School Accounting

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Additional services

Additional services

Audit/OfSTED/FMSiS Assistance

Audits, FMSIS Assessments and OfSTED inspections can be anxious times for school staff.  SAFS has the experience of supporting schools through these occasions. 

OfSTED

For the OfSTED inspection SAFS will help in the completion of the financial sections of the pre-inspection reports using the school’s own data and following Audit Commission and OfSTED guidance.  SAFS will, whenever possible, given the short notification timescale, make every effort to programme a visit to the school to coincide with the inspection period or will be available on a telephone link, to talk to the Inspectors and answer their questions.

Audit

Using a wealth of experience in undertaking audit work, SAFS can guide the school through many of the topics the auditors are likely to want to examine and help the finance staff to prepare the paperwork needed to make the auditor’s task as straightforward as possible.  To support the school SAFS will ensure a presence in the school at some point during the audit period to deal with queries.  SAFS will also assist the school to respond to the initial points made by the auditors in their draft report.

FMSiS

SAFS has supported more than two thirds of its client schools through the FMSiS process, from working with staff and governors to prepare the required evidence, to advising on the evidence portfolio right through to working with the assessor to clear up outstanding issues to ensure the school meets the requirements at the first attempt.

Deficit Recovery

If the school should find itself in financial difficulties, SAFS will work with the management and governors to address the situation.  With the assistance of the school’s management and using a number of forecasting and planning techniques a deficit recovery plan will be drawn up for approval by Governors and the LA.  SAFS will then work with the school to achieve the targets set, through regular reporting, using the school’s financial data and through liaising with the LA to ensure its continuing support and assistance.


Additional, Chargeable Services

Non-public Funds Review

For an additional fee, SAFS can undertake a financial review of the school’s non-public fund.  This review will give the school a complete set of accounts for the non-public fund and an assurance that the necessary procedures and controls are in place, to satisfy the LA’s audit requirements for such funds.


Governor Training

For Governors, the funding of schools and the financial aspects of their role can be areas in which they feel in need of additional information.  SAFS can offer tailor made training sessions to Governors (and school managers) on education funding and finance matters ranging from a basic understanding of national funding arrangements to making sense of the school’s own financial statements and finance reports.