Barker works in partnership with School and Academy Trust sector bodies , The Confederation of School Trusts (CST), Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) and The Trust Network. They continue to advocate hard on behalf of schools and trusts and are offering guidance and advice on operational issues. Some key items are highlighted here.
The 2024-25 Academies Accounts Return is now open. All trusts with academies open at any point 1 September 2024 to 31 August 2025 are required to submit the return by 28 January 2026.
Guidance to support submitting has been updated, with changes for 2024-25 including the removal of COVID-19 grants and teaching school hub fields, and the overview section being available in the downloadable reports.
The guidance lists the most common submission errors as staff numbers, Academies Chart of Accounts reallocations, and the number of employees whose emoluments exceed £60,000 and £100,000.
Full guidance and the link to DfE Sign-on are available on the academies accounts return webpage.
The Department for Education has launched Phase 2 of its School-Based Nursery Capital Grant programme, allocating £45 million to support the creation or expansion of 300 nurseries opening from September 2026. Following the success of Phase 1, this next round introduces updated criteria with a sharper focus on supporting disadvantaged families and prioritising areas of greatest need. Schools now have a fresh opportunity to secure funding – but preparation is key.
Barker has published a blog and FAQs on this grant. Read here.
Following the updated guidance from DfE in July 2025 many of you may have started to look at SECR as part of your audited accounts submission.
If SECR applies to your Trust, you will need to capture your trust’s energy consumption and mileage and submit the information as part of your audited accounts submission as detailed in the Academies Accounts Direction.
Read our blog for more information on eligibility and guidance on how to complete your SECR.
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