Does ICFP work for special schools?

The challenge of using integrated curriculum and financial planning with special schools is the diversity of the schools. Different special schools focus on a different range of needs. The SEN Code of Practice (2015) divides SEND into four categories:

• Communication and interaction
• Cognition and learning
• Social, emotional and mental health
• Sensory and/or physical needs

Not only do special schools contain a different mix of these categories, but many pupils have complex needs that do not fit conveniently within only one of these categories.

Added to this the make up of any special school will change over time as the individuals that make up the school’s cohort changes and so the range of needs changes.

And a further complexity still arises from the particular funding methodology that is used by the Local Authority (LA) that the school is within; and further the mix of LAs that they take their pupils from.

This is not to say that a specialist school or special needs trust would not gain any value from an integrated curriculum and financial planning approach to an analysis of their finances. The key process, however, needs to be around understanding why the school varies from the norm referenced metrics, whether the school or trust are comfortable with this deviation in the metrics and whether the overall position reveals a balanced income and expenditure position.

At ICFP.school we are very keen to find ways to improve our analysis and so are keen to hear from providers of SEND education about how we can improve the ICFP.school dashboard and make it more useful for SEND establishments.

Do please get in touch at office@tsoeducation.co.uk and let us know what you think of our current dashboard and to tell us what else you would like to be added.

About our SRMA accreditation

The consultants at TSO Education are specialists in both Education Leadership and Education Finance.  Most of our consultants are accredited School Resource Management Advisers (SRMAs) – currently we have nine SRMAs signed up as consultants (including our two directors).  To ensure they have the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to undertake the role they have all passed an independent accreditation panel.  As part of the ISBL SRMA team, our highly skilled consultants are able to provide high levels of support and insight.

All our consultants have held senior posts in schools, academies and MATs.  With a wide range of experience and knowledge our consultants support our clients by providing evidence-based recommendations, promote and share best practice on managing resources across maintained schools and academy trusts, identify opportunities where schools and trusts can improve efficiency/increase their revenue generation and support schools and trusts to strengthen their governance and oversight of their finances.

Contact us for more information on how our services can be beneficial to you and your school, trust or local authority.

Local authority established MATs: Test and Learn Exercise in 2022-2023

The Department for Education is inviting local authorities (LAs) in England to register their interest in establishing a multi-academy trust (MAT) as part of a test and learn exercise.

This test and learn exercise will allow the DfE to work with a small number of LAs, to test the concept of an LA-established MAT.  LAs interested in establishing MATs will need to follow the same process as any other proposal for a new MAT, however this exercise will allow the department to identify issues which may be unique to a LA-established MAT.

Thus far, LAs have not been permitted to establish MATs. The Schools White Paper, Opportunity for all: strong schools with great teachers for your child signaled that this will now change, in areas where too few strong trusts exist.  A strong trust is able to get better outcomes for their pupils and are able to support teachers and schools where the challenges are the greatest.

The published document provides further details for LAs on:

• Setting up an LA-established MAT
• The DfE’s intention to commence with a test and learn exercise for 2022-2023
• How to submit a registration of Interest

The registration of interest will close on 31 July 2022.

The full document is available here.

At TSO we have a dedicated and knowledgeable team available to support LAs and MATs, for more information contact us today!

Local Authority Based Multi Academy Trust

The Education White Paper: Opportunity for all – Strong schools with great teachers for your child, has opened the way for Local Authorities to establish trusts to support their schools ‘where too few strong trusts exist’.

At TSO Education we have experience of both establishing and merging trusts.

You may want us to assist with any of the following: