Audit Commission

Summary [Download full report below this summary]

This report explores how schools and LEAs have responded to the fundamental shifts in financial responsibility brought about in the last ten years by local management of schools and Fair Funding. It looks at the extent to which schools have mastered day-to-day financial management and how well strategic decisions on the deployment of resources are made.

This report also examines the nature and quality of the support provided by LEAs to help schools manage their resources. It moves on to assess how far the current funding framework is equipped to meet the needs of schools by presenting a detailed analysis of the different decision points in the funding system.

Included in this report:

• Managing schools locally, funding schools fairly
• Getting the best from school budgets
• Helping schools to get the best from their budgets
• A fair deal for schools?
• The future of education funding
• Moving forward

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Download the full national study in PDF format below. This study contains all our findings and recommendations.

Briefing ( PDF, 417kb )

National study ( PDF, 3mb )

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