If you want to start a lively discussion amongst academy Finance Directors at a Christmas party or anywhere else, you could ask them whether academy FDs should be professionally qualified accountants. This subject might be seen as too contentious by some – placed in same category as religion and politics.
Many of the academies in Labour’s programme did not initially have accountants appointed as Finance Directors although these schools often had involved and supportive sponsors who could provide financial expertise. By 2010 the National Audit Office was finding that almost two-thirds of these academies had Finance Directors who were accountants. Under the Coalition’s policy of encouraging schools to convert things may be different - many of those acting as Finance Director will not be accountants but will be experienced and qualified School Business Managers.
There are people who think that accountants should be leading on financial management in academies.
The Academies Financial Handbook (pdf) stated in 2006:
The DfES strongly recommends that the person appointed as Finance Director, or equivalent, should be a qualified CCAB accountant, or equivalent, with some experience in a senior position; charity experience would be valuable. An acceptable alternative, subject to the governing body themselves having significant financial experience and ability, would be a member of the Association of Accounting Technicians who has significant relevant experience in either a charity or educational institution.
When the successor to the Handbook arrives is unlikely to send out a different message - unless there is ministerial pressure.
The public sector accountants’ professional institute, CIPFA, published in 2009 a Statement on the Role of The Chief Financial Officer in Public Services. One of its five Principles is that:
The chief financial officer in a public service organisation must be professionally qualified and suitably experienced.
The cynics might suggest: professional bodies for accountants would say that, wouldn’t they? Nevertheless, academies - along with other independent providers of education such as colleges and universities – are entering a world where austerity casts aside the assumption of funding that grows faster than or even in line with inflation. General FE colleges and sixth form colleges gained their independence in the early 1990s – a similarly bracing climate – and they soon opted for professionally qualified Finance Directors.
I would not personally say that all academy Finance Directors must be accountants. However, each academy must ensure that it has robust financial management in place – which may involve support from, say, Responsible Officer governors or consultants if the Finance Director is not a trained and qualified accountant. Governors and Headteachers must always be mindful that if things do go wrong they will be asked whether they critically assessed the arrangements which they put in place.
Many of the academies in Labour’s programme did not initially have accountants appointed as Finance Directors although these schools often had involved and supportive sponsors who could provide financial expertise. By 2010 the National Audit Office was finding that almost two-thirds of these academies had Finance Directors who were accountants. Under the Coalition’s policy of encouraging schools to convert things may be different - many of those acting as Finance Director will not be accountants but will be experienced and qualified School Business Managers.
There are people who think that accountants should be leading on financial management in academies.
The Academies Financial Handbook (pdf) stated in 2006:
The DfES strongly recommends that the person appointed as Finance Director, or equivalent, should be a qualified CCAB accountant, or equivalent, with some experience in a senior position; charity experience would be valuable. An acceptable alternative, subject to the governing body themselves having significant financial experience and ability, would be a member of the Association of Accounting Technicians who has significant relevant experience in either a charity or educational institution.
When the successor to the Handbook arrives is unlikely to send out a different message - unless there is ministerial pressure.
The public sector accountants’ professional institute, CIPFA, published in 2009 a Statement on the Role of The Chief Financial Officer in Public Services. One of its five Principles is that:
The chief financial officer in a public service organisation must be professionally qualified and suitably experienced.
The cynics might suggest: professional bodies for accountants would say that, wouldn’t they? Nevertheless, academies - along with other independent providers of education such as colleges and universities – are entering a world where austerity casts aside the assumption of funding that grows faster than or even in line with inflation. General FE colleges and sixth form colleges gained their independence in the early 1990s – a similarly bracing climate – and they soon opted for professionally qualified Finance Directors.
I would not personally say that all academy Finance Directors must be accountants. However, each academy must ensure that it has robust financial management in place – which may involve support from, say, Responsible Officer governors or consultants if the Finance Director is not a trained and qualified accountant. Governors and Headteachers must always be mindful that if things do go wrong they will be asked whether they critically assessed the arrangements which they put in place.
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