Our Financial Services Maintained Team provides a one stop shop for all your financial management needs – from the day you set your budget to the day you submit your year-end accounts.
Why work with our Financial Services team?
We provide informed, business-focused financial systems and solutions that offer support for all local authority educational settings and are designed so that you only purchase the support you need.
The team offer bespoke advice for leaders of schools to plan, manage and control financial resources to achieve strategic educational objectives and support to be compliant with statutory reporting requirements.
With a wealth of experience and specialist financial management expertise, we are ideally placed to provide support for bookkeeping, financial systems management, training, and development for maintained schools, regardless of their size or location.
Our close working relationship with Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) means you’ll always have the most up to date information to meet all your requirements and our ability to work both remotely and on site allows you to choose the most appropriate and convenient delivery of your service.
Our financial services packages
We offer a range of contract packages detailed below, as well as bespoke pay as you use services.
Diamond (including Bookkeeping Service)
Our all-inclusive service provides start-to-finish financial support for maintained schools and settings, from bookkeeping to producing mandatory accounting information. This includes our Bookkeeping Service which posts all financial transactions (invoices, income etc.) on the schools’ behalf to the Arbor Finance software package.
This specialist team receive regular training and updates to ensure compliance with HCC and DfE requirements. The service uses Microsoft One Drive to ensure all documents are handled securely and original files can be retained in school.
Our Financial Business Partners (FBPs) then prepare financial reconciliations, budget monitoring and feedback to the headteacher.
Benefits include:
- Up to date budget monitoring information and forward projections, including cashflow, with guidance for heads and senior leaders from a team of experts
- Support for headteacher with the preparation of the annual budget based on the latest financial information and available guidance
- The opportunity to revise budget scenarios in year as circumstances change and decisions need to be reviewed
This service is suitable for schools and settings who require a complete financial service.
Gold
Our standard gold service provides year end completion, seven monthly monitors and termly forecast reporting support, with the school/setting undertaking the salary variances monitor, monthly comprehensive system reconciliation, monthly submission of VAT returns, and submission of termly reports and approved budgets to the local authority. It also includes access to the Financial Services Systems Helpdesk for support and guidance.
This service can be customised with a range of additional options to meet your needs including accruals, budget support and housekeeping bulletins as well as fund account bookkeeping and audit. Our service delivery managers would be very happy to tailor the service to match your school requirements.
Silver
This service is suitable for schools with experienced school business managers. We offer a period three and period seven budget monitor to assist schools with more accurate termly forecasting whilst at the same time ensuring recommended processes are being undertaken in readiness for year-end.
Also included is attendance at a year end workshop and access to the Financial Services Systems Helpdesk for bulletins, support and guidance.
This service can be customised with additional options for budget support and the fund account bookkeeping and audit available.
Bronze
This core service includes finance system software and support from the Financial Services Systems Helpdesk. Schools and settings can benefit from the bulk purchasing power of HFL Education and receive the software licence at a lower market cost.
Software currently supported on the Systems Helpdesk includes RM Arbor Finance, SIMS FMS 6, and Access Budgeting. We work collaboratively with our Arbor financial software providers to support product innovations and future developments.
This service can be customised with additional options for budget support and the fund account bookkeeping and audit available.
Budget Setting and Support
Our experienced Financial Business Partners (FBPs) work with the Headteacher (or nominated officer) to calculate the detailed working budget for the next three years. We provide effective, appropriate challenge and support to build the annual budget.
Bookkeeping Service - New for 2025
Our bookkeeping service posts all financial transactions (invoices, incomes etc.) on the school’s behalf to the Arbor finance software package. This service uses Microsoft One Drive to ensure all documents are handled securely so that original files can be retained in school. This new service is also offered as a PAYU service to schools whose circumstances might change on a temporary basis.
Fund Account Bookkeeping
To assist schools in remaining financially compliant with their accounts, Financial Services are offering a monthly digital bookkeeping service posting financial transactions (invoices, income etc.) for Arbor finance schools only. The school will need to hold an Arbor Fund Account additional licence, outlined in the Bronze package.
A year end final reconciliation will be completed ready for the school to submit to HCC.
Fund Account Audit
Schools and settings are required to have an independent examination/audit of their private accounts within three months of their financial year end.
Financial Services offers a face-to-face Fund Account Audit service, providing a statement of assurance on the operation of your fund account. Financial Services can provide a full audit and certificate to verify the audit.
Financial Services training
Our training is reviewed on a termly basis to reflect the current needs and requests of our customers. Each term will provide the opportunity to attend courses relevant to the time in the financial year.
Our training courses are delivered by a team of experts with extensive experience and knowledge of supporting maintained schools with their financial management.
Our training courses vary from 2-hour webinars to full day events. Some courses will run across 2 or 3 sessions with regular intervals in between each helping delegates consolidate their learning so far and allowing for practice time before the next session.
Bespoke training can also be arranged and delivered on site at a school/setting if preferred as a pay as you use service. Please contact your Service Delivery Manager in the first instance.
Find out more
For further information on any of the services listed here, or to discuss your requirements with a member of our friendly team, please contact us.
