Internal Audit/Assurance is Changing

Clive Owen LLP have experience of providing a comprehensive and robust internal assurance service to over 55 academy trusts across the North East and Yorkshire.

Our partner led team is highly experienced and includes a specialist internal auditor who has over 18 years of working and enhancing the level of internal controls within schools and academies.

The internal audit programmes which we have designed cover a wide range of risks, both financial and non-financial, that individual trusts may have. The eighteen programmes include:

• Payroll and HR
• Procurement
• Pupil Numbers and ESFA returns
• Governance and Compliance
• Risk Management and Insurance
• Information Technology and GDPR
• Capital and contract management
• Website compliance
• Data Analytics (to detect and help prevent fraudulent activity)

In addition, bespoke work programmes can be designed.

Prior to meeting with the committee responsible for audit, the partner and manager would review prior programmes of work in conjunction with the risk register to ensure that they understand current risks identified, and how best they could be tested.  We would subsequently work with the committee to formulate a programme of works to review the highlighted risks and level of controls that trust currently has in place to mitigate the identified risks and their potential impact on the organisation.

Clive Owen LLP has secured a position over the last thirty five years as one of the largest and most trusted professional practices in the North East & North Yorkshire. This has been achieved through a relentless focus on the needs and aspirations of our clients – hard working people in regional businesses of all shapes and sizes with a vital role to play in local communities.

Our team has extensive experience of working in the education sector, through the audit and provision of financial support to academies, independent schools, and other educational establishments. Furthermore, through our membership of Kreston International, a global network of independent accounting firms, we have direct access to fellow member firms with experience of providing audit and advisory services to nearly 1,000 academies across the Kreston network.

Our objective is to go beyond the simple reporting and presentation of information and data. The value of information is only as strong as the quality of its interpretation. This is an area in which we can contribute a wealth of knowledge and experience to help you to understand, interpret and act on key information and results. It is our aim to provide recommendations and options whenever an opportunity, issue or challenge is encountered.

The diversity and specialist nature of our internal assurance team means that you will always have the relevant person and resources available from within our firm to respond to any of your needs.

The team we have to serve you consists of the right people with appropriate skills to help meet your specific needs and culture. Our core team members have the relevant experience, commitment, knowledge, and personality to work with you in a proactive and positive way.

Expert sector knowledge within the team is invaluable in delivering an effective internal assurance service and providing broader support to the academy trust.

Our team can provide you with:

• Substantial experience of auditing a broad range of educational and charitable institutions both locally and further afield;
• A track record of helping institutions through significant change and development;
• In-depth strength to provide you with immediate assistance should you need it; and
• A group of dedicated and committed professionals with a focus on client service and technical excellence

• Year-end accounts preparation
• Academy trust financial statements
• Charity SORP compliance
• DfE reporting support

• Internal audit services
• Governance and risk reviews
• Financial controls assessment

• Integrated Curriculum Financial Planning (ICFP)
• Budget setting and monitoring
• Long-term financial planning

• VAT advice for academies and schools
• Corporation tax compliance
• Trading subsidiary structuring and advice

• Cost and efficiency reviews
• Benchmarking and performance analysis
• Financial sustainability planning

We provide tailored support for academy trusts of all sizes, helping you manage DfE requirements, improve financial control and strengthen governance.

Our academy services include:

• Academy conversion support
• DfE compliance and reporting
• Budget monitoring and forecasting
• VAT recovery and optimisation
• Internal assurance and audit

We also support trusts in developing stronger financial systems through tools such as Integrated Curriculum Financial Planning (ICFP), helping you align spending with educational outcomes.