Education

MHA Moore and Smalley are specialists in the education field and currently act for 28 Academy Schools throughout the North West, including primary schools, secondary schools, alternative provision schools, free schools, and Multi Academy Trusts (MATs).

We help schools through the process of converting to an academy, and more recently, we have been advising our clients on creating their own MATs, as well as growing their existing group.

Our team works alongside school business managers, governors and head teachers, helping them with the comprehensive regulations of the Academy Financial Handbook, Academy Accounts Direction, Charities Act, and the Companies Act.

We offer a full range of services including:

• Preparation and audit of statutory accounts and the annual return for the EfA
• Teachers’ Pension Scheme audits
• Assistance with setting up and developing financial systems and controls
• Termly testing of financial controls and procedures, as required under the Academy Financial Handbook

We also advise schools on the implications of becoming a charitable limited company, including the Tax and VAT implications, as well as payroll issues and advice on trading activities.

We are a member of MHA, a national association of independent accountants, who together look after over 150 academy schools throughout the UK. MHA also look after over 25 further and higher education establishments.  This means we can draw upon the expert knowledge of various specialists across the country if required.

Members of the  team act as governors at local schools and are therefore ideally placed to understand the latest sector issues.

To ensure our academy school clients receive the most up to date and proactive advice, we hold an annual training session and issue regular email newsletters on new legislation and developments in the sector.

What our clients say about us…

“I would like to put on record that I have so valued your advice, support and expertise shown by you, not just during this process, but also during the Responsible Officer visits. I know that the work that you and your colleagues have done have allowed myself and my team to set up and establish systems that have made our first year as an academy significantly less painful than expected”

“The work you do really shows the commitment of MHA Moore and Smalley to support their academy schools and we are confident that we have the necessary information and guidance to prepare for our first year end. I can certainly see the relationship between us being a long and fruitful one.”