Education
Haslers’ dedicated team specialises in working with individual academeies, Multi Academy Trusts (MATs), free schools and independent schools.
Our team offers expertise in all aspects of auditing, accounting, tax and business support in the education sector. Our experience of acting for a number of schools, and our in-depth knowledge of the issues facing them, means we can provide specialist, cost-effective advice and services to meet the audit and accounting requirements for free schools and academies both through the start-up years and with on-going requirements and responsibilities following opening.
Independent Schools
Multi Academy Trusts (MATs)
Why Choose Haslers?
- High technical expertise in the Education & Not-for-profit sector.
- We pride ourselves on building a strong relationship with your team but also ensuring compliance needs are met.
- Management letter focused on best practice and ensuring compliance.
- Concise audit findings summary provided to the Board each year at the end of the audit process.
- Attendance at meetings to ensure full understanding of year-end financial statements.
- We have a continuous internal training programme which enables us to build capacity within our team and take on new clients each year within the education and not-for-profit sector.
Your Education Experts
Our people are our greatest asset – we have a culture that attracts and retains the best people. Our reputation of technical excellence, knowledge and capability is the result of a wide range of qualifications and experience held by our staff.
David Bond, Chief Financial Officer – Lion Academy Trust & Lion Education Trust
“I found working on the first initiation of internal scrutiny with Haslers to be very straight forward. The team took time to understand our needs as a Trust, the risk profile we were looking to mitigate against and recommended an audit plan that was suitable. The execution of the first audit was undertaken efficiently and as our first-ever remote audit, as a result of COVID, was undertaken robustly. The final report was very helpful in providing recommendations to support our continuous improvement journey.
As a fully independent internal scrutiny function this was highly useful in providing a review of our procedures and being able to act as a professional critical friend to our organisation. An interesting differentiator was that the conversations felt more open and engaging as they tried to make certain they understood our practices and a genuine interest in making recommendations that were reasonable and would add value. It was also a personable service with each team members role being clearly identified and engaged at the right moments.
Haslers technical knowledge for the areas utilised during our first review was highly suitable and aligned to the needs of academies while also considering wider industry best practices.”
Big Education Trust
“Haslers HR have helped us rectify some historic HR issues, providing clarity to a situation that had seemed impossible to unpick by ourselves. The team guided us throughout the process, and was always willing to pick up the phone to talk us through the work. I would highly recommend Haslers HR.”
German YMCA
“Since the start of our journey with Haslers 19 years ago, it’s been excellent. We have always received the advice and support required in a very timely fashion. The most important part of the Haslers service to German YMCA is their auditing and general accounting advice along with payoll. Haslers have a consistent and stable team who understand our business which includes a charity and wholly owned trading subsidiary, the Lancaster Hall Hotel We always receive sound financial advice when required and the staff have a genuine interest in our operations. I would highly recommend Haslers. 5* Rating.”
Matthew Hagger – Oak-Tree Group of Schools
“We were originally recommended to Haslers by our bank back in the late 1990s. Since the start of our journey with you, we have formed a significant partnership. The team at Haslers have helped us to grow over the years through their expert advice and support.
The most important part of your service to The Oak-Tree Group of Schools is the different levels of expertise, from acquisitions and business development to audit and tax.
The greatest benefit of working with Haslers is their high level of knowledge, personalities and location (as this has certainly helped!). Also, the representation on matters beyond my skills with bodies such as HMRC.
The friendliness of staff and the appreciation/knowledge of our industry have exceeded my expectations since working with Haslers over the past 25 years or so.
I would highly recommend Haslers, 5* Service.”
Chadwell Heath Academy
“We have worked with Haslers since 2014 we continue to be extremely impressed with the service they provide. They staff are extremely professional, knowledgeable and friendly. Our Governing Body were again impressed with their presentation of the Year End accounts and with the new closing pack. Their continued guidance and updates are invaluable. We would have no hesitation in recommending them as we know that we are in safe hands.”
Deborah Evans – Pear Tree Mead Academy
“Our school has been using Haslers for five years. The team are professional and always provide prompt and helpful advice to any questions we raise. Nothing is too much trouble for them and their customer service is excellent. I have also been very impressed with the way our annual audit has been carried out so efficiently.”
Maureen Foakes – St Aubyn’s (Woodford Green) School Trust
“St Aubyn’s (Woodford Green) School Trust started working with Haslers 17 years ago. It has been a very good journey throughout the years; one that’s based on mutual respect and professionalism.
The most important part of Haslers service to us is the relationship we have built with our account managers and partner. The team are always ready to assist when we have queries.
The greatest benefit of working with Haslers is their continuity and relationships that have been built. Friendly staff and the way Haslers always meet our needs has exceeded our expectations since working with them.
I would highly recommend Haslers. 5* Rating.”
Ursuline Academy
“Haslers continue to provide a comprehensive service to the academy and consistently go to the extra mile to help us achieve our aims. Their team are friendly, approachable and always ready to offer advice and support”
Additional Services
Ensuring you are compliant with the rules can be a real distraction from the day to day running of your school and can be very costly if you get it wrong. If you do have your own HR team, our services can be used as additional support at times when either a second opinion is necessary or when project work arises.
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FAQs
What makes a successful multi academy trust?
Improvement in value-added over time. Attainment of disadvantaged pupils compared to non-disadvantaged pupils and all pupils nationally. Whether any schools are rated inadequate. Whether they have a sustainable central function.
How does a multi academy trust work?
Multi-academy trusts (MATs) are groups of academies that have come together to form a charitable company, with a single group of ‘members’ (who have an overview of the governance arrangements) and a single board of trustees.
What is the optimum size for a multi academy trust?
Between 12 and 20 schools. Opinions differ over the optimum size of a MAT to take advantage of the benefits of scale, but recent comments from the DfE4 have suggested a ‘sweet spot’ of between 12 and 20 schools, or 5,000 to 10,000 pupils.
Can an academy leave a mat?
A school cannot decide to leave a MAT voluntarily, either to re-join the LA or join another MAT. But if the MAT trust collapses, walks away or is forced to give up the school by the Government, it will be transferred to a new trust, and parents and staff will have no say on which MAT this is.
Can a church school join a mat?
MAT without appropriate Church governance. The department, recognising the importance of the diocesan family of schools, will only approve an application for a church school to join an existing MAT without appropriate church governance (see footnote 1) where that application is supported by the DBE.
What happens when a school joins an academy?
An academy receives their funding directly from the government – rather than filtered through a local authority like a “traditional” state funded school. This means that an academy is directly accountable to the Department for Education. They are however, still inspected by Ofsted.
Who regulates multi academy trusts?
The board of trustees has responsibility for all of the academies operated by the MAT. The MAT board can also establish a ‘local governing body’ for each academy (or to oversee two or more academies).
What VAT rate applies to education?
That depends on whether you are an academy, Local Authority funded school, charity or commercial provider as the first three make outside the scope of VAT non business supplies whereas commercial providers of education make VAT exempt supplies.
What’s the difference to us between non business and exempt?
Generally making either non business or exempt supplies means you cannot register for VAT and cannot reclaim any VAT on your expenditure. However special rules apply to academies and LA funded schools which allow them to claim VAT on costs associated with their core supplies of education.
Can you help me prepare for Ofsted?
From a HR perspective we can support you to ensure your SCR is compliant and that your HR practices are in line with best practice.
Can Haslers support with staff conduct issues?
Yes, we can advise accordingly.