents are then encouraged to help them start to save, manage their money and budget sensibly.

London Capital Credit Union is seeking help from schools to publicise this campaign.

Parents/guardians can open a Young Savers Account  and gain £20 to open the account (external link)

Only one incentive payment is available per child. The £20 incentive may not be withdrawn for a period of 12 months from the deposit date.

If you can help year 6 or 7 pupils in your school take advantage of this incentive scheme then please contact the Credit Union at info@credit-union.coop

For more information please call Martin Groombridge on 020 7561 1786

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Finance Schools

National Funding Formula – consultation ends 22 March

Haringey Council leader Claire Kober has thrown her support behind a national campaign – led by parents in the borough – calling on the government to reconsider plans for a new education funding formula, which could see local schools lose more than 10% of their annual budgets.

 

Spread the word amongst your parents, staff and governors – and encourage them to have their say.

 

The consultation on the National Funding Formula runs until 22 March.

 

Find out more (external link)

 

 

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Finance

Look out for your year-end guidance letter

A 2016/17 year end close guidance letter with templates has been emailed to all Haringey maintained (or owned) schools on 23 February followed by a briefing meeting on 9 March. If your school doesn’t receive the guidance letter email or if you have any further queries, please contact Chi Wong on 020 8489 5697 or email SchoolsReturns@haringey.gov.uk

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Finance

Pre-audit Workshop

As part of Internal Audit’s ongoing commitment to help schools with the audit process, an informal pre-audit workshop session has been arranged on Wednesday 15 March 2017 at 4.00pm which is open to Head Teachers, school administration and finance staff. All schools that are due to be audited in 2017/18 have already been sent invitations to the workshop, but if you are new to your role as Head Teacher, or School Business Manager, the workshop may be helpful in providing guidance on key financial risk and control issues.

 

The workshop will be facilitated by Anne Woods, the council’s Head of Audit and Risk Management, and the Senior Audit Manager from Mazars, who provide the internal audit service to the council. We will discuss the common issues and findings from previous school audits in the key areas (financial and non-financial) and highlight where schools can take steps to improve controls and the outcome of the audit visit.

 

Please contact Anne Woods to book your place at the workshop.  Telephone 020 8489 5973 or email: anne.woods@haringey.gov.uk

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Finance

Contingency for schools in financial difficulty

Information on applying for allocations from the Contingency for Schools in Financial Difficulty was e-mailed to chairs of governors and school administrators on Tuesday 11th October.

The Contingency is created by the Schools Forum by ‘de-delegating’ funds from maintained schools and so is not available to academies and free schools.

Eligible maintained schools wishing to apply need to read the notes of guidance and e-mail the completed application form to Steve Worth, Finance Manager (Schools and Learning), at stephen.worth@haringey.gov.uk by Wednesday 9th November 2016.