A state-aided Jewish academy in Manchester has been told by the Department for Education to put its finances in order.
Broughton Jewish Cassel Fox, an Orthodox primary academy with 367 pupils, received an official “notice to improve”.
In a letter to the school, the DfE’s regional director for the North West, Vicky Beer, said that breaches of the Academy Trust Handbook “relating to financial management are significant enough to warrant” the notice.
She added, “We understand that this decision may be disappointing and want to assure you that we recognise the positive action the trust has taken to date to address the concerns.”
The DfE recognised “the cooperation and extensive discussions that have taken place between the trust and officials and the changes you have already made to strengthen accounting and internal financial controls.
“However, our concerns remain, in relation to the weak financial position and financial management at the trust, resulting in a formal request for exceptional financial support.”
The notice means that the trust running the school will have to clear payments first with the DfE.
In a letter to parents, the chair of Broughton’s trustees, David Bondt, said the notice reflected “financial challenges that, like many single academy schools, we have faced due to wider pressures within the funding system”.
It was important, he stressed, to emphasise that the notice did not relate to the quality of education offered by the school, safeguarding or its day-to-day running.
“The wellbeing and progress of our pupils continue to be our foremost priority,” he said.
“Over recent months, we have worked constructively with the DfE to strengthen our financial systems, processes and governance.
“We welcome this partnership, which places us in a stronger and more sustainable position moving forward.
“A clear improvement plan is being put in place, and we are fully committed to meeting the expectations set out by the department in full.”
