Somerset Services to Education Providers 2016-2017
SOUTH WEST AUDIT PARTNERSHIP
Service Provider:
South West Audit Partnership
Service Category: Somerset Academy Schools –
Service Direct From Provider
Please note that this Service Direct From Provider is
not available to Somerset Maintained Schools.
Contact:
Lisa Fryer, Assistant Director
South West Audit Partnership Limited
01823 355299 or 07720 312465
Lisa.Fryer@southwestaudit.co.uk
www.southwestaudit.co.uk
Service Description:
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About SWAP
Our Experience
Internal Audit Delivery
Scope of the Work
ABOUT SWAP
The South West Audit Partnership Ltd (SWAP) has been providing internal audit services to
local authorities, police and fire authorities, schools and other quasi-government entities in
the South West of England since 2005. Employing around 60 internal auditors, SWAP
offers, through its specialist teams, internal audit, IT audit, contract audit, fraud and
investigative audits as well as risk management advice and support.
Our current Members consist of thirteen local authorities in the South West of England,
including the County and Unitary Authorities of Wiltshire, Dorset, Herefordshire and
Somerset. As a result of its successful growth, the Partnership became, from 1 April 2013,
a publicly owned Company Limited by Guarantee. SWAP is a not-for-profit organisation
and therefore we can offer an extremely cost-effective service, which has enabled us to
secure a growing portfolio of Academy Schools.
OUR EXPERIENCE
Across the counties of Wiltshire, Dorset, Herefordshire and Somerset, we have a dedicated
team of highly professional school auditors with many years of experience in supporting
staff and governors. Working across Authorities also allows us to share good practice,
recognise common areas of risk and helps to drive efficiency through the audit process.
Moreover we are already providing internal audit services to an increasing number of
academy schools.
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INTERNAL AUDIT DELIVERY
An experienced schools audit manager will oversee all school assignments. Internal control
testing of key financial systems will be undertaken across the financial year and to achieve
this; the visit(s) will be agreed on mutually convenient dates. We will provide verbal
feedback, as well as written feedback in the form of an internal audit report. This report will
be presented to the audit committee to enable full consideration of all items reported to take
place.
SCOPE OF THE WORK
SWAP has been assessed against the International Professional Standards for Internal
Audit and found to be in conformance with them. In addition the work that we will undertake
will satisfy the requirements of the External Auditor in providing assurance on the operation
of the key financial systems at the Academy.
The objective of the audit is to provide an independent check of financial controls, systems,
transactions and risks. The work programme followed covers the internal financial control
guidelines of both the Charity Commission and Academy Handbook and includes the
following:
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Risk Management
Governance (including multi-academy trusts) and Reporting
Income
Purchases and Payments
Salaries and Expenses
Banking
Contracts and Tendering
Assets
Investments
The areas to be covered during the visits will be planned in agreement with Senior
Management and the Audit Committee. We prepare a quote for each Academy audit to
tailor our service to your needs. In addition we will provide a proposed three-year strategic
audit plan, thus providing a longer-term view of the areas for audit coverage. This plan will
be constructed on the basis of any existing knowledge of your Academy and will develop
as our knowledge increases but will remain flexible so that we can respond to emerging
risks.
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