SCHEME OF DELEGATION FOR ST ANTHONY’S CATHOLIC … · 2019-12-09 · SCHEME OF DELEGATION FOR ST...

St. Thomas Becket Catholic Primary School Scheme of Delegation September 2019

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SCHEME OF DELEGATION FOR

ST THOMAS BECKET CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL.

INTRODUCTION

1. St Thomas Becket Catholic Primary School has approximately 440 pupils on roll. It is an

academy trust. The management comprises the Headteacher, Deputy Head and Assistant Head.

Financial matters are overseen by the Headteacher and Jane Cousins Associates, financial

consultants. Responsibility for routine maintenance of the financial system lies with the Admin

Officer who also oversees aspects of the administration of the non-teaching organisation.

2. The School income derives directly from the Education Funding Agency (ESFA) by means

of the funding specified, some additional funds are available from time to time from the St

Thomas’ Becket School Parents’ Association (STBSA); all of their funds are registered on the

School’s documentation.

3. The School is contained within the trusteeship of the Archdiocese of Southwark, a registered

charity.

4. The procedures contained in this document apply equally to public and non-public funds and

any other monies whatsoever administered by St Thomas Becket Catholic Primary School.

Governing Body Membership 2019 – 2020

Foundation Governors

Mark Humphreys

Carl De Oliveira

Michael Cotterall

Father Keith Sylvia

Di West

Roger Fernandes

Daniel O’Donovan

Parent Governors

Alison Obiorah

Harbinder Sadra

Staff Governors

Tanya Lorimer

Tim Fernandes- Bonnar


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Head Teacher

Noel Campbell

LA Governor

Sandra O’Connor

Committee membership 2019 – 2020

Resources Committee Curriculum Committee

Harbinder Sadra Di West

Alison Obiorah Roger Fernandes

Mark Humphreys Mark Humphreys

Daniel O’Donovan Sandra O’Connor

Anne Harper (Observer) Tanya Lorimer

Michael Cotterall Tim Fernandes- Bonar

Noel Campbell Clare George

Roger Fernandes Noel Campbell

Carl de Oliveira Anne Harper (Observer)

Sandra O’Connor

Di West

Responsible Officer

Alan Willis

Pay & Remuneration Committee

Mark Humphreys

Sandra O’Connor

Michael Cotterall

Carl De Oliveira

Harbinder Sadra

Head Teacher’s Performance Management

Roger Fernandes Appeal Governor – Clare George

Sandra O’Connor

Michael Cotterall


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Governor Link Roles

Literacy Harbinder Sadra

Numeracy Clare George

Art/Design/Music Roger Fernandes

Science / PSHE Carl De Oliveira

ICT Daniel O’Donovan

PE Mark Humphreys

SEN/Inclusion & LAC Di West

Safeguarding Children Mark Humphreys

Parents Association Mark Humphrey

Religious Education / Community Co Fr Keith

EYFS Alison Obiorah

Humanities Sandra O’Connor

MFL Mike Cotterall


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School Officers

Name Post

Mr N Campbell Head teacher & Principle Finance Officer

Mrs A Harper Deputy Head teacher

Ms Tracy McArthur Finance Officer

1. The ultimate responsibility for the School’s financial affairs rests with the Governing Body, which

has established a number of committees named above.

2. In particular, the Governing Body must ensure that grants are used strictly as prescribed by the

Secretary of State. These agencies must be satisfied the School’s financial management and

organisation are such as to fulfil their obligations.

3. In order to meet these requirements the Governing Body has assigned aspects and responsibility

for the School’s financial management and these are detailed in this manual, which has been adopted

by the Governing Body. The Governing Body has responsibility for approval of the annual budget,

which is prepared by the Headteacher and will receive quarterly financial reports from the Chair of

the Finance & Buildings Committee based on statements produced by our financial consultants (Jane

Cousins Associates), comparing outturn against budget and highlighting all variances.

4. The Headteacher, acting as Principle Finance Officer, is responsible to the Chair of Governors

and Governing Body for the sound administration of the School finances and has authority to order

goods and services as required to manage the School in an efficient manner. Specific limits on

delegated financial authority are contained in the Directing Letters and in the Financial

Responsibilities section.

5. The Finance Officer is responsible to the Headteacher for the functional management of the

school’s financial systems. Regular visits for practical help and advice is available from Jane

Cousins Associates.

6. The Head teacher is also the Accounting Officer.


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School Committee Governance Structure.

Governing Body

Head Teacher

Curriculum & Standards

CommitteeRESOURCES COMMITTEE

consisting of:

Finance and Buildings

Health & Safety

Personel

Pay & Remuneration

Committee

Admissions Working Party

AppealsHead Teacher’s

Performance Management


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School Management Structure

Headteacher

Deputy Headteacher

Assistant Headteacher

(inclusion/healthy schools)

Assistant Headteacher

(KS1 / EYFS)

KS2 Leader (2b)

(A) Core Curriculum Leadership (TLR 2a)

Literacy Numeracy Science/PSHE ICT Religion

(B) Broad and Balanced Curriculum Leadership (TLR 2a where not included above)

Art and Design Technology History/ Geog PE Music French

(C) Subject Support (These subjects may have support outside of TLR post holder)

Online Safety PE D/T Music Art History / Geog / EAL

Support Staff (Teaching and Learning)- LSAs / HLTAs / Playtime Mentor

Support Staff (Learning Environment and Administration)- Administration/Premises/

Lunchtime Supervision/ School journey and Trips admin/Data input/ICT support

School Management Structure

Strategic Leadership Team

Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher (any other member of staff where appropriate)

Management Team

Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher, Assistant Headteachers, KS2 leader, English & Maths leaders


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List of Authorised Signatories to St Thomas Becket’s Catholic Primary School Bank Accounts.

1. Mr Noel Campbell – Headteacher & Principle Finance Officer

2. Mrs Anne Harper – Deputy Head.

3. Ms Tracy McArthur– Finance Officer

4. Mr Mark Humphreys- Chair of Governors

Governing Body’s Instruction to the Headteacher[Principal Finance Officer].

1st September 2018.

Mr N Campbell

Headteacher

St Thomas Becket Catholic Primary School

London

SE25 5BN

Dear Mr Campbell,

Financial Directions as Headteacher [Principal Finance Officer].

1. This letter directs you, as the Headteacher of the School, in certain financial duties. It also

confirms you of your appointment as the Principal Finance Officer. You are responsible for the

maintenance of a sound system of financial control within St Thomas Becket Catholic Primary

School, the timely and regular reporting to external authorities and the Governing Body on the

state of the School and the continuous development of the School’s financial arrangements. You

retain full and final responsibility to the Governing Body for the Financial Integrity of the

School. In the case of your absence, and only in that case, the deputy Headteacher is nominated

as your emergency Principal Finance Officer and you are to ensure that she is capable of

completing the associated duties.

2. Delegated Financial Authority. The Governing Body has delegated financial authority both

to you and to the Finance & Buildings Committee, single transaction levels are designed to allow

the school executive freedom to function in a normal trading environment. Where the Governing

Body authorises a certain level of expenditure for a specific purpose they may impose local and

temporary more restrictive single transaction levels within that project, you should monitor such

impositions. The normal single transaction levels are as follows:

2.1. Any two authorised signatories may sign cheques up to £5,000.

2.2. You and the Chair, or Vice Chair, of Governors are required to authorise amounts

above £5,000.


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GENERAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.

Separation of Public and Non-Public funds is achieved by the operation of separate accounts

operating independently under the direction of the Headteacher. The Headteacher is responsible for

all aspects of government funding, without regard to source origin and for other financial matters.

Transfer of Responsibility. The following arrangements have been made to ensure that the financial

processes may continue and that adequate controls are maintained on the School’s financial systems

in the absence of key personnel. Where necessary such agencies as the bank and payroll services

will be informed although the School has endeavoured to ensure that the signatories and levels of

authority for cheques will cover most eventualities of absence.

Designation Substitute

Headteacher [Principle Finance Officer] Deputy Headteacher

Finance Officer Jane Cousins Associates

Register of Interests: The Company Secretary maintains a Register of Interests; members of the

Governing Body should make entries as appropriate. School Staff are also required to complete the

register if appropriate. This register is held in the school office and may be viewed by personal

request to the Headteacher. This register is to be updated and agreed at each meeting of the full

Governing Body. The register is to detail non-pecuniary as well as pecuniary interests and indicate

whether these are direct or indirect. (Direct- the registree and direct family, indirect- the registree’s

relatives or close associates.)

Goods and Services: The School does not obtain goods or services specifically for private use by

Governors or staff.

Mail: Mail is sorted and opened by the staff in the school office. Mail of an obviously private nature

is passed unopened to the addressee; all other mail is passed to the Headteacher for action. Any

monies received in school (cash, cheques, credit notes, or gift vouchers) are to be passed to the

Finance Officer, who record and action as appropriate. The entry is to define the source, date,

amount and purpose of the receipt.

Insurance: The School’s current insurance provider is provided by RPA.

The Finance Officer holds policy documents and an up-to-date list of policy numbers. These

documents may be reviewed and agreed at the first Governing Body meeting of the Financial Year

and at the time of renewal.

Contracts: The Principle Finance Officer, together with an up to date schedule of all such Contract

Documents, holds original copies of Contracts between the School and suppliers of goods and

policies are considered for renewal annually or, as appropriate, at the time of renewal.

Register of Interests - Each Governing Body meeting of the academic year.

Standing Financial Instructions for tendering - first Governing Body meeting of the

academic year (where changes are proposed)


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SCHOOL BUDGET.

1. The School budget is planned in general terms by the Headteacher in accordance with the

timetable at the end of this section. The annual budget is a component part of a longer financial

strategy aimed at maximising resources. Production of the annual budgetary plan remains the

responsibility of the Headteacher assisted by Jane Cousins Associates

2. Budgetary Process. The Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team will examine the long-

term objectives of the School and determine targets, assumptions and constraints, which will

affect the next financial year. Likely income for the year will be assessed and estimates of

expenditure prepared. These initial estimates will then be discussed with the appropriate

agencies throughout the School who will be directly affected. The budgetary planning process

consists of the following phrases:

2.1. Ensuring all concerned are aware of the assumptions, constraints and targets

determined by reference to the School’s financial objectives.

2.2. Estimating the costs of each element of the forward year’s plan.

2.3. Estimating income from public and non-public sources.

2.4. Comparing income and expenditure to identify the potential surplus/shortfall in

funding required to meet the financial objectives in the School Development Plan.

2.5. Identifying savings in expenditure in order to achieve the SDP where a shortfall is

identified.

2.6. Revising the SDP once priorities have been identified in order to reduce expenditure

to match expected income.

2.7. Allocating identified surplus to areas of need highlighted in the SDP.

2.8. Presenting the budget to the Governing Body for authorisation and informing the

School staff of the financial aims of the School, and the relevant staff with financial

responsibilities for budgets, of their delegated budgets together with any constraints

imposed. When this process is complete he will submit the figures to the Finance and

Buildings Committee for agreement and then onwards to the full Governing Body for

final approval.

3. Budgetary Monitoring. The budget will be monitored continuously throughout the year.

The admin Officer / Jane Cousins Associates will produce monthly reports for the head

teacher and termly reports to the Finance committee including all committed expenditure and

notes explaining variances; the content of these reports will be agreed with the Headteacher.

This process allows early corrective action to aid future planning. Before planning the

succeeding year’s expenditure, a thorough analysis of the current year’s performance will be

undertaken. Notwithstanding this, appropriate monthly reports clearly identifying actual

performance against The Annual Financial Statement are carried out.


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These reports should show committed expenditure against the updated budget on any significant

variances or other issues that need to be brought to the attention of the interested parties.

4. Scheme of Budget: Trigger points in the annual budgetary process together with associated

actions are described below.

4.1 Monthly Reconciliations

4.2 Quarterly Returns. Quarterly Income/Expenditure Revised Forecast

4.3 June/July. Preparation of detailed budget forecast by co-ordination of individual

Budget Holder/Budget Manager bids. The most accurate historical information is to

be used. Identification of new priorities by Headteacher and senior staff, project

carryover of assets or liabilities. Completed Annual Financial Statement for the next

financial year required

4.4 September. New School Financial year starts. Closure of previous year’s accounts

(Year end).

ORDERS AND INVOICES.

Public Funds.

1. Goods or services must, in the first instance, be requested on a fully completed requisition form,

this will be passed to the Finance Officer and then onward to the Headteacher who will check that

the funds are available and authorise the transaction; no other method is acceptable. The form will

not be actioned unless fully completed. All costs entered on the form are to be net of VAT.

2. The Finance Officer will check funds and if satisfactory, will produce an official purchase order;

a sequential order number will be allocated by the software.

3. The Headteacher / deputy head will then sign the order, which is then despatched to the supplier.

A copy is kept by the admin officer.

4. When the goods (or service) are delivered, the school office staff/ Finance Officer/Assistant or

premises manager will check the goods against the order, the originator may need to check

personally if the goods are of a specialist nature.

5. When invoices are received, they are passed to the headteacher to authorise. The admin officer

will raise a cheque and pass it, together with all associated paperwork, to ensure the invoice is settled

within the settlement timescale set out by the supplier.


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6. The first signatory will verify the Transaction, check all documentation and sign the form

confirming this. The cheque will then be signed.

7. The second signatory will now sign the cheque. The cheque will be sent and the invoice filed by

cheque number.

8. Oral faxed or telephone orders may be made in emergencies only by the Headteacher, the

Finance officer or the premises officer. When such action had been taken the Finance Officer is to

be informed at the earliest opportunity.

Non-Public Funds.

Non public funds are held in the School Fund and used for School uniform - cash received for

uniform items and payments to school uniform suppliers. Holding of donations from parents to

School Improvement Fund. Holding of donations from STBSA. Holding of monies collected by

children for charities and payments to said charities.

.

School Payment Card

The school has a Business Charge Card with a limit of £1000 per month. Each month any balance

owing on this card is automatically paid in full via direct debit from the school’s main account. The

card is used to pay for items that cannot be purchased by cheque payment.

The principle name on the card is the Headteacher’s and the Administrator is the Finance Officer.

Only the Finance Officer operates the use of the card. The physical card is kept locked in the school

safe. If a member of staff would like to purchase an item that needs to be paid for by this card they

have to complete a “Credit Card Order Form” This Form has to be signed by both the Headteacher

and the Deputy Head before a purchase can be made with the card. All documentation relating to

the purchase must then be attached to this form (i.e. printout of order confirmation, delivery notes

etc.) The credit card order forms are kept in a file and matched together to the Business Charge Card

monthly statement . Following this the monthly statement is then passed to the Headteacher to look

through to then sign and authorise that all entries are correct and valid.

STOCK BOOK and ASSETS.

1. School Property worth more than £500 is recorded in the Parago Asset Manager Inventory. Assets

are single items, or a group of matching items, generally worth more than £500 and are specifically

recorded both in the Asset Register and in the Inventory. Assets are required through the normal

purchase and payment procedure although they may be subject to the Tender Procedure described

in these Practices. The Finance Officer applies annual deprecation to Assets for management

purposes. Valuable and attractive items below Asset value may still be recorded in the Asset register

and treated as Assets at the Headteacher’s discretion. All assets with a value above £500 and any

other attractive portable items below this value including all cameras and camcorders must be

security marked and recorded in the school's asset register. All asset disposals should be properly

authorised with details of the reason for and method of disposal recorded against each entry in the

register. "


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2. The Asset register will identify the date of purchase, source of funding and cost, description or

serial number if applicable, the storage location, and an estimate through value depreciation of the

expected life. Depreciation is applied for management purposes only.

3. Assets may be disposed of with the authority of the Governing Body.

Tenders should be sought in line with the standard financial instructions by the Finance and

Buildings Committee; the tendering procedure described in these Procedures should be utilised. The

Headteacher is authorised to dispose of Assets up to the value of £500, the Finance and Buildings

Committee up to £3000 and the Governing Body above that level. Details of the authority to dispose

are to be entered in the Stock Book and the Asset Register. Assets will be written off when beyond

economic repair (as determined by the depreciated value) or at the discretion of the Finance and

Buildings Committee. Details of writing off are to be entered in the Register.

The register must contain details of:

3.1 Purchase price.

3.2. Source of funds for the purchase.

3.3. Serial number of the asset (if possible).

3.4. Expected life of the asset.

3.5. Current depreciated value.

3.6. Storage location.

4. The Finance Officer will record items valued over £100 for the time being, concurrently with

Invoice action, in the Inventory.

5. Consumables are not recorded.

TENDERING POLICY, QUOTATIONS AND ESTIMATES.

For works and services:

Up to £5000= school will ensure best value

£5,000 to £30,000 = Minimum of 3 Quotations

£30,001 and above = Tender as per local or national process

SECURITY.

1. Data Protection. The school is registered under the Data Protection Act 1998. The Finance

Officer ensures that registration is renewed annually; the Headteacher signs the registration on behalf

of the school.

Personal data is held for five purposes:

i) Education

ii) Education Support and Ancillary Purposes


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iii) Schools Administration

iv) Staff, agent and contractor administration

v) Advertising, marketing and public relations.

Data stored on the School’s computers is highly confidential both in respect of any personnel data

and the School’s finances. No individual should have free access to all levels of the School’s

financial data and perform the completion role in the financial chain. The Admin Officer maintains

all personnel records, which are stored in a locked filing cabinet. The Headteacher has access to the

Admin Officer’s filing cabinets. The Admin Officer attends to input and maintenance of the pupil

data, which is recorded using the SIMs programme. The Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher and the

Admin Officer and Croydon Gold Service have access to administration software programmes.

Personnel files contain contract details, pay scales and personal information.

Ref: Publication Scheme on Information available under the Freedom Information Act.

2. Access to Financial Systems. The Headteacher, Jane Cousin Associates and the Finance Officer

have user access to the finance package. The Finance Officer has received training on the finance

software. The finances are currently maintained on the School network. Only the Finance Officer

and Head Teacher may make amendments to the administration database.

3. Back-up and Office Security. The Finance Officer ensures a back up is completed each day.

Back up is completed remotely on-line on a daily basis.

4. Premises Security. All corridors and offices on the ground floor are protected by an alarm system.

A list of key-holders is kept in the office and given to the police and alarm contractors.

Headteacher………………………………………………. Date………………………………

Chair of Governors………………………………………. Date………………………………

Date post:	18-Jun-2020
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