Our specialists work independently with trusts to ensure internal controls and risk management procedures are effective and efficient.
Over the last 3 years, we’ve provided internal scrutiny support to 368 institutions.
With our in-depth understanding of the education sector, we identify areas for improvement and provide recommendations to streamline processes and enhance operational efficiency.
Contact usThe Academies Financial Handbook requires all trusts to have a programme of internal scrutiny to provide independent assurance to the board that its financial and non-financial controls and risk management procedures are operating effectively.
Our in-depth understanding of school and academy finance, and the risks involved, allow us to comprehensively identify areas of improvement and support - implementing proposed recommendations to streamline your processes and enable your finance function to run more efficiently.
We also tailor our testing to your specific needs, based on governor and staff requirements.
The service to date from SAAF has been excellent. The key to this has been their knowledge and understanding of the sector and their appreciation of how a MAT operates. We have worked with SAAF for approaching two years now, utilising their Internal Scrutiny services and have been pleased with the reports provided and the work undertaken during that period. We look forward to continuing this service for years to come.
Director of Finance & Business, The Constellation Trust
We found SAAF to be very professional, friendly, and collaborative. Their recommendations have helped us strengthen our procedures in accordance with the Academy Trust Handbook. They were very thorough in the deep dive into our processes and as a result, have helped us to gain more attention to detail.
Director of Resources, The Southfield Trust
The breadth of knowledge and understanding from within the education sector is a core strength we value immensely. I would describe the services as responsive, solution-focused, and flexible to our needs.
CEO, Raleigh Education Trust
We think you offer a great service at a great price. We have worked with you for a very long time now and have always been impressed by the quality that you offer. Great job!
CEO, Nottingham Schools Trust
Thank you so much for your ongoing support; SAAF have been a life saver for us!
Business Manager, Idsall School
SAAF staff are so friendly and helpful: quickly resolving queries/issues very competently
Finance Officer, Burntwood School
Our finance system reviews are delivered independently by our expert finance team. We review system architecture and security - providing a full check of key areas to help improve the effectiveness of your software.
Book a reviewDiscover how LIFE Education Trust partnered with SAAF to enhance financial management, streamline payroll, and boost efficiency.
Read nowEnhance your professional development with our on-demand training videos. Whether you're selecting the right finance software or seeking training on GAG pooling, our continually updated catalogue is designed to support your business leadership journey.
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We understand the complex world of education finance and work with you to plan, strategise, and budget in the most cost-effective way – aligning with your finance policy, operational, and strategic goals.
Unlimited support with all your finance, accounting, and software queries. Available from 8am-8pm, 7 days a week.
Whether you need support with finance software, add locations, or workflow configuration, our technical finance team is here to help.
We offer a cloud-hosting solution designed for schools, academies and MATs. Unlike other cloud platforms, SAAF Cloud isn’t restricted to a specific software provider – meaning there are no limitations on how you use it.
Our experts can run comprehensive and bespoke training on any scope of topic within education finance. We can host sessions on all leading finance software used in the education sector, including IRIS Financials and FMS.
We offer a free finance system review to ensure your system is running as efficiently as possible and delivering accurate financial reporting.
Say goodbye to time-consuming processes and the administrative burden of payroll. Say hello to SAAF’s cost-effective, efficient, and accurate payroll bureau.
Strategy. Planning. Growth. We can support you with everything from day-to-day transactions to financial planning.
How many recruitment agencies can say they’ve never charged a temp-to-perm recruitment fee? We understand that recruitment costs can be expensive, that’s why we also offer fixed margins.