Academy spending

The national press does seem to miss a trick on so many issues that impact on all of us.

This is from the Anti-Academies alliance. It links to the huge numbers of problems which are emerging, as reported by the local press, Ofsted etc
antiacademies.org.uk/2014/01/growingproblemsacademyprogramme/
What is interesting is how extensively these problems are reported in the local press and how few of those reports make it to the nationals. I wonder why?

Mishap you insist that there is an independent audit every year to "cover everyone's ass". If the head objects you tell them it is for their own protection. I once helped out at a disciplinary appeal where they head had been very lax and the bursar was the one that had been sacked. Academy budgets should cover this cost.
Penstemmon i know what that feels like. We met with several implausible "sponsors" . I would have thought that your best bet was to find a successful secondary school that has become an academy without a sponsor that would go into partnership with you.
I will PM you.

School where I am governor (small 2f/e Infant) is researching academy possibilities. Not because we want to be an academy at all but we would rather choose our 'sponsor' than be given one! Lesser of two evils!

LAs are still accountable but have little direct responsibility wheras the growing Academy group have little accountability (to the public) but growing access to funding!

I doubt if there are the resources to closely monitor what is being spent in these academies, or where the money is going. I don't agree with academies or "free" schools and think they are a total waste of money.

You are not alone in despairing "Mamie." A local academy, to which two primary schools were attached sacked its exec head under speedy and undisclosed circumstances, and lost several of its board of governors, leaving chaos in its wake. Scrutinizing some of the budgets has been disturbing.

It is hugely worrying. I am on a governing body and your link "Lilygran" is very interesting indeed. Luckily we are all honest people committed to the cause of fostering the well-being of the school, but if we weren't, who is going to curb our activities? And how do we verify what we are told, in terms of data and spending? - it really is not easy, and relies on an element of trust. We have to trust the staff that they are producing accurate figures for us, in both areas.

It just gives me the creeps that the academy and free schools systems allow money to be syphoned off to private companies on spurious grounds that just stay within the letter of the rules - quite sickening.

Lilygran this is an interesting link and I do think this represent a welcome review of the long list of obligations on governing bodies that have built up over a number of governments. Although there are a few things I wouldn't have ditched myself. It is all getting very messy though with much diminished LEAs trying to manage their areas with a large proportion of secondaries and some primaries out of their control completely (academies and free schools).
I suspect the schools that are suffering most are the not-so-well run primaries who will now have little support (if my previous LA anything to do by - bonfire of the advisors and assistant directors)
The LA is still responsible for making sure every child has a school place though, even thought they can't control the number of places available - which tends to be wasteful of public money.

See what I mean? https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/198840/Changes_that_reduce_burdens_on_maintained_school_governing_bodies.pdf

What JessM says and the link from Mamie are very worrying and bear out my own experience. I have complained before about the lack of control and accountability that now exists in the schools system. And the lack of genuine public involvement.

National Audit Office not happy with massive overspend on academy programme. Not surprised - I was there when we had our arms twisted up behind our back to become an academy because we were deemed to be "failing" - i.e. 1% below the target for exam results.

www.nao.org.uk/report/managing-the-expansion-of-the-academies-programme/

Humph.
"As charities, academies are required to adhere to accounting standards. These require the full disclosure of related-party transactions and auditors check those disclosures. This government has ensured that academies and trusts are subject to tighter financial controls than ever before and to much more scrutiny than local authority schools."
Now I have been a Chair of Governors under an LA and know that we scrutinised spending diligently and even if we had not been up to the job, the LA audits were painstaking and extremely thorough. They even picked up on details like the vice chair had signed something while i was out of the country (that was supposed to be signed by the Chair).
I have also chaired a small charity and know that the Charity Commission do not have the resources to do, well anything, really. Our accounts were audited and presented to our members - and we had a very diligent Treasurer. The sheer number of charities and the lack of resources to scrutinise would suggest to me that charities can get away with a hell of a lot - probably anything unless someone "whistle blows". So not sure who is currently scrutinising the accounts of academies so diligently.
That being said it has been the case for several years that ordinary secondary schools can choose to buy services (such as HR advice or educational psychology services) wherever they wish and not obliged to "buy" any services from the LA.