Academy Trust Handbook: key updates

The Academy Trust Handbook (ATH) update for September 2024 continues to take the approach of streamlining. 

The volume of updates and guidance on additional burdens on Trustees and Leaders is minimal, but it continues to emphasise the key areas that require focus and responsibility. 

The latest edition includes a number of key changes, which are set out below.

• Trusts are reminded about the importance of adhering to the digital and technology standards originally introduced in 2022, to support trusts in decision making about technology (1.16).
• Emphasis on Trusts' reserves policy and the need for it to include a clear plan for managing reserves (2.8).
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes for Electric Vehicles are clarified so that trusts know when they must approach the ESFA for approval (2.31), either with existing or new schemes.
• Internal Scrutiny guidance includes new specifics regarding professional qualification requirements or experience for those performing internal scrutiny, particularly for trusts with an annual revenue income of over £50 million (3.16). Trustees and peer reviewers should equally have appropriate qualifications and/or experience in the area being reviewed to perform peer reviews (3.17).
• Trusts will be able to enter into finance leases without prior ESFA approval where the lease category appears on the DfE’s approved list (5.25 and 5.26).
• There is the clarification that trusts must take appropriate action to meet the DfE’s cyber security standards, originally introduced in 2022 (6.14).
• The examples of when a Notice to Improve may be issued on governance grounds have been extended, including failure to manage school estates and maintain them in a safe working condition strategically and effectively (6.16).

Interestingly, greater focus on quality, rather than quantity of work undertaken is clear, with an emphasis on the right people doing the right task, with increasingly clear choices, which is good to see. 

Helpfully, there is also a separate optional tool to assist trusts: a Schedule of Musts to aid trusts in their own evaluation of compliance. The schedule is not required to be used or submitted to the ESFA, and I am sure that many will find it helpful in their own self-evaluation.

Get in touch

If you have any questions about the Academy Trust Handbook, internal scrutiny or general “musts” compliance, please contact us for support through your usual Bishop Fleming advisor.