Education Funding Agency

Plymouth CAST receives financial notice to improve

One of England’s largest academy chains has been issued with a financial notice to improve by the Education and Skills Funding Agency. Plymouth CAST, an academy trust that runs 35 schools, has had its spending powers restricted and been ordered to address “weak financial management and inadequate governance”. The trust, which is one of the government’s […]

Revealed: The 23 trusts that broke rules over £4m related-party transactions

Twenty-three academy trusts breached funding rules last year when they made payments of more than £4 million to companies related to members of their staff or trustees. For the first time, Schools Week can reveal who the trusts are and the 26 transactions in which they failed to show they were fully compliant with rules […]

How to consult effectively when applying for school planning permission

Consultation is never a silver bullet to securing planning permission, but it is necessary and de-risks the process, says Louise Page-Jennings. The government’s ambitious target to build 500 new schools by 2020 is leaving many communities stuck between the need to provide much-needed school places and finding the right location to do so. To find […]

EFA paid £16m for £5m Hackney free school site

The government paid £16 million for a free school site that was later valued by the council as worth £5.3 million. The Education Funding Agency bought a former fire station in Hackney, north London, to house a new primary for 350 pupils run by the Hackney New School, based next door. It is believed the […]

Bright Tribe investigation reveals chain breached rules – but will not face notice to improve

An investigation into a “top-performing” academy trust given government cash to drive up standards in northern schools has revealed it breached rules over payments to trustees – but will escape a financial notice to improve. A long-awaited investigation into the Bright Tribe trust, and another trust also founded by sponsor venture capitalist Michael Dwan, called […]