The financial framework for schools is set out in the Scheme for Financing Schools, which the Secretary of State approves.

The practical day-to-day application is set out in the Financial Manual of Guidance

The document is divided into four sections, as shown below:

  1. Financial regulations for schools
  2. Standing orders
  3. Code of conduct in respect of commercial practices
  4. Keeping a register of financial interests

A - Financial regulations for schools 

  • Chapter index and contacts
  1. Introduction (.pdf format, 60Kb)
  2. Responsibilities (.pdf format, 36Kb)
  3. Delegation (.pdf format, 33Kb)
  4. Revenue Budget (.pdf format, 33Kb)
  5. Revision of the Revenue Budget (.pdf format, 22Kb)
  6. Accounting Procedures (.pdf format, 25Kb)
  7. Year End Balance (.pdf format, 21Kb)
  8. Budget Monitoring (.pdf format, 65Kb)
  9. Capital Expenditure (.pdf format, 25Kb)
  10. Irregularities (.pdf format, 65Kb) 
  11. Internal and External Audit (.pdf format, 20Kb)
  12. Legal Procedures (.pdf format, 20Kb
  13. Access to Information (.pdf format, 19Kb) 
  14. Voluntary Funds (.pdf format, 23Kb) 
  15. Trust Funds (.pdf format, 33Kb) 
  16. Expenditure (.pdf format, 38Kb) 
  17. Orders for Work, Goods and Services - non-employee (.pdf format, 22Kb) 
  18. Invoices for Payment (.pdf format, 36Kb) 
  19. Contracts for Building and Civil Engineering Works (.pdf format, 22Kb) 
  20. Salaries, Wages and Pensions (.pdf format, 40Kb) 
  21. Income (.pdf format, 33Kb) 
  22. Bank accounts and petty cash(.pdf format, 41Kb) 
  23. Value Added Tax (.pdf format, 23Kb) 
  24. Asset Management (.pdf format, 25Kb) 
  25. Insurances (.pdf format, 27Kb) 
  26. Travelling and Subsistence Allowances (.pdf format, 22Kb) 
  27. Security (.pdf format, 23Kb) 
  28. Information Management Systems/Data protection (.pdf format, 32Kb) 
  29. School Meals and Income Collection (.pdf format, 21Kb) 
  30. Procedure for the Suspension of a School's Delegated Budgets (.pdf format, 22Kb) 
  31. Provision of Services by the Authority (.pdf format, 25Kb) 
  32. Devolved facilities (Income and expenditure) (.pdf format, 23Kb) 
  33. Functions which could be Delegated by the Governing Body (.pdf format, 23Kb) 
  34. Financial Control Procedures (.pdf format, 46Kb) 
  35. Authorised Financial Institutions (.pdf format, 18Kb) 
  36. Risk Management (.pdf format, 19Kb) 
  37. Data Protection Act - Registration by School (.pdf format, 32Kb) 
  38. Conduct of an Arbitration Hearing (.pdf format, 19Kb) 
  39. Model internal Financial Procedures Manual Policy (docx format, 80Kb)
  40. Leasing (.pdf format, 80Kb
  41. Deficit budget approval process (.pdf format, 27Kb) 
  42. Financial calendar (pdf format, 254Kb
  43. Abbreviations (pdf format, 76Kb)
  44. External references (pdf format, 120Kb)
  45. Document retention schedule (pdf format, 125Kb)

B - Standing orders  

  1. Contracts (pdf format, 113Kb)

C - Code of conduct in respect of commercial practices  

  1. Code of conduct  (pdf format, 94Kb)

D - Keeping a register of financial interests  

  1. Keeping a register of financial interests (pdf format, Kb)