Settlebeck School

Headteacher: Dr J K Greene Deputy Headteacher: Mrs K Grant

Value for Money Statement Academy Trust Name: The Settlebeck School Academy Trust Academy Trust Company Number: 7693715 Year Ended 31 August 2013

I accept that as accounting officer of The Settlebeck School Academy Trust I am responsible and accountable for ensuring that the academy trust delivers good value in the use of public resources.

I am aware of the guide to academy value for money statements published by the Education Funding Agency and understand that value for money refers to the educational and wider societal outcomes achieved in return for the taxpayer resources received.

I set out below how I have ensured that the academy trust's use of its resources has provided good value for money during the academic year.

Improving Educational Results: The Academy Trust is now in its third year of operation and was judged to be good with outstanding features, in an Ofsted inspection in November 2013. Student numbers are holding steady with 165 students currently on roll. Improving outcomes for our students is our top priority.

Our performance in examinations remains high with 2013 seeing our best ever ‘3 levels of progress made or better’ with 81% 3 levels or better in English and 85% 3 levels or better in Mathematics. In addition, the maths GCSE results were some of the very highest in Cumbria. Similarly excellent results are being predicted for 2014.

Targeted Improvement: The academy has kept its staffing structure under review and deployed staff efficiently to support the curriculum and the needs of the students. Staff are actively encouraged to enhance their staff development to become a better teacher and take advantage of the latest technology.

Focus on individual Pupils: As an academy, we provide education of the highest quality in a well-resourced environment, to suit students' different abilities, particular interests and needs. Relationships are very constructive, with students being known as individuals, nurtured, challenged and supported. Students benefit from one to one mentoring, small group work, after school clubs, study support groups external education provision, where appropriate, and our experienced teams work with students to support their individual needs. The academy tailors the curriculum, resources and provision to meet the needs of SEN students according to their statement needs.

Long Lane, Sedbergh, Cumbria LA10 5AL email: [email protected] Tel: 015396 20383 Fax: 015396 21024 website: www.settlebeck.org

Settlebeck School Academy Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales with company number: 7693715. Registered Office: Settlebeck School, Long Lane, Sedbergh, LA10 5AL

Collaboration: The academy has a close collaboration with the South Lakes Federation, the South Lakes Rural Partnership and the Rural Academy of Cumbria, involving secondary and primary schools. Each school has a joint vision of working together to enhance the educational opportunities and experience of young people by furthering high quality school improvement; raising achievement and access for all; and driving high aspirations through continuous professional development. The Headteacher and business managers of each school meet regularity to share ideas, good practice and discuss issues.

The Settlebeck School Academy Trust belongs to three teaching school alliances, the South Lakes Federation, the South Lakes Rural Partnership and the Queen Katherine Teaching School alliance. The headteacher has provided support to a headteacher colleague at a similar sized school, John Ruskin School in Coniston, both in preparing for an Ofsted inspection, and in developing an action plan following it. She is also a member of the CASL group in Cumbria, which takes responsibility for school to school support and improvement. The senior leadership team have attended conferences on various key educational aspects, for example safeguarding, pupil premium and health and wellbeing of students. Key staff are active membership to academies forum where they have offered and received relevant information.

New Initiatives:

Accelerated reading scheme helps teachers to monitor students‘ vocabulary growth, literacy skills development and reading skills taught through other reading schemes.

Quantifying Improvement: The academy makes wide use of data to quantify improvements, monitor finances, tracks students’ progress and raise attainment. The measures used by the academy are % GCSE grades attained and levels of progress achieved (value added).

Students are monitored throughout the year with target grades being compared with actual grades achieved. This enables the school staff to implement intervention programmes to help student maximise their attainment.

Data on attendance and behaviour are tracked and monitored to assess patterns over time and these are compared with local, regional and national standards.

Financial Governance and Oversight: The academy is governed by a body of trustees drawn from staff, parents, the Local Authority, and local community meeting at least four times a year. They bring a wealth of experience and have overall responsibility for ensuring that Settlebeck School Academy Trust has an effective an appropriate system of control, covering all areas of school: legal, financial, welfare and environmental.

The academy trusts system of internal financial control is based on a framework of regular management information and administrative procedures, systems including delegation of authority, accountability and segregation of duties.

The Finance and Buildings Committee receive comprehensive management and financiai reports which indicate financial performance against the forecasts and of major plans, capital works and expenditure programme. Detailed budgeting and monitoring systems are produced and presented to the Finance & Buidlings, and full governing body committees.

Management and the board of trustees review the long term viability of the academy, reviewing factors which influence funding streams and general expenses pupil numbers, government policy, recruitment and saiary changes.

The Responsible Officer, employed by an external accountancy body performs a quarterly internal audit and provides an independent oversight of the academy's financial affairs. They check systems of internal control, resources, and expenditure are being managed in an efficient, economical and effective manner.

Annually the annual accounts are audited by an external independent auditor providing reasonable assurance that the financial statements have been properly prepared, are free from material misstatement and that the accounting policies are appropriate.

Better Purchasing:

Fitness for Purposes: Contracts are reviewed on the anniversary dates. nsurance needs were reviewed with Marsh Insurance during the year, with recommendations on the type, excess and maximum pay out values and aggregated claims agreed. This resulted in lower premiums and better cover.

Staff are aware of the need to obtain the best value for money, so we use a number of suppliers who are on the Local Authority list. Examples are the coliective agreements on gas and electricity.

The school is investigating using the ‘School Angel Website’ which obtains discounts from major retailers such as Amazon, Premier inn, Argos, Easy jet, Train Line, PC World and Lakeland. They then put the discounts into a fund for the school.

Benchmarking: Benchmarking has been undertaken against a range of schools and academies in The South Lakes Federation (SLF), primarily at a salary level, but does incltscle educational materials. Data held on DfE websites enabfes comparisons to be drawn across a wide range of activities and across geographical regions. Settlebeck School compares very favourabiy with other schools and academies in Cumbria. ln collaboration with seven schools in the SLF, work has been on-going with joint procurement across services such as waste management, health provision, payroll services and audit services, to try and establish a reduction in cost for the same or better service.

Better Income Generation

Current banking arrangements have been reviewed and we remain open to moving to an alternative provider should interest rates on deposit accounts be better than our present provider.

Room lettings and the use of the academy by Adult Education and by the local community, continue to bolster our current income streams. Musical, theatre and sporting events are put on throughout the year and are open to the public for viewing. The fees collected cover costs of hiring equipment, venues and generate a small surplus.

Marketing of the academy within our catchment is a major focus, which ensures try to get all the available students to express Settlebeck School as their first choice. Open Evenings and guided parental tours also enable the academy to show prospective parents and students the facilities and what the academy has to offer.

Reviewing controls and managing risks:

Both internal and external audit are conducted to ensure performance, procedures and controls are reviewed. Any resulting recommendations are communicated and actioned quickly and effectively.

The academy recently introduced a Risk Register to the process of risk evaluation, which the school undertakes on an annual basis. This requires regular assessments on internal, external, operational and change risks, which are identified in the policy issued by the HM Treasury publication ‘Management of Risk- Principles and Concepts’. All risks are regularly evaluated and those higher risk items are scrutinised and recommendations for improvements in facilities. procedures and processes made to reduce or eliminate the risk involved. This is part on the continuous improvement process that the academy uses in its pursuit to minimise risk. Insurance levels are reviewed annually and used cost-effectively to manage risks.

Budget holders, management and governors receive regular budget reports which are scrutinised to ensure the most effective use of resources to meet the objectives of the academy. The academy is currently in the process on changing bank accounts, this move will maximise the deposit funds interest account to ensure maximum return on the surplus balances.

Lessons Learned:

The SettlebeckSchool Academy has used the academy freedoms to change our curriculum. share our expertise. We will continue to deveiop working relationships across the South Lakes Federation (SLF). Regular benchmarking activity will easily identify areas of inefficiency and good practice, these can then be shared across the SLF ensuring all benefit. We will continue to build our strong relationships, and strengthen expertise with CASL, LASL and other professional bodies. .

Signed

Name: Dr Judith K. Greene Headteacher and Academy Trust Accounting Officer

Date: 18.12.13