DfE Update academies: 14 October 2026
Published 14 October 2026
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2026
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1. Action: Submit your audited financial statements for 2025 to 2026
We have published the online form and guidance to submitting your audited financial statements for 2025 to 2026. You should read the guidance before completing the form and uploading your documents.
All academy trusts that had a signed funding agreement and had an open academy at any point during the accounting period to Monday 31 August 2026, must submit their audited financial statements, auditor’s management letter, and an annual summary internal scrutiny report. This includes free schools, studio schools, and university technical colleges. These documents should be uploaded within the ‘Accounts submission coversheet’.
The deadline for submitting your accounts is Thursday 31 December 2026.
If you need help with this, our virtual assistant provides instant guidance for trusts and external auditors on submitting:
- Audited financial statements
- Auditor’s management letters
- Annual summary internal scrutiny reports
It can also help you complete the ‘Accounts submission coversheet’ and answer questions about:
- Submission requirements
- Passwords
- Signatures
2. Information: Schools budget support grant 2026 allocations
We have published the schools budget support grant 2026 allocations.
We will make payments to local authorities in October 2026 and to academies in November 2026.
3. Events and webinars: Risk protection arrangement members only – the regulatory mock trial
Tuesday 10 November 2026, 9am to midday. Register on MS Teams.