Achieving academy status is now a popular route for many schools as it provides them with greater freedom to decide how they spend their budget and plan their curriculum.

However, with greater freedom comes greater financial responsibility, and with the number of academies now reaching over 2,300, the need for accountancy expertise is in more demand than ever. A recent survey of 152 academies revealed that over half intend to provide existing staff with accountancy training, employ specialist staff or consult an external agency for help with their finances.