Management Information Sheet
Financial Management Standard in Schools (FMSiS) Update
Assessment Update
On June 30th, the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) for Norfolk County Council signed the annual FMSiS CFO Assurance Statement, which had to be returned to the Department for Children Schools and Families. The statement reported on the number of schools meeting the Standard, the number of schools to be assessed for the first time in 2009-10 and that 'appropriate steps are being taken to ensure that schools currently not meeting the requirements of the Standard are being brought into line with the Standard'. On that date, 234 primary and special schools, 1 nursery school and 50 secondary schools had achieved the Standard.
Congratulations to all the schools that have worked for and achieved FMSiS accreditation. Many schools have reported benefits from the process; greater awareness of financial roles and responsibilities for both school staff and governors and improved financial controls.
Schools that have achieved the Standard may use the FMSiS logo on their stationery. If you have not acquired the logo yet and would like to have it, please e-mail Judith Hall.
Schools in the Western Area
The target date for schools in the Western area is 31st March 2010. This is also the final deadline for all schools nationally and after this date the DCSF will expect that all schools will have achieved the Standard. If for any reason you may have difficulty in complying with this schedule, please contact Judith Hall as soon as possible.
Please note that there are still some FMSiS workshop places available at the WNPDC in King's Lynn on 18th September and 20th October. Bookings should be made through the training team, contact Richard Boyd, telephone 01603 223390 or by e-mail.
Useful documents, checklists and pro formas for policies may be found on the Children's Services Finance website under A-Z, FMSiS.
Unless we have been informed to the contrary by 18th December 2009, we will assume that schools will require the assessment to be provided by the FMSiS team in Children's Services Finance. Alternative third party providers approved by the DCSF can be found on the FMSiS website.
Schools should aim to submit evidence files for assessment in advance of the March date if possible; this will allow schools additional time to provide further information to the assessor within the timescale if required.
Secondary Schools
Secondary schools that achieved the Standard in March 2007 are due for re-assessment by 31st March 2010. All those secondary schools received a reminder earlier this year. The Standard is in essence the same, but has been subject to annual amendments in response to consultation to deliver greater clarity regarding the requirements.
There are still workshop places available in King's Lynn as above, also at the Norwich PDC on 7th October.
Secondary schools have been asked to undergo full re-assessments and should be aware that for the second round of assessments, assessors will no longer be providing latitude regarding the evidence presented by schools and it is expected that improved financial management practices have been applied and are embedded within the school.
Other Assessments
Other schools due for assessment should contact Judith Hall, if you have not already done so, to ensure that a target date for submission has been agreed. This is particularly important for resources to be managed effectively in order that an assessment service can be provided to all schools.
Future Developments
Guidance on the future re-assessment process was issued by the DCSF in May 2009. We are currently consulting stakeholders on the process in Norfolk and will inform schools of the outcome early in 2010.
Achievement of FMSiS will be a pre-requisite for those schools that wish to progress, at a later stage, to an advanced voluntary Standard that will demonstrate a wider effective use of resources. DCSF will be consulting users and stakeholders on the new measure with a view to launching it from April 2010 onwards.
Judging from some of the portfolios of evidence received, there are schools in Norfolk that have established excellent financial management practices and should aim to achieve the advanced Standard.
In line with the Government sharing information agenda, we are required to publish FMSiS school achievements on our intranet site for all schools to see, and to make this information available for parents and the general public. In the Autumn term, schools' information will be updated to denote FMSiS accreditation and the date of achievement.
On June 30th, the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) for Norfolk County Council signed the annual FMSiS CFO Assurance Statement, which had to be returned to the Department for Children Schools and Families. The statement reported on the number of schools meeting the Standard, the number of schools to be assessed for the first time in 2009-10 and that 'appropriate steps are being taken to ensure that schools currently not meeting the requirements of the Standard are being brought into line with the Standard'. On that date, 234 primary and special schools, 1 nursery school and 50 secondary schools had achieved the Standard.
Congratulations to all the schools that have worked for and achieved FMSiS accreditation. Many schools have reported benefits from the process; greater awareness of financial roles and responsibilities for both school staff and governors and improved financial controls.
Schools that have achieved the Standard may use the FMSiS logo on their stationery. If you have not acquired the logo yet and would like to have it, please e-mail Judith Hall.
Schools in the Western Area
The target date for schools in the Western area is 31st March 2010. This is also the final deadline for all schools nationally and after this date the DCSF will expect that all schools will have achieved the Standard. If for any reason you may have difficulty in complying with this schedule, please contact Judith Hall as soon as possible.
Please note that there are still some FMSiS workshop places available at the WNPDC in King's Lynn on 18th September and 20th October. Bookings should be made through the training team, contact Richard Boyd, telephone 01603 223390 or by e-mail.
Useful documents, checklists and pro formas for policies may be found on the Children's Services Finance website under A-Z, FMSiS.
Unless we have been informed to the contrary by 18th December 2009, we will assume that schools will require the assessment to be provided by the FMSiS team in Children's Services Finance. Alternative third party providers approved by the DCSF can be found on the FMSiS website.
Schools should aim to submit evidence files for assessment in advance of the March date if possible; this will allow schools additional time to provide further information to the assessor within the timescale if required.
Secondary Schools
Secondary schools that achieved the Standard in March 2007 are due for re-assessment by 31st March 2010. All those secondary schools received a reminder earlier this year. The Standard is in essence the same, but has been subject to annual amendments in response to consultation to deliver greater clarity regarding the requirements.
There are still workshop places available in King's Lynn as above, also at the Norwich PDC on 7th October.
Secondary schools have been asked to undergo full re-assessments and should be aware that for the second round of assessments, assessors will no longer be providing latitude regarding the evidence presented by schools and it is expected that improved financial management practices have been applied and are embedded within the school.
Other Assessments
Other schools due for assessment should contact Judith Hall, if you have not already done so, to ensure that a target date for submission has been agreed. This is particularly important for resources to be managed effectively in order that an assessment service can be provided to all schools.
Future Developments
Guidance on the future re-assessment process was issued by the DCSF in May 2009. We are currently consulting stakeholders on the process in Norfolk and will inform schools of the outcome early in 2010.
Achievement of FMSiS will be a pre-requisite for those schools that wish to progress, at a later stage, to an advanced voluntary Standard that will demonstrate a wider effective use of resources. DCSF will be consulting users and stakeholders on the new measure with a view to launching it from April 2010 onwards.
Judging from some of the portfolios of evidence received, there are schools in Norfolk that have established excellent financial management practices and should aim to achieve the advanced Standard.
In line with the Government sharing information agenda, we are required to publish FMSiS school achievements on our intranet site for all schools to see, and to make this information available for parents and the general public. In the Autumn term, schools' information will be updated to denote FMSiS accreditation and the date of achievement.