The Key for School Leaders An Essential Guide to Academy Conversion
Who to inform / area involved
Finance
Trustees
Task
Request bills for first five months of academy re . year end Complete budget forecast - six weeks from receipt of final funding letter
Develop help guide to finance system to assist future users and ease succession / transition periods
Develop a monthly protocol to display with scheme of delegation ( helps with managing staff absence / planning annual leave and reduces risk of missing deadlines )
Set up petty cash management system – approvals and protocols for review at next academy trust board meeting
Conduct a governance self-assessment after four months
Complete YES / NO & when
Information Commissioner ’ s Office
Bank
Log on to ICO site and request number
Advise of company registration
Education Funding Agency ( EFA )
EduBase
Activate access to EFA Information Exchange
Get URN from EduBase
School milk provider
Chosen voucher provider
Management information system provider
Notify of academy conversion Agree / confirm arrangements for orders and payments Request nursery vouchers for existing staff
Send in signed licence documents
School website Update website to meet the requirements set out here : www . gov . uk / guidance / what-academies-free-schools-and-colleges-should-publish-online
( Note : There are some differences between the information and documents that academies and maintained schools must publish online so do check the DfE ’ s guidance carefully to make sure your school is compliant )
Policy reviews / development
You may want to review your existing policies after conversion
You should also note that there are some differences between the policies that academies and maintained schools are required to have
For example , additional policies that academies must have include a first aid policy , risk assessment policy , approved accounting policies , investment policy , competitive tendering policy , and policy ( and register ) on acceptance of gifts
To ensure you have all the policies you need , check the following sources of information :
DfE list of statutory policies - www . gov . uk / government / publications / statutory-policies-forschools
Academies Financial Handbook - www . gov . uk / government / publications / academies-financialhandbook
Education ( Independent School Standards ) Regulations 2014 - www . legislation . gov . uk / uksi / 2014 / 3283 / schedule / made
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