Finance and resource management
The finance competency covers budget setting, integrated curriculum and financial planning, GAG and NFF arithmetic in academies, statutory returns, and value-for-money decisions. It is the competency most closely scrutinised by governors, auditors and ESFA.
What the standard expects
The DfE national standards expect the SBM to lead the school's budget cycle, to evidence value for money on procurement and staffing decisions, to maintain the schedule of delegation and to produce management information that allows governors to challenge effectively.[1]
How ICFP fits
Integrated Curriculum and Financial Planning is the DfE-recommended technique for ensuring the staffing model and the curriculum plan are funded from the same numbers. The bursar normally owns the ICFP model. The headteacher and the deputy heads own the curriculum assumptions inside it.[2]
GAG, NFF and AAR
Academies receive General Annual Grant (GAG) calculated through the National Funding Formula (NFF). The bursar reconciles the ESFA allocation statement back to the school's own MIS and pupil census, and prepares the Annual Accounts Return (AAR) for trust audit.[3]
SFVS demonstration
Maintained schools complete the Schools Financial Value Standard return annually. The bursar drafts the response, the governing body signs it off. The standard is structured around the same competency areas as the DfE SBP standards, so a bursar who is on top of the seven competencies will normally complete SFVS without difficulty.[4]