Trust blames not balancing books on lack of DfE Covid cash An expert said standalone academies faced particular challenges, but Covid boosted rather than worsened many schools’ finances
MATs gain schools and record cash boost amid Covid Academies boasted record levels of spare cash and continued to expand amid the pandemic, Kreston’s annual benchmarking report shows
‘Discrimination’: Small trusts denied two-thirds of repairs cash One school has seen six bids to replace a dilapidated classroom rejected, sparking claims rural schools are at a disadvantage
Academy trusts get £21m in non-repayable bailouts The Academies Enterprise Trust received £2 million, one of more than 80 trusts bailed out in a single year
Trusts rack up £3bn surplus, and 6 more academy sector accounts findings The report reveals rising reserves, more spending rule breaches and more trusts under scrutiny over high pay
Covid savings fuel record turnaround in maintained school finances Lower energy and exam costs saved schools millions during lockdowns
DfE lets Harris and Oasis off the hook for £9.4m academy sponsor contributions The government has written off cash owed as collection efforts have been ‘exhausted’
Education funding squeeze ‘puts brakes on levelling up’, and 3 more IFS findings A think tank report contrasts heavy education cuts contrast with surging healthcare spending
Investigate trusts amassing ‘substantial reserves’, watchdog tells DfE A report found mainstream school finances had “held up well” in recent years, despite austerity cuts and other funding pressures