Schools
Our experienced education team takes a tailored approach to every engagement
Accounting for Schools
Sheen Stickland works with a wide range of schools across all stages and structures, including free schools, academies, private schools, independent trusts, special educational needs (SEN) institutions, and charitable education providers. We understand that each organisation faces distinct challenges, from funding and governance to compliance and reporting.
Our experienced education team takes a tailored approach to every engagement, providing support that reflects your structure, size, and objectives. Whether your school operates as a charity, company limited by guarantee, or part of a multi-academy trust, we ensure your financial management remains compliant and transparent.
We know the education sector is constantly evolving, with pressures around budget allocation, staff costs, and regulatory obligations. Our goal is to relieve the administrative burden and help your leadership team focus on delivering high-quality education, while we handle the financial detail with accuracy and care.
Our Services
Accounting
We assist schools in preparing UK GAAP-compliant financial statements that meet statutory and regulatory requirements. Whether your organisation reports under charity or company law, we ensure your accounts are clear, accurate, and aligned with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) or relevant financial reporting standards.
Audit & Assurance
Our audit and assurance services are designed to add value beyond compliance. By focusing on risk, governance, and operational efficiency, we provide constructive insights that strengthen your financial controls. We work collaboratively with your finance team, using technology to minimise disruption and deliver practical recommendations.
Teachers’ Pensions
We support schools with the annual Teachers’ Pensions End of Year Certificate (EOYC) process, ensuring contribution rates and payments are reviewed accurately and on time. With ever-changing rules and banding structures, we help maintain compliance and streamline pension reporting to avoid errors or delays.
Academy Conversion & Compliance
For schools considering or undergoing academy conversion, we provide expert financial guidance throughout the process. From preparing opening balance sheets to ensuring compliance with ESFA requirements, we help you establish strong financial foundations that meet both audit and governance standards.
Charity & Governance Reporting
Many schools operate within charitable frameworks or not-for-profit structures. We assist with trustee reporting, fund accounting, and governance compliance to ensure transparency and accountability. Our advisers help you meet your legal duties while maintaining stakeholder confidence.
Payroll & Staff Benefits
Managing payroll within schools can be complex, especially when balancing multiple funding streams, pay scales, and pension contributions. Our payroll service ensures staff are paid accurately and on time, with full HMRC compliance and clear reporting. We also support with staff benefit administration and pension auto-enrolment.
Our Accreditation & Partners
Accounting
Many of our clients look to us to convert their accounts into a statutory format, we can advise and assist your accounting team to produce UK GAAP compliant accounts whether your structure is a company limited by guarantee using financial reporting standards, or a charity with fund accounting adhering to the statement of recommended practice.
Audit and assurance
Our risk based audit is designed to meet regulatory standards whilst focusing on the areas that matter to your organisation. We create specific testing based on our thorough understanding of your operations and look to recommend practical steps for improving your processes.
Audit can feel disruptive, our approach can alleviate the stress on your finance team working collaboratively using technology driven solutions.
Teachers pensions
Pension schemes are vital to the teaching profession. It remains a key benefit to employees in the sector. Schools are required to produce an End Of Year Certificate (EOYC) that document is then reviewed by an accountant alongside the pension payments and contribution rates.
The rules are clear, but contribution rates or bands are constantly changing. We can help organise the review so it is conducted in a timely manner along with the other reporting requirements.
