Academy Trust Handbook 2026

The new Academy Trust Handbook 2026 has been released. Taking effect from 1 October 2026, trust leaders, trustees and finance teams have a valuable opportunity to assess whether current arrangements will continue to meet evolving expectations.

It formally confirms a number of changes that had previously been indicated through guidance, legislation and sector communications. Compared with the previous version, it introduces several new requirements and strengthens expectations around good practice, including:

• Trustees, particularly finance committee members and audit and risk committee members should undertake financial training covering financial management, control, monitoring and reporting (1.31).
• Greater focus on financial qualifications of CFOs in larger trusts, namely, for trusts with over 3,000 pupils (1.46):
  • the CFO should hold a professional accountancy qualification from a professional body such as the ICAEW, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent.
  • any CFO recruitment exercise commencing on or after 1 October 2026 should specify that the person should be a qualified accountant and a member of the relevant professional accountancy body and/or hold the CIPFA level 7 qualification.
• any CFO recruitment exercise commencing on or after 1 September 2027 must specify that the person should be a qualified accountant and a member of the relevant professional accountancy body, and/or hold the CIPFA level 7 qualification. If a trust is planning to appoint a new CFO who is not a qualified accountant or does not hold the CIPFA level 7 qualification, DfE must be informed in advance, including an explanation of why the trust is not appointing a qualified accountant or a holder of the CIPFA level 7 qualification.
• CFOs and other key financial staff should maintain continuing professional development and/or personal development and undertake relevant ongoing training (1.47).
• Confirming that trusts must use the Government Commercial Agency agreement for supply staffing requirements (2.28).
• For energy, trusts must use either DfE Energy for Schools or a DfE approved energy deal (2.29).
• Trusts must use the DfE Management Information System framework and note actions to take with existing contracts (2.30).
• Executive remuneration must not increase at a faster rate than that of the academy trust’s teachers unless there is a clear justification for it to do so. Where the academy trust considers there is a justification, it must seek approval in advance from DfE (2.33).
• From 1 October 2026, for new appointments within academy trusts where remuneration exceeds £174,000, or the pro rata equivalent for part-time staff, or performance-related pay above £25,000, approval from DfE must be obtained before the post is advertised (2.34).
• Explaining that prior DfE approval is needed before offering an alternative pension scheme (2.40).
• At least one member of the audit and risk committee should have recent or relevant accountancy, or audit assurance, experience (3.10).
• Multi-academy trusts must publish on their website a summary statement (by 31 January) accompanying the trust’s annual accounts, outlining how funds are distributed across their schools (5.32). The DfE has published an example here: Academy trusts’ financial arrangements: trust summary statement – GOV.UK

Looking forward

Financial expertise, governance capability and transparency are becoming increasingly important.

Academy trusts that review their arrangements now will be better prepared not only for the new requirements, but also for the direction the sector is heading.

If you would like to discuss the implications for your trust, our education specialists can help you assess what the changes mean in practice. Contact us if you would like to discuss this or any other matter associated with your academy in more detail.

Source: Academy trust handbook 2026: effective from 1 October 2026 – GOV.UK