Academies Update Conference 2018

Our one day academies conference has been specifically designed for partners and senior managers with responsibility for a number of clients in this sector. You may have attended last year and would like an update, or maybe you are new to academy engagements, either way, do not miss your opportunity to hear the latest position for Academies.

The topics covered are:

  • Legal Update for Accountants
  • Data Protection
  • Accounts Direction Update
  • Key Performance Indicators and Adding Value
  • Academy Pensions Update
  • VAT Update
  • Providing Internal Audit Services to Academy Trusts
  • Balancing Quality and Efficiency in Academy Engagements

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Full conference agenda

Adrian Shardlow, Browne Jacobson LLP

Adrian will give a review of developments in the academies
world including recent experience of conversions, mergers and
transfers.

Mark Blois, Browne Jacobson LLP

Mark will run through a number of the GDPR issues that affect
academy trusts and their advisors.

David Smith, Mercia Group Ltd

In this session David will provide an overview of changes to
academy trust financial reporting requirements for the 2018
reporting season.

Chris Whiting, Academy Advisory

Chris will take us through the evolution of the risk review function from the Responsible Officer to the risk focussed internal audit functions that are needed by today’s growing trusts. Further to discussing the financial and operational areas where trusts need comfort, he will also provide insights from the provision of internal audit, finance support and interim financial director services to the sector.

Neil Owen, VAT Advisory Services Limited

In this session, Neil will consider the wider definition of nonbusiness activities; the complications arising from the sharing of facilities between schools not in the same MAT; the impact on academies of past and future developments in VAT, including recent case law, Brexit and Making Tax Digital; and other areas of topical interest.

Maxine Adams, Newbridge High School Academy Trust

From the perspective of the academy trust, Maxine will examine the use of key performance indicators in the sector and provide useful insight into the advice and value-added services that accountants can offer.

Douglas Green or Steven Law, Hymans Robertson

This session will cover current pension topics affecting academies, what this means to conversations you have with your clients, and what to look out for from an accounting perspective.

David Smith, Mercia Group Ltd

From ethical conundrums to audit file humdrum, David takes us through his top tips for striking a balance between quality and efficiency by looking at the causes of issues that present as weaknesses on academy trust file reviews.

Conference speakers

Maxine is the Chief Finance & Operations Director at Apollo Partnership Trust comprising of secondary and primary schools and Executive Chair of Leicestershire Academies Group and has more than 20 years experience in education leadership, management and public sector finance. She works closely with Trustees and the DfE to ensure that public money is used effectively for the benefit of pupils. Maxine is also a member of the ESFA Financial Assurance Steering Group whose aim is ensuring high standards of accountability and transparency in the use of public funds as well as sector guidance and updating of the Academies Financial Handbook (AFH) and Academies Accounts Direction (AAD). She has previous served on the National Council of Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL).

Maxine regularly speaks at educational conferences and has contributed to papers and articles including the DfE ‘Going Concern’ guidance for the sector and provides consultancy services for schools and academies in the midlands area.

Douglas has over 25 years’ experience of actuarial consulting in both public and private sectors. He is a member of Hymans Robertson’s public sector team, advising a number of Local Government Pension Schemes across the UK. Douglas acts as an internal resource on all expensing issues for LGPS Funds, whether on UK or International (CIPFA) standards. He is also involved in formal submissions to the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, regarding the evolving regulatory regime for public sector actuarial work.

Steven has 14 years’ experience advising the LGPS and currently provides advice to five LGPS schemes including the two largest funds in the country. He has particular expertise in the restructuring and consolidation of public sector liabilities through his leading role on several significant transformational projects. Externally, Steven is an assistant examiner for the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries and recently drafted the syllabus for the actuarial exam on economic modelling. He is a member of the Association of Consulting Actuaries and the International Association of Consulting Actuaries.

Neil Owen

Neil Owen is an independent consultant, speaker and occasional writer. He has specialised exclusively in VAT since 1984, when he joined HM Customs and Excise as a VAT officer. He entered professional practice in 1990, working for regional accountancy firms in the Thames Valley and Solent areas, before establishing his own VAT consultancy practice in 2007.

Neil has taken a close interest in VAT for academies for over ten years and continues to advise a number of clients in the sector, mainly MATs, on a regular basis

Adrian is a Partner at Browne Jacobson. He specialises in all areas of education law including advisory work, public law, admissions, special needs and setting up academies under the Academies Act 2010. Adrian has been involved in many academy conversions involving all types of schools and 6th form colleges. He has particular expertise in dealing with sponsors and multi-academy trusts and is involved with many mergers, expansions and transfers between MATs.

Chris Whiting

Chris Whiting is the managing director of Academy Advisory and has previously held CFO positions for a number of academy trusts.

Academy Advisory is a specialist provider of internal audit and consultancy services to the academy sector with over 300 academies nationwide with services covering all aspects of academy trust operations, including areas such as: educational improvement, safeguarding, finance, HR, ICT, estates, and governance. Chris has worked closely with the DfE and the ESFA on a number of engagements including anti-fraud response and academy turnaround in addition to his work as an internal auditor.
One Day Conference
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