Helping you prosper
Academy trusts across England are fast approaching a key annual compliance deadline. All trusts that had an open academy on 31 December 2025 must complete and submit the 2025–26 School Resource Management Self-Assessment (SRM SA) checklist by 13 March 2026.
What is the SRM SA checklist?
The SRM SA checklist is a mandatory annual return for academy trusts. It’s designed to help trust boards and governing bodies assess how effectively they are managing their resources and ensure they meet expectations for sound financial management and governance.
Rather than being a bureaucratic exercise, the checklist is a practical self-evaluation tool that prompts trusts to reflect on areas such as:
- governance arrangements and strategic clarity
- budget setting and financial planning
- staffing and resource allocation
- value for money in procurement and spending
- safeguarding public funds through robust internal controls.
Completing this checklist also gives the DfE assurance that trusts have the right systems in place to support financial health and effective use of public resources.
Why it matters
Regulatory compliance: The SRM SA checklist is a requirement in the Academy Trust Handbook and must be submitted annually by the deadline.
Internal assurance: Trust boards can use it not just as an annual task but as a governance tool throughout the year to identify risks and areas for improvement.
Benchmarking support: The checklist is supported by the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool, which helps trusts compare their performance with others and identify trends or outlier areas.
Transparency and trust: A well-completed self-assessment demonstrates to stakeholders - including funders, auditors and the DfE - that the trust is using its resources effectively to support high-quality education outcomes.
Final tips
- Start early. The checklist covers 6 key areas and requires input from both governance and finance leads.
- Use the support notes and benchmarking tools to inform responses.
- Ensure the final submission is complete well before 13 March 2026 to avoid last-minute rushes.
Completing the SRM SA checklist provides an opportunity to strengthen your trust’s financial foundations and strategic oversight for the year ahead, not just meet a deadline.
The next step
For further information on how we can support your academy trust with the School Resource Management Self-Assessment, please contact Allan Hickie or your usual UHY academy adviser.
