June 2023

Keep up-to-date with us and what's happening in the education sector

• 2022 Annual Accounts & Audit 
• Ministry Notices
• Reminder: Board Meetings & Monthly Management Reports

• Xero Tip of the Month: Working with Multiple Tabs

• The New AFS Website Resource Section
• 2023/24 Government Budget Announcement
• Resource: Ministry Bulletin For School Leaders

Due to ongoing challenges, school auditors are experiencing difficulties in completing audits within the designated timeframe. As a result, some auditors have not met the reporting deadline of 31st May.

However, it is important to note that as you provided your draft financial statements to your auditor by 31 March, they will not ask you to disclose a breach of the statutory deadline in your financial statements and will not report a breach in their audit report.

We will continue working with the auditors to ensure these are completed as soon as possible.

Publishing the Annual Report & Audited Accounts:

If you have received your signed audited accounts from the auditor, please remember to submit these to the Ministry through the secure data portal. In addition, please ensure that the reports are published on the school's website. 

If you do not have a school website, then the Ministry of Education can host your annual report on the Education Counts website.  To send a request through to the MOE to host your annual report - email: planning.reporting@education.govt.nz

Please refer to the MOE guidelines below with regards to specific requirements for publishing annual reports.

MINISTRY NOTICES:

First Holidays Act Remediation Payment for School Employees:

Good news! The first remediation payment towards Holidays Act arrears for most current school employees will be made this month. Please note that the Holidays Act remediation programme is still in progress as the Ministry is actively addressing non-compliance with the Holidays Act 2003. No action is required from your end.

In this payment round, approximately 75 percent of school employees will receive a direct payment into their bank account, alongside their regular pay, on 27 June 2023. The payment is fully funded by the Ministry's provision for Holidays Act remediation and will not impact school budgets. Furthermore, the payment will not be reflected on your staff usage and expenditure (SUE) report or any other related documentation.

Further information can be found below. 

Code of Conduct for School Board Members Issued:

The Ministry of Education has issued a code of conduct for all state and state integrated school board members, which will take effect on 21 June. This code establishes essential standards that every board member must follow. It is the first mandatory code for board members under section 166 of the Education and Training Act. The code aims to assist boards in developing positive practices and effectively addressing any violations. Additionally, you have the option to supplement the code with standards that reflect your school's unique qualities and culture.

For support on the code of conduct, you can reach out to NZSTA and your local Te Mahau office. The code will be available on the Ministry of Education website.

REMINDER: BOARD MEETINGS & MONTHLY MANAGEMENT REPORTS

Just a reminder that if the School Board meetings are scheduled before the 10th of the month, it can be difficult to provide the comprehensive monthly management reports seven days in advance of the BOT meeting, which is our target. 

For example: If the Board meeting is scheduled for the 10th, it means the reports need to be distributed by the 3rd, and if the first two days of the month are the weekend, that leaves a single day for the school support team to provide information and for Accounting For Schools to prepare the monthly reports.  Schools holidays can also have an impact. 

If the BOT is keen to review the most recent financial information and have received it seven days in advance of the meeting, we would generally recommend the BOT meeting is scheduled after the 15th. We will then be able to provide the report for the prior month, seven days in advance of the meeting, which ensures the Board is using the most up-to-date information for making financial decisions. 

If you would like to discuss this further, please contact Ben Duflou (ben@afsl.nz) or Allison Henderson (allison@afsl.nz).

XERO TIP OF THE MONTH: WORKING WITH MULTIPLE TABS

Experience the power of enhanced productivity by working with multiple tabs at once!

Did you know that you can view multiple pages of your organisation in Xero at the same time by using tabbed browsing? (as long as you're using a supported browser and aren't viewing multiple organisations at once). 

There are three main ways to open a link in a new tab:

• Hold down Ctrl + Left Click on the link
• Right click on a link and select Open link in new tab
• Ctrl + T to open a new tab

It is important to note that the data displayed on one tab will not automatically update in the other open tabs when you make a change. You must navigate to the other tabs and refresh your page (F5)

Once you've finished with your other tabs, simply right click on any tab, and select Close other Tabs

THE NEW AFS WEBSITE RESOURCE SECTION

Have you had the opportunity to explore the new Resource Section on our AFS Website?

This section serves as a hub for valuable resources, providing you with practical tools to enhance your financial skills and knowledge. Consider it your go-to source for guidance and inspiration for your school's financial needs. 

Accessing the AFS Website Resource Section is easy. Just head to our website (afsl.nz) and click on the "Resources" tab in the top toolbar. You can download any of our free resources to your desktop in seconds. Plus, we'll be adding new resources to the collection over time, so make sure to check back often.

2023/24 GOVERNMENT BUDGET ANNOUNCEMENT

The recent budget announcement delivered a $4.9 billion boost to Aotearoa New Zealand's education institutions and the students, whanau and communities that engage with them ($3.6 billion operating funding and $1.3 billion capital). This takes the total annual education and tertiary education votes for 2023–24 to just under $21.5 billion.

The Budget 2023 education package targeted five key areas:

•    Early childhood education
•    Supporting those ākonga who need it most
•    Investment in Māori education outcomes
•    Responding to cost and demand pressures 
•    Continued infrastructure and digital investment 

The Budget 2023 also included almost $118 million to support schools in impacted regions recover from the severe weather events earlier in the year.

To access the education highlights in detail of the 2023 budget on the Ministry of Education website, please click the button below. 

RESOURCE: MINISTRY BULLETIN FOR SCHOOL LEADERS

Click the button below to view the latest Ministry of Education Bulletin - Issue 13 June 2023.

271 Willis Street, Wellington 6011

P: 04-909-7729  l  P: 0800-275-237  l  

E: admin@afsl.nz  l  W: afsl.nz

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