Academies Update 2026

09:00

Chair’s welcome and opening address

Anjali Kothari, Moore Kingston Smith

09:10

Keeping pace with evolving responsibilities

A sector overview of key challenges facing academy trusts, including evolving requirements in compliance, estates, sustainability and cybersecurity, and what trust leaders should be planning for.

Danna Lukic, Moore Kingston Smith

09:30

Planning for sector consolidation in a period of constrained finances

Falling rolls and real-terms drops in per pupil funding continue to tighten sector finances, making consolidation not only more likely but inevitable as some trusts hit real difficulties. This session will explore what CFOs can do to plan effectively, whether absorbing new schools or merging into another trust.

Simon Newitt, Lift Schools

Academies Legal Update

We will cover the Schools Bill and its impact on Academies, along with some key legal compliance matters for academies, including the Academy Trust Handbook and issues arising from staff severance payments.

Stephen Ravenscroft, Katherine Hall, Stone King

10:25

Update from the Department for Education

This session will cover ongoing and forward-looking support for Charities SORP 2026 implementation, delivered through the Academies Accounts Direction and model accounts.

We will also provide an overview of general fraud awareness and offer insight into recent fraud alerts.

Gavin Dempster, Soleil Buttle, Department for Education

Accounts Direction and Trust Handbook

Looking at the main changes in the recent edition of the Academies Accounts Direction and an update on the Academy Trust Handbook.

Becky Branch, Bishop Fleming

Charities SORP Changes and Impact on Academies Financial Statements

This session will consider the main changes arising from the new Charities SORP which will be effective for the 2026/27 financial year.

Vincent Marke, Matt Doyle-Healey, Crowe UK

12:00

Academies and the LGPS: Managing a Changing Landscape

This session explores how the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) is evolving; covering employer contributions, early retirement costs, why accounting matters, and how collaboration across the academy sector is becoming increasingly effective.

Mitchell Johnstone, Isio

12:25

Chair’s closing remarks

Anjali Kothari, Moore Kingston Smith

12:30

Event End

Chair: Anjali Kothari, Partner - Head of Education, Moore Kingston Smith
Anjali is Head of Education in our dedicated schools sector and a senior partner in our nonprofit group. She has over 25 years’ experience of the schools and the nonprofit sector, the last 20 with Moore Kingston Smith. Her experience includes working with independent schools and academies ranging from preparatory schools, senior schools and boarding schools, as well as international schools, MAT’S and complex groups. She regularly provides training for heads, aspiring heads and bursars as well as speaking regularly at seminars and has a detailed understanding of the issues affecting schools. She works with a number of the main sector bodies such as GSA, CISC and ISBA and regularly speaks and advises at their conferences. She Chairs the ICAEW Academies Forum and is involved with several of their committees. She also looks after a variety of non-charity clients which range from research institutes and grant making charities. Anjali is also a Governor of a large Independent Prep school in NW London and is an executive member and treasurer of the Charity Law Association.

Stephen Ravenscroft, Partner, Stone King
Stephen has specialised in charity and education law since qualification back in 1997. Stephen was involved in the Government’s Academies programme from its inception in 2001, as well as the development of some of the country’s largest multi academy trusts, giving a detailed insight into growth projects and the successful planning of merger projects. His work for schools has included, for example, a number of merger and restructuring matters as well as constructing novel partnerships for leading independent schools, working alongside state-funded schools. This includes the Eton Star project. He also works extensively with Catholic schools, orders and dioceses in their education work.

Katherine Hall, Associate, Stone King
Katherine re-joined the Education Team in September 2020 having previously worked for Stone King as a Paralegal from 2017 to 2019 before completing her training contract elsewhere. Prior to working at Stone King, Katherine completed her Law degree at the University of Durham and obtained a distinction in her Masters (LLM) alongside completing the LPC. Katherine advised Education clients on a variety of Education Law issues.

Vincent Marke FCA, Partner, Crowe
Vincent is a partner in Crowe’s Social Purpose and Non-Profits Team. Vincent is a member of Crowe’s Academies Leadership Group and has over 15 years of experience of working with both single and multi-academy trusts.

Matt Doyle-Healey, Partner, Crowe Midlands
Matt is an audit partner with over 16 years’ experience of working with academies, membership organisations and other non-profit entities. Matt currently sits on the AfE’s Auditors Forum Group and leads the Crowe Midlands audit team on the provision of audit services to over 50 academies.

Becky Branch,Senior Manager, Bishop Fleming
Becky is a Senior Audit Manager at Bishop Fleming, where she plays a lead role in the firm’s specialist Academies team. With extensive experience in the education sector, Becky is a key member of the Academies Operations Team, helping to shape and deliver audit and assurance services tailored to academy trusts. Becky works closely with academy clients across the UK, providing expert guidance on financial reporting, compliance with ESFA regulations, and strategic financial planning. Known for a hands-on approach and in-depth sector knowledge, Becky supports trusts through the complexities of financial reporting, internal controls and financial sustainability.
With a passion for education and a commitment to helping academies thrive, Becky regularly contributes to sector updates, training, and best-practice initiatives within Bishop Fleming and beyond.

Simon Newitt, Chief Financial Officer, Lift Schools 
Simon Newitt joined Lift Schools as their Chief Financial Officer in May 2024. As CFO, he has overall responsibility for the financial strategy and sustainability of Lift Schools, leads the finance and procurement teams, and also has oversight of the legal and governance functions. Before joining Lift Schools, Simon spent nine years in Higher Education, first as Finance Director of the University of Sunderland and then as Chief Financial Officer of the University of Northumbria. Prior to that he spent 13 years at PwC, working with government and public-sector clients in central and local government, the NHS and further and higher education.

Danna Lukic, Director, Moore Kingston Smith
Danna is an experienced audit director specialising in the Education and Nonprofit sector with over 10 years working with single and multi-academy trusts. She has a keen interest in the academies sector and is also a MAT trustee.

Mitchell Johnstone, Senior Consultant & Actuary, Public Services, Isio
Mitchell is an actuary in Isio’s Public Services team, advising employers across local and central government, education, health and housing. He specialises in supporting employers participating in the LGPS, where he leads advisory work for Isio in the academy sector.

Gavin Dempster, Financial Frameworks Manager – Financial Frameworks Team, Department for Education
Gavin Dempster is a Financial Frameworks Manager at the Department for Education and a CIMA qualified accountant. He leads the development of the academies financial framework, including the Academies Accounts Direction, model accounts, and auditor guidance. Gavin provides technical leadership on financial reporting, audit, and assurance, chairs the Academies Auditor Forum, and works closely with senior stakeholders to strengthen governance, accountability, and proportionate financial frameworks across the sector.

Soleil Buttle, Senior Counter Fraud Officer - DfE Counter Fraud team, Department for Education
Soleil Buttle is a Senior Counter Fraud Officer with over 10 years of experience, including two years at the Department for Education. As Communications Lead for the Counter Fraud and Prevention team, she leads on fraud awareness activity, including the development of the counter fraud alerts process across the education sector. Her work focuses on extending the reach and effectiveness of fraud awareness to a wider audience. Soleil is an Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist (ACFS) and an Insider Fraud Specialist, bringing practical, informed insight to her work.