The death of FMSiS! But what will replace it?

Education Secretary Michael Gove announced the decision to scrap the "complex and burdensome" Financial Management Standard in Schools (FMSiS).

Following discussions with local authorities and schools, there was an overwhelming consensus to scrap FMSiS and develop a simpler standard.

FMSiS was introduced in the early 2000s and made compulsory in 2007 for all schools.

Schools were required to meet the standard every three years by going through a burdensome self-evaluation tool. Schools, particularly primary schools, found the system required too much documentation and was implemented in an overly bureaucratic manner.

For example, it required them to submit documentation to meet more than 100 different assessment criteria ranging from providing evidence that meetings on school budgets were 'consistent with the deadlines for important financial decisions' to showing how the school had made staff aware of the local authority whistle-blowing policy.

It is hoped the replacement system will be introduced next year. Gove said: "We are committed to reducing the administrative burden on teachers and school governing bodies and have already cut the burdensome self-evaluation forms for school inspections."We are ending the overly bureaucratic Financial Management Standard in Schools, and we will continue to work with schools and local authorities to reduce the bureaucratic burden further."


Full Story : http://www.edexec.co.uk/news/1400/fmsis-is-scrapped/

Personally I agree that FMSIS was both time consuming and distracting! My only concern is that it's replacement will be as time consuming & distracting for primary schools. Lets hope they stick to their promise of a simple standard. I won't hold my breath though ;-)