Category: Governance

The Education Funding Agency (EFA) has published the 2016 Academies Financial Handbook (external link). This replaces the 2015 version from 1 September 2016.

A summary of the key changes from the previous version can be found on page 5 of the document. Many of the changes clarify or emphasise existing parts of the academies financial framework, while seeking to align these more firmly with terminology in the Governance Handbook, in particular it now makes absolutely clear that trusts must publish their scheme of delegation for governance functions. The 2016 edition features an enhanced focus on identifying skills needed on the board, both at trust board level, and for local governing committees, and includes further drives to promote increased transparency and openness.

It also for the first time sets out in writing, what Department for Education officials have been saying for some time; that there must be a lead executive in multi-academy trusts (MATs) and so called ‘flat MATs’ will not be permitted. The AFH states “The board of trustees of the academy trust must appoint, in writing, a senior executive leader who may, in accordance with the trust’s articles of association, act as an ex officio trustee. In trusts comprising a single academy this should be the principal. In multi-academy trusts it should be the chief executive or equivalent. The role of senior executive leader must not rotate”.
 

All governing boards have a responsibility for overseeing the financial performance of the school and ensuring the money is well spent. The Department for Education’s (DfE) Financial Health and Efficiency resource (external link) is aimed specifically at governors.  The DfE continues to add resources to the webpage, the latest of which is an external financial health check service. The DfE has set out three specifications, from a review of the school’s financial systems to full support for a school in financial difficulty.

The documentation sets out what should be included in the various checks. Along with guidance on how to choose a supplier and a directory of potential suppliers.

More information can be found at financial health checks for schools: supplier directory (external link).

Please make your Business Manager and governor with responsibility for finance aware of these changes.

The Department of Education (DfE) has updated its guidance on the year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up premium to confirm allocations for 2016 to 2017. Schools will receive the same overall amount of year 7 catch-up premium funding they received in 2015 to 2016, adjusted to reflect the percentage change in the size of their year 7 cohort, based on the October 2016 census.

Details of the allocations can be found here (external link).
 

Governors are reminded that the Public Sector Equality Duty requires schools to publish equality information . The Equality Act 2010 introduced a single Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) and this applies to public bodies, including maintained schools and academies.

The PSED requires schools to:

• Publish information to demonstrate how they are complying with the PSED – this information must include, in particular, information relating to people who share a protected characteristic
• Prepare and publish equality objectives

Schools need to update the published information at least annually and to publish objectives at least once every four years.

Data about employees will not need to be published where a public authority has fewer than 150 employees. This means that for the majority of Haringey’s schools, only pupil-related data will need to be published.

Ofsted has published a new report on the effectiveness of local authorities and early years providers in tackling the issues facing disadvantaged families and young children.

The report entitled ‘Unknown children – destined for disadvantage' (external link) found that:

• A broader understanding of what it means to be ‘disadvantaged’ is needed, looking beyond financial measures;
• Being disadvantaged continues to have a considerable detrimental impact on children’s educational outcomes and health;
• There is a lack of understanding of what success looks like in tackling disadvantage, particularly around what ‘school readiness’ means and the wider health and social care elements that impact on education;
• Co-ordination of services by local authorities, including data sharing to avoid duplication, is crucial to tackling disadvantage effectively;
• Too many disadvantaged children are missing out on early assessments of health, learning and development;
• Too few early years providers prioritise admission for disadvantaged pupils;
• More needs to be done to increase take-up of free early education (80,000 eligible 2-year-olds did not access funded places last year) and ensure that additional funding, such as the early years pupil premium, reaches and has a positive impact on all eligible children.

Ofsted recommend that schools ensure key information is shared promptly when children move between settings and review their use of the early years pupil premium to maximise its impact.  This underpins the efficacy of the timely sharing of information between schools at all phases to ensure that all settings can plan and prepare to support chidlren and young people appropriately.

The Secretary of State for Education, Justine Greening, announced in July that the anticipated second stage of the school funding reform consultation would not be published until after Parliament’s summer recess, with decisions on the future for school funding published in early 2017.

As a result of the delay, any national  funding reforms will not now be implemented until 2018-19. For 2017-18 no local authority will receive less funding than it did for schools and high-needs blocks in 2016-17. Schools will also continue to have funding “protected” by the minimum funding guarantee of -1.5%.

Leading Governance is offering the following new Chair of Governors Leadership (CGLDP) and National Clerks' Development (NCDP) programmes. Please go to the Leading Governance websit (external link) and click on the appropriate tab to find out more and register.

The cost of both programmes is £399 per participant but scholarships of £320 towards this cost are available and further details of how to apply for this can be found at the above link.
 

Ofsted has updated their school inspection handbooks to reflect changes in legislation found in the Education and Adoption Act 2016. This legislation altered the powers of local authorities and regional schools commissioners (RSCs) to intervene in schools.

There have also been updates to some aspects of the handbook relating to governance. The handbook now states (paragraph 85) that, where a school is in a multi academy trust (MAT), inspectors will ensure they meet with those “directly responsible for exercising governance of the school and for overseeing its performance”. While in some cases significant responsibilities may be delegated to an academy committee, the trust board remains the accountable authority. It is the NGA’s view that at least one trustee should meet with the inspector (either in person or over the phone).

The handbook also now states that inspectors will now consider a governing board’scommitment to its own development in order to improve its  performance.

To access the updated handbooks, visit the National Governors' Association website (external link).

In August, the Department for Education (DfE) released the latest versions of the STPCD (external link) and its related advice (external link) – Implementing your School’s Approach to Pay. The STPCD provides a framework for teachers’ pay and conditions, and is statutory for all maintained schools, although many academies also choose to adhere to it.

The main change in this latest version is that the updated STPCD makes provision for the September 2016 pay award, which gives a 1% uplift to the statutory minima and maxima of all pay ranges, including allowances. This means that where a classroom teacher/leadership group member is paid on the minimum of their pay range, this must be uplifted to the new minimum. Schools themselves must determine how to take account of the uplift for those not currently on the minimum, in line with their own pay policy.
 

The Department for Education has confirmed the allocation of the pupil premium grant for 2016/17.  The rates are as follows:

• For each pupil eligible for free school meals (FSM) at any time within the last 6 years  –  £1320 for reception to Year 6 pupils and £935 for Years 7 – 11;
• Looked after pupils (for 1 day or more)  – £1,900 per pupil;
• For children who are no longer in LA care because of adoption, special guardianship order, a child arrangement order or a residence order – £1,900 per pupil; service premium – £300 per pupil.

When deciding how to spend the pupil premium, schools should ensure that they have researched the best methods for raising attainment for disadvantage pupils, tailored this to their school and formed an action plan.