Blogs & Updates

Academy Budget Forecast Return - One Becomes Two
  March 30 2017
The latest ‘Dear Accounting Officer’ letter from the EFA sets out their plans to replace the Academy Budget Forecast Return, due in July, with two returns. Download the letter! → In previous y...
Academic Year Planner
  August 31 2016
School Business Services has produced a calendar showing key events and deadlines for academies in the coming year. Download our planner! →  Academic Year Planner September October Acc...
Here comes summer!
  June 06 2016
At the start of the final half term of this school year we look at the EFA’s calendar and at some of the announcements in the last few weeks. EFA Calendar For The Final Half Term We start this blog...
April Round Up
  April 12 2016
For those considering expanding their Academy Trusts or opening a new UTC the DfE have recently issued guidance. Primary Schools are reminded to publish details on how they spend their Sports Grant. ...
Piloting Our Way Through January
  January 27 2016
The warmest winter on record so far in some parts of the country. And in schools and academies everywhere the pace is hotting up – accounting returns to be made and budgets for 2016/17 to be prepar...
Flaming June
  June 12 2015
After what was undoubtedly a chilly May, let’s hope for a fine June. There are all those sports days, picnics, and summer fetes that need to take place on time or chaos will ensue. Now that we know ...
May the Fourth Be With You!
  May 04 2015
This blog is being published on ‘Star Wars Day’. In a few days’ time our opinion will be sought on which empire returns to No. 10 and whether the new government will be a clone of the last. But ...
Happy birthday SBS blog!
  March 24 2015
This is  the 30th blog we have published – the first being on 21 March 2014. So happy birthday blog. We hope that you have found the contents over the year useful – and of course we welcome any f...
In Recent News
  February 27 2015
  We end February with items from the EFA Planner and a couple of announcements made by the EFA shortly before the half term break – just in case you missed them. The EFA are also expected to...
Terrorism, Elections and School Finance
  January 19 2015
Whilst there are some important deadlines for schools, recent events require schools to consider their place within the wider community. Proposals and arguments will rage in this pre-election period, ...