Academies Manual
Our Academies Manual provides you with the current and permanent file programmes needed to undertake an audit of an academy trust under the International Standards on Auditing (ISAs) (UK) and the Ethical Standard, provide a reporting accountant’s report on regularity and the agreed-upon procedures report on teachers' pensions.
The manual also includes:
- an accounts disclosure checklist and pro-forma accounts in accordance with the Academies Accounts Direction and Charities SORP;
- guidance notes that summarise the current legal accounting, auditing and reporting requirements for academies.
Our Academies Manual can be browsed online or sections of content or commentary can be downloaded in Microsoft Word or PDF. There is also the flexibility to ‘customise’ a download suitable for your engagement. For every new assignment, you will need to navigate to our website to obtain the most up to date version.
- Guidance notes that provide you with essential background knowledge on the key aspects of the academies sector. They also cover the key aspects of the regulatory, accounting and reporting requirements for academies regulated by the ESFA.
- Example engagement letters for audit (including group audits), regularity reporting and teachers’ pensions assurance reports, including groups. There is also an example letter of representation. A group audit questionnaire is also included, along with a group audit instruction letter.
- Example audit (including group audits), regularity reporting and teachers’ pensions assurance reports for academy trusts.
- Example pro-forma accounts.
- Academy accounts disclosure checklist incorporating the requirements of the current Academies Accounts Direction.
- Permanent file documentation that provides a structure for your permanent files and outlines the information required which is of continuing importance to an audit over a number of years.
- Academy specific current file documentation providing you with the planning, completion and detailed work programmes needed to undertake both a single entity audit and a group audit. Lead schedules and a current file index are also included. Additional programmes are also included which guide you through the regulatory reporting requirements and the additional work required to undertake the agreed-upon procedures report on teachers' pensions.
- Supplementary forms that provide additional resources that may be useful for certain scenarios , including a file review checklist.
August 2024
The principal technical changes in this update include:
- Revisions in accordance with the FRC's Revised Ethical Standard;
- Changes to ISA 505 External Confirmations ; and
- Best practice amendments.
April 2024
The principal technical changes in this update include:
- Changes in relation to ISA (UK) 600 Special considerations - Audits of group financial statements (Including the work of component auditors);
- Changes in relation to the issue of the Academies Accounts Direction 2023 to 2024, Academies model accounts 2023 to 2024 and Framework and guide for external auditors and reporting accountants of academy trusts;
- Changes in relation to the requirements of the Academy Trust Handbook (effective 1 September 2023) (also known as the Academies Financial Handbook);
- Changes in relation to the Teachers' Pensions Reporting Accountant Guidance TP05 for 2023/24, pertaining to the reporting requirements of the Teachers' Pensions End of Year Certificate (EOYC); and
- Best practice amendments.
Exciting new feature
We have also developed tailoring and customisation tools to help you filter out the irrelevant parts of the Accounts disclosure checklist through a series of questions. These are available in the 'Customise' screen within the menu on the right.
By selecting 'Yes' to the question 'Would you like to tailor your accounts disclosure checklist through a series of questions?', you will then be asked a series of questions. Answering these subsequent questions will filter down the disclosure checklist so that only the sections you require will be shown / included within the checklist downloaded.
June 2023
The principal technical changes in this update include:
- Changes in relation to the issue of the Academies Accounts Direction 2022 to 2023, Academies model accounts 2022 to 2023 and Framework and guide for external auditors and reporting accountants of academy trusts;
- Changes in relation to the requirements of the Academy Trust Handbook (effective 1 September 2022) (also known as the Academies Financial Handbook);
- Changes in relation to the Teachers' Pensions Reporting Accountant Guidance TP05 for 2022/23, pertaining to the reporting requirements of the Teachers' Pensions End of Year Certificate (EOYC);
- The introduction of documentation to support group audits involving component auditors;
- The introduction of a new (optional) statistical sampling approach; and
- The introduction of a set of guidance notes specifically tailored for academies.
March 2023
The principal technical changes in this update include the removal of content relating to the now superseded ISQCs and consequential amendments arising as a result of this.
In addition, a number of minor amendments / improvements have been made to other sections of the package, including updating engagement letters to reflect latest guidance.
July 2022
This major update to the methodology principally incorporates:
- ISA (UK) 315 (Revised July 2020) Identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement;
- ISA (UK) 240 (Revised May 2021) The auditor’s responsibilities relating to fraud in an audit of financial statements;
- Consequential amendments as a result of the new quality management standards;
- Consequential amendments arising from the issue of the Academies Accounts Direction 2021 to 2022, Academies model accounts 2021 to 2022 and Framework and guide for external auditors and reporting accountant of academy trusts;
- Consequential amendments arising from the issues of the Academy Trust Handbook (effective 1 September 2021) (formerly known as the Academies Financial Handbook); and
- Consequential amendments arising from the issue of Teachers Pensions Reporting Accountant Guidance TP05 for 2021/22, pertaining to the reporting requirements of the Teachers’ Pensions End of Year Certificate (EOYC).
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