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Academies and Education
Academies and Education
Our dedicated Education Department supports independent schools and academies across the Midlands. Combining sector knowledge with practical experience, we deliver expert financial, audit, and advisory services designed to meet the specific needs of the education sector.
Our services are carried out using market leading software such as tax calc and virtual cabinet to deliver high quality, compliant accounts and tax returns. In addition, our secure client portal enables us to transfer data both to, and from our clients, quickly and safely and also allows documents to be approved electronically or simply printed and posted to suit your preferred communication method.
Statutory Accounts & Compliance
We prepare statutory accounts to a high standard, ensuring full compliance with the latest Charity SORP or Academy Accounts Direction.
Audit & Financial Reporting
Our team provides external audit services, along with audits of pension and annual accounting returns, offering assurance and clarity to trustees, governors, and management.
Payroll & Ongoing Support
We manage payroll processing and provide ongoing advice to help schools and academies maintain strong financial systems and meet their reporting obligations efficiently.
Our sister company, Deans Wealth Management, offer a values-based, comprehensive financial planning service. This in short means that every financial decision you make with us is aligned with your most important goals and your deeply held values, giving you confidence and clarity in planning for the future.
I need help with accounts and tax returns
We tailor our assistance to each firm of solicitors, providing as much or as little help as is required depending on your internal capacity. The knowledge that we have of the special features of a legal practice means we are ideally placed to assist with ad-hoc projects should they be required, such as management accounts or calculations of Amounts Recoverable on Contracts. Our preparation of the accounts dovetails smoothly into our personal tax service for individual partners or shareholder/directors.
I need to improve my results and grow my business
We can help you to understand the key drivers of your business by ensuring your systems give you useful, granular information about your activities and where your strengths lie. We can produce forecasts for you or help give you the tools you need to do this within your own accounts team. As we are members of UK 200, you will be able to participate in and share the knowledge from their Legal Sector Benchmarking exercise to make sure your results are the best you can possibly obtain. And if you are considering incorporating your business, we can also advise on this.
I need an audit under the SRA Accounts Rules
We are Registered Auditors, authorised for many years to provide Accounts Rules audits. Our audit systems and files are subject to periodic review by the UK 200 Group and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, to give you assurance of the quality of our work.
I need to hire a new finance professional
Making the wrong recruitment decisions can be expensive both in time and money. We can help you make the right decision. Do you need a new book-keeper, accountant, finance manager or payroll professional? Do they need to be AAT, ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualified or is experience just sufficient? We have been recruiting people into financial positions successfully for decades and we will invest the time to fully understand your needs before finding you a shortlist of outstanding candidates.
I need a new job in finance
Making the wrong career choice when looking for a new job can be a disaster. Before you know it your CV can start to look a “bit short term” and prospective employers might not give you that new opportunity that you so well deserve. At Deans Recruitment, all our staff are qualified accountants and we feel that makes us best placed to advise you on your career choices. The best advice for you might well be to stay where you are and to not change jobs and if we think that’s the case we will tell you.
I need help with my partnership accounts and tax return
Accounts for GP’s and other healthcare professionals are very different to those in other professions and that’s why you need a set of experts to guide you through them. Prepared correctly they can help to identify key trends within your practice including areas where income may have been underclaimed such as on vaccinations or drugs reimbursements or where costs have become out of control.
I need help to complete my NHS pensions certificates
NHS pension certifications are highly complicated and that’s why you need the assistance and support of experts to help you prepare them. These certificates have a direct impact on your career average earnings and hence the pension you will receive when you retire so it’s crucial to get them right.
I need help to understand my pension tax charges and to complete my NHS scheme pays elections
If you have had in income excess of £100,000 and a pension input in excess of £40,000 over the last few years it is likely that you will be liable for pension income tax charges. We can help you to identify these and to ensure that the NHS pays these on your behalf if that’s the best option for you. There are very strict and complicated deadlines in this area so you need the assistance of someone who is technically up to date to help you complete them and to make sure that no important deadlines are missed.
Can we afford to take on another equity partner
As a firm with significant experience in this sector we can help you to put together cashflows and projections using our detailed knowledge of the sector to see if such decisions are viable and sustainable.
Should I stay in the NHS pension scheme?
This is a question we regularly get asked and unfortunately we can’t answer it for you but our financial services business Deans Wealth Management LLP can. They have qualified financial advisers who are up to date with the latest NHS and general pension rules and regulations. For more information please see www.deans-ifa.com.
I'm thinking of building or extending a surgery
Significant income tax allowances can be available on the building of a new or extending an existing surgery. If you have recently built or are considering building or extending a surgery we can help you to maximise any tax allowances which are available to you.
My business needs to be valued
You may need a business valuation report for many reasons. These include divorce, shareholder disputes, sales and mergers or management buyouts - or you may just be curious to know what your business is worth.
No matter what the purpose, our valuation reports are clear, concise and suitable for inclusion in court papers if necessary.
I suspect fraud but have no firm evidence
Our team of experienced forensic accountants will talk to you to better understand your concerns and suspicions. In all of our dealings we are professional and non-judgmental. We show empathy and understanding and we can be as discreet as is required.
Our reports are court ready should your circumstances require it and Richard acts as an expert witness.
I need to make a loss of profit claim
Whether your claim is a personal one or a business claim we can work with you to produce an independent report with associated calculations.
Our third party report will aid you with your claim for compensation.
I have lots of debts that need to be analysed
Don't worry! Our team is used to working through reams of data. We will analyse your data and produce outputs as agreed with you in advance. We can also advise you and assist you in developing systems to use the data going forward.
I need help with accounts and tax returns
Using our sector experience and knowledge our team work with you to help you. We will work with you to ensure compliance with deadlines and filing requirements - we also go further. We will make sure you benefit from available claims such as averaging, herd/flock elections, capital allowance claims, research and development claims and other planning opportunities.
I need to improve my results and grow my business
Using our sector experience and knowledge our team work with you to help you do just that. We are not just accountants, we are also business advisers. Our partner led team will discuss your business affairs with you, we will benchmark your performance against other similar businesses and we will discuss opportunities with you to improve efficiencies or how to diversify.
I want to diversify
Over the last few years a significant proportion of our agricultural clients have diversified their operations. These have been a mix of diversifications into other agricultural sectors or into making use of space for renewables.
We recognise that one size does not fit all but our experience and wide client base enables us to talk to clients about what diversification options are available and how they may contribute to the overall farm profits.
I need an exit strategy or succession plan
It is never too early to consider future generations and how they will be brought into the business or how the farm is to be dealt with when you pass it on.
This is a topic we discuss regularly with clients so that we can work proactively to ensure your wishes are fulfilled with the minimum tax burden. Working alongside Deans Wealth Management we can cover all areas of consideration.
We need to prepare statutory accounts
Education sector statutory accounts are very different to those of commercial companies and so its important to have a team on your side who know about their particular presentation and disclosure requirements. We can produce your year-end accounts to a high standard, on a timely basis and which will comply with all the necessary disclosure requirements of the relevant SORP.
We need an external auditor
Financial reporting in the Academies and Education sector is done to very strict reporting timescales so it’s very important that you use a firm that understands these and can help to make sure you meet them.
If you need an audit, we can provide this alongside our year-end statutory accounts preparation or as just as a pure external audit. We have been authorised as Registered Auditors for many years, and our audit systems and files are subject to periodic review by the UK 200 group and the Institute of Chartered Accountants, to give you the assurance that the quality of our work remains of the highest standard. As well as auditing your statutory accounts we can also audit your annual accounts returns too.
I need an internal auditor
The Education and Skills Funding Agency requires academies to have sound internal control, risk management and assurance processes, including a process for checking its financial systems, controls, transactions and risks. We can offer advice to help you meet your obligations, assistance with discrete internal assurance assignments, or a complete plan of audit work tailored to your requirements.
I need help with statutory responsibilities
We can help you by completing your filings at Companies House, auditing your annual pension certificates or advising you on governance structures and the roles and responsibilities of trustees.
I need to produce accounts
Charity accounts are very different than those of commercial companies and so its important to have a team on your side who know about their particular disclosure requirements and the expectations of the Charities Commission. We can produce your year-end accounts to a high standard. If your charity has a public face, we can advise you on the statements you need to make on behalf of your board, to meet regulatory requirements whilst shining a light on your charity’s achievements.
I need regular financial information
In addition to year-end accounts, it’s just as important that you have accounting systems that give you great financial information for your day to day activities and that provide reliable reports for the board of trustees. We can advise you on your systems and the kind of reporting that is appropriate for your organisation.
We also offer an extremely cost-effective payroll processing service.
I need an auditor
The first way we can help you is to check whether you really do need an audit, a reporting accountant’s report or simply accounts preparation. If you need an audit, we can provide this alongside our year-end accounts preparation or as pure external auditors. We have been authorised as Registered Auditors for many years, and our audit systems and files are subject to periodic review by the UK 200 group and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, to give you assurance of the quality of our work.
I need help with statutory responsibilities
We can help you by completing your Annual Return to the Charities Commission, or filing returns at Companies House. We can also advise on other statutory matters such as the holding of AGMs, governance structures, and the roles and responsibilities of trustees.
