Academy Trust Handbook 2025: Effective from 1 September 2025

What is the Academy Trust Handbook (ATH)?

Updated annually, the ATH provides guidance for those governing, managing or auditing an academy trust.  

Introducing several updates aimed at strengthening governance, financial oversight, and strategic planning across Academy Trusts in England, this is the first Department for Education (DfE) version since the ESFA was closed on 31 March 2025. 

Compliance is mandatory under trusts funding agreements, and it is important to be aware of changes that are introduced each year. 

While there are no major overhauls, there are key areas of clarification and emphasis that the trusts need to be aware of. Details of updates in five areas are given below: 

Key updates to roles and responsibilities 

Digital and technology standards

This year’s update has seen several additions to the Digital and Technology Standards section which includes section 1.16, requiring trusts to address the DfE’s six core standards: 

• Broadband internet 
• Network switching
• Wireless network
• Cyber security
• Filtering and monitoring
• Digital leadership and governance

With cyber incidents and attacks on the increase in the sector, which can have a significant impact both operationally and financially, these standards aim to help reduce risks in this area. Trusts are now prohibited from paying ransomware demands and the incident response protocols must be updated to reflect this requirement. 

Estate management 

Section 1.20 has been updated in terms of estate management and the health and safety of building occupants. This is an area where additional guidance has been issued over the past few years following Asbestos and Reinforced aerated concrete affecting school buildings. 

Accounting officer duties 

Accounting officer duties, definitions of regularity, propriety, value for money and feasibility have also been updated in section 1.32. 

Managing Public Money and the accounting officer’s duties in section 1.37 include a requirement to advise the board in writing if planned actions are incompatible with the articles, funding agreement of ATH. 

Main financial requirements 

Additional guidance and support on procurement has been included in sections 2.24 to 2.26 along with clarification on the role of the board in setting of executive pay in sections 2.27 to 2.30.  

Public scrutiny over executive pay in education has increased the need for DfE oversight. 

Internal Scrutiny 

Recent changes to the requirements for larger Trusts are now detailed in sections 3.6 and 3.16 clarifying thresholds. These changes are based on last audited accounts rather than management accounts figures. 

Delegated authorities 

Trusts have a requirement to refer Novel, contentious and repercussive transactions to the DfE before the transaction occurs. Repercussive in section 5.5 details the potential of a cost impact from such a transaction. 

The Regulator and intervention 

As the DfE now oversees Academy Trusts as the regulator, and with the right of intervention when it is deemed necessary, 4 areas have been updated in this year’s ATH. 

Not surprisingly, confirmation in section 6.15 reminds a Trust that they must not pay any cyber ransomware demands. 

A link is now provided in section 6.16 to information on DfE oversight and support, including intervention. 

Educational performance is no longer an area where a Notice to Improve (Nt) may be issued, with the final confirmation from the DfE being that they may recover funds where fraud has occurred as detailed in section 6.21. 

Summary 

This year’s update to the Academy Trust Handbook aims to strengthen governance, financial oversight and strategic planning with little impact on the day-to-day running of academy trusts. 

The changes are intended to ensure academies are ready for the future with stronger emphasis on issues such as sustainability, digital technology and cyber security which are affecting not only the academy sector. Trusts are encouraged to use the handbook not just for compliance but also for continuous improvement.