Author: Somerset Education

Reports available and samples will grow as more school complete
2023 (2022 school year) reports are now available. Keep in mind samples will grow as more schools participate over the months ahead. But early bird participation prices end on 30 September, 2023.

The Financial Survey for Schools (FSS) helps school governors, Principals, and Business Managers unlock financial viability and sustainability by analysing trends in key ratios for your school and by comparing performance with others. This helps schools to govern with confidence and reduce financial worries.

R&D improvements to school financial sustainability reports
Somerset Education has unparalleled experience in school business with over 35 years in chartered accounting and the past 27 years dedicated to non-government school financial health. For the past 10 years, John Somerset has worked on formal Masters and PhD research to identify factors for school financial success and failure, to predict and prevent financial stress in schools.

🎬 This 5-minute video is worth watching to see how reports have benefited from research this year.

Somerset Education: R&D improvements to School Financial Sustainability Reports – 2023_08_01 from John Somerset on Vimeo.

Access to FSS Reports 
Please log into the Somerset Portaland then:

1. Accept updated Terms and Conditions (if required)
2. Select a sample of similar schools
3. Generate your reports.

To assist you with accessing the Portal, here are the step-by-step instructions: Navigating the Somerset Education Portal.

20-minute ‘crash course’ video to help you read and analyse FSS reports 
Watch this video to help analyse your school’s FSS reports. The great thing about this video is that you can ‘pause’ or ‘replay’ as you view your reports. Hope you find this useful.  🎬 Here’s the video link.

Somerset Education: 20 Minute crash course on school financial analysis – 2022_07_29 from John Somerset on Vimeo.

FSS | Participate now
Schools can participate at any time until April next year, but early bird prices* end on 30 September, 2023. (*Early bird price -– Survey completed and invoice requested prior to 30 September, 2023.)

To encourage schools to use both trend and comparative analysis, Somerset Education offers the Financial Performance Report, Historical Report (school’s results 2017 to 2022) and SKI Report (school’s results 2021 to 2027) as a package. ThePackage price is AU$1,580 (plus GST) per school for all three reports or if less than 200 enrolments AU$790 (plus GST). This is a discount of 27% off the sum of individual products – you almost receive three reports for the price of two.

Q | Any questions?
For more information about the FSS or our budgeting and reporting tools, please do not hesitate to contact Cathy or Jessica at survey@somerseteducation.net or call 1300 781 968 (from outside Australia +61 7 3263 5300).

If I can help in any way with the financial governance of your school, please contact me at john@somerseteducation.netor mobile 0417 618 899.

We look forward to your ongoing support, or if new to the survey, we warmly welcome you joining in.

Many thanks for your support of the Financial Survey for Schools (FSS).

On Saturday, 15 July 2023, we will temporarily close the Somerset Education School Portal to add another layer of security and also prepare for 2022 School-year reporting.

Our target timeline | Summary
Saturday 15 July 2023 | Temporary close FSS Portal — make sure you have downloaded 2021 School-year reports.
Tuesday 18 July 2023 | Re-open Option 1 on the portal Enter Financial Data – 2022 School-year — remains open to April 2024.
Tuesday 18 July 2023 | Added security Upgraded password and two-factor authentication required.
Tuesday 01 August 2023 | Reports available 2022 School-year reports available — options 2 – 9 on the Portal.

Adding additional layer of security 
To continually improve our data security, Somerset Education are implementing new password protocols plus a two-factor authentication process. 
🎬 This short video explains the changes featuring step-by-step instructions: Multi-factor authentication.

Four easy-to-follow steps – as featured in the video
Step 1 | Login to Somerset Education School Portal using your current password:

Step 2 | An authentication code is sent to the email address registered with Somerset Education:

Step 3 | You will be asked to upgrade your password to include improved security requirements:

Step 4 | You will arrive at the school portal as usual:

Accessing the Portal
To assist you with accessing the Portal, here are the step-by-step instructions:Navigating the Somerset Education Portal.

Q | Any questions?
For more information about the FSS or our budgeting and reporting tools, please do not hesitate to contact Cathy or Jessica at survey@somerseteducation.net or call 1300 781 968 (from outside Australia +61 7 3263 5300).

Kindest regards

John Somerset is a Chartered Accountant. He has extensive knowledge of the independent school sector and is past President of Independent Schools Queensland and a past board member of the Independent Schools Australia.

Disclaimer: We publish this article only for non-government schools in Australia. All material should be regarded as information only and individuals should rely on their own enquiries when formulating decisions for themselves or their clients. In no way do we warrant or guarantee any changed circumstances for a school from use or non-use of this material. As a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, the firm participates in a national liability capping scheme. Accordingly, our liability is limited by a scheme approved under professional standards.

® Somerset Education is a registered trade mark

FSS has over 28 years of school data
We are proud of our 28 year history of operating the Financial Survey for Schools (FSS) which is now ready to receive your 2022 school-year data. Thank you to approximately 650 schools that participate each year.

Here’s a link to the survey: https://somersetedu.com/isfps/survey.asp

FSS continues to help business managers and finance committees to govern with confidence
Annual participation in the FSS helps business managers and finance committees simply and factually present their school’s trend (internal data) and comparative (external data) financial health to the board and principal by using ratio analysis to identify changes in performance/risks plus possible improvements in financial health.

The combination of external and internal data is like having a compass and a map — one provides direction, the other provides context. Together, they enable a clear understanding of where you are, where you want to go, and how to get there. — Bernard Marr (futurist)

Although we cannot promise changes in performance, schools that participate annually in the FSS and use the reports in the financial governance of their schools often show improved and/or maintain sound operating surpluses, working capital (cash reserves) and debt servicing.

Many schools complete the Financial Survey for Schools at the same time as completing the Commonwealth Financial Questionnaire (FQ) which became available this month. The FSS data entry is in line with the FQ so it is easy to complete and a great double check of your FQ submission including a Myschool estimator.

Your data entry deadlines and participation packages
Although the survey is always open, please aim to complete data entry by 31 July 2023 so that you and others can generate reports with adequate sample sizes from 1 August 2023 to inform strategy and the 2024 school budgeting process in a timely way.

Single report participation starts from AU$792* — including GST (AU$396* for schools with less than 200 enrolments). A discounted package price for the Financial Performance Report (compare with peers), Historical Report (your trends 2017 to 2022) and SKI Report (your future trends to 2027) is $1,738* — including GST ($869* for schools with less than 200 enrolments).

[*Note: Early bird prices apply if survey completed before 30 September 2023.]

We ensure your school data is confidential
FSS participant names and data are held in confidence by Somerset Education which we know is important to you. Reports are generated in a format which respects that confidentiality.

Ongoing support
Also annual participation means I am only a phone call away to discuss your school’s performance with you, in an informed and efficient way.

Any questions?
If you have any questions in relation to the survey please contact Cathryn, our survey administrator at survey@somerseteducation.net or telephone 1300 781 968 (from outside Australia +61 7 3263 5300). To assist you with accessing the Portal, here are the step-by-step instructions: Navigating the Somerset Education Portal.

If I can help in any way with the financial governance of your school, please contact me at john@somerseteducation.net or mobile 0417 618 899.

Kindest regards

John Somerset is a Chartered Accountant. He has extensive knowledge of the independent school sector and is past President of Independent Schools Queensland and a past board member of the Independent Schools Australia.

Disclaimer: We publish this article only for non-government schools in Australia. All material should be regarded as information only and individuals should rely on their own enquiries when formulating decisions for themselves or their clients. In no way do we warrant or guarantee any changed circumstances for a school from use or non-use of this material. As a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, the firm participates in a national liability capping scheme. Accordingly, our liability is limited by a scheme approved under professional standards.

® Somerset Education is a registered trade mark

Many thanks for your support of the Financial Survey for Schools (FSS).

In preparation for the current year’s survey, at 5pm Friday 21 April 2023 we will close Option 1 Enter Financial Data – 2021 School Year on the FSS portal. You will still have access to your 2021 school-year reports (Options 2 to 10 on the Somerset portal) until early July 2022.

This means that after 21 April 2023, you will no longer be able to enter or change 2021 school-year data.

If you do not have a copy of the 2021 data, please go to Section 10 of the survey (via selection 1 on the portal) to download a pdf version — see screen shot below:

Data input for the Financial Survey for Schools is based on the latest Commonwealth Financial Questionnaire which should be available soon. We plan that from Wednesday 26 April 2023 you will be able to enter the 2022 school-year data into the FSS. And we aim to have 2023 reports (2022 school-year) available from 1 August 2023.

We thank you again for your continued support of the Survey. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us either via phone 1300 781 968 or email survey@somerseteducation.net.

Kindest regards

John Somerset is a Chartered Accountant. He has extensive knowledge of the independent school sector and is past President of Independent Schools Queensland and a past board member of the Independent Schools Australia.

Disclaimer: We publish this article only for non-government schools in Australia. All material should be regarded as information only and individuals should rely on their own enquiries when formulating decisions for themselves or their clients. In no way do we warrant or guarantee any changed circumstances for a school from use or non-use of this material. As a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, the firm participates in a national liability capping scheme. Accordingly, our liability is limited by a scheme approved under professional standards.

® Somerset Education is a registered trade mark

JANUARY — Time to check enrolments and staff numbers
From 23 years’ experience working with schools, the first thing I do in January as a governor, is check actual enrolments and staff to budget. If they are close, then with prudent management, the budget is likely to be met, otherwise, we must consider the financial effect of variations.

I recently worked with a school that had a major negative enrolment variation at the beginning of the year. By July when I was asked to assist, the extent of financial damage risked the viability of the school. Using the Somerset Education Financial Survey for Schools (FSS), specifically the Staff Estimator tool, adjustments were made and the school saved from financial distress and possible closure.

The Staff Estimator is an initiative that Somerset Education developed in 2020 and has proven to be very effective in assisting schools manage the crucial relationship between enrolments and staffing. As with all FSS tools, the Staff Estimator allows schools to select a sample of similar schools, adjust for various enrolment scenarios, and then estimate the average number of staff, by teaching and non-teaching categories, to match enrolments.

Average staff for a school of 500 enrolments
Over 600 schools have so far completed the 2022 (2021 school-year) FSS. Schools can participate any time until April 2023 when we role the system to start receiving 2022 school-year data.

The 2022 FSS indicates that 66% of a school’s income is invested in staffing. Or from a different perspective, 79% of expenses are attributed to staff and 21% to other costs. So, variations in staff have a material effect on financial outcomes. But the number of staff varies depending on a school’s characteristics, in particular total income. That is why it is so important to select a sample of schools with similar characteristics to your school before making staffing decisions.

The 2022 FSS also indicates that a school of 500 enrolments (150 primary + 350 secondary) would have about 61 staff. Or lower income schools about 57 staff and higher income schools about 69 staff. Please use this as a general guide only because it very much depends on your school’s individual characteristics and strategy.

Participate in the FSS 
Participation in the FSS provides school owners, governors, principals and business managers access to simple, factual trend and comparative financial information to identify changing circumstances plus areas that will have the greatest impact on improved financial performance. This helps to govern with confidence and reduce financial worries.

Participation starts from $780 plus GST (half price for schools with less than 200 enrolments) so it is an inexpensive, must-have governance tool. The FSS represents about 70% of enrolments in independent schools so the data is reliable.

Schools can participate at any time however we will close 2021 school-year data entry on Friday 14th April 2023 to start collecting 2022 school-year data with the 2022 school-year reports being available from 1 August 2023.

Any questions?
For more information about the FSS or our budgeting and reporting tools, please do not hesitate to contact Cathy or Jessica at info@somerseteducation.net or call 1300 781 968 (from outside Australia +61 7 3263 5300). I am currently on professional renewal leave including spending time with independent schools in the USA, so it may be a little difficult to contact me personally until I return to the office in April 2023.

Kindest regards

John Somerset FCA, Director

John Somerset is a Chartered Accountant. He has extensive knowledge of the independent school sector and is past President of Independent Schools Queensland and a past board member of the Independent Schools Australia.

UPCOMING EVENTS
Conference: NBOA Annual Meeting — 19-22 Feb 2023, Los Angeles USA.
Webinars: 2023 Breakfast Seminar Series — coming soon.

Disclaimer: We publish this article only for non-government schools in Australia. All material should be regarded as information only and individuals should rely on their own enquiries when formulating decisions for themselves or their clients. In no way do we warrant or guarantee any changed circumstances for a school from use or non-use of this material. As a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, the firm participates in a national liability capping scheme. Accordingly, our liability is limited by a scheme approved under professional standards.

® Somerset Education is a registered trade mark

As we head towards the holiday season, it’s time to be thankful for the 2022 year and look forward to a successful 2023.

Thank you for your participation!
Thank you to over 600 schools that have so far contributed in this year’s Somerset Education Financial Survey for Schools (FSS). There are also a number of schools that have started the survey but not yet completed – I appreciate how challenging 2022 has been. I assure you it’s not too late to participate and reap the rewards because the survey is available to enter/change data and generate/re-generate reports until April next year. We did however reward early participants with an “early bird” price and some business managers even received a Somerset Education Yoyo which added a bit of fun to a challenging year.

It is through the collegial support of the survey that we provide simple, factual trend and comparative financial information to identify changing circumstances in your school plus areas that will have the greatest impact on improved financial performance. This helps schools to govern with confidence and reduce financial worries.

Not that I can promise changes in performance, but as an example, an analysis of a group of schools that regularly participated in the FSS indicated a median increase in operating surplus over the past five years of 31% (better enabling facility investment) and a median increase in working capital of 24%. This supports my experience and research that the disciplined use of ratios and benchmarks to measure risk, set policies and monitor performance positively contributes to school financial sustainability.

The data from 2022 (2021 school-year) survey indicates the Independent Schools sector is strong with:

• An average 2.5% increase in enrolments
• A five-year average Net Operating Margin of 13.8% (relative operating surplus used to fund debt and facilities)
• Debt reducing to $8,100 per student ($8,300 in 2020 school-year)
• A strong Working Capital ratio of 1.3
• An average of 3.1 months of expenditure held in cash reserves.

I sincerely thank the Somerset Education Team for sharing their skills to provide a professional and personal service to our school clients. I value being able to call a business and talk directly to a real person to assist with a query and trust this has been your experience as evidenced by some lovely unsolicited emails received from schools like: “I applaud your efficiency! Thank you! So much info! Impressive!” Emails like these have really given us a boost during 2022 — thank you.

Somerset Education team celebrating the achievements of 2022 over dinner at a beautiful beachside restaurant.
We are sorry that Helen was unable to attend.

Office closure
The office will be closed from 5pm Friday 16 December 2022 and commence re-opening on Monday 16 January 2023. However if you have queries during this time, please call us on 1300 781 968 and we will do our best to respond in a timely manner.

Study leave
I am taking extra leave in 2023 including some time with our American counterparts as part of my on-going research on predicting financial sustainability in independent schools. I look forward to sharing this knowledge with our school clients and the broader sector. So please excuse me if I am a little difficult to catch during this time but you will be in the capable hands of Jessica and Cathy.

Best wishes for a safe and joyful year-end rest with family and friends, and a successful 2023.

Kindest regards

John and the Team

John Somerset is a Chartered Accountant. He has extensive knowledge of the independent school sector and is past President of Independent Schools Queensland and a past board member of the Independent Schools Australia.

Disclaimer: We publish this article only for non-government schools in Australia. All material should be regarded as information only and individuals should rely on their own enquiries when formulating decisions for themselves or their clients. In no way do we warrant or guarantee any changed circumstances for a school from use or non-use of this material. As a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, the firm participates in a national liability capping scheme. Accordingly, our liability is limited by a scheme approved under professional standards.

® Somerset Education is a registered trade mark

My PhD research Predicting financial sustainability in independent schools [1], indicates workforce culture is a lead indicator of financial sustainability.

Somerset Education and PeopleBench are therefore excited to announce our alliance to give schools the ability to assess and track their school’s workforce culture: the shared values, beliefs, and expectations for how people act in the workplace – “how we do things around here” or put another way “what people do when nobody is watching”.

Why is it important to measure your School’s Culture?
My research is to predict financial sustainability of independent schools. The Financial Survey for Schools (FSS) represents over 70% of enrolments in independent schools, so we already have robust financial information to assess financial health. But how do we go the next step to predict financial health and therefore prevent financial stress in schools?

The first step is to participate annually in the FSS to assess trends in key measures, identify changing circumstances and risk, plus the best areas to improve performance if required. A common factor in financially sustainable schools is their ability to adapt to changing circumstances, which requires a positive and supportive culture throughout the school, as well as at board and management levels.

Enrolments are obviously a key attribute of a financially sustainable school. Research indicates important factors influencing families’ choice of school include educational excellence, good teachers, teacher/student relations, good facilities (which requires financial health), supportive and caring environment to foster strong character, confidence and self-esteem. And this is assessed mainly through word of mouth from family, friends and work colleagues, school tours and interacting with teachers and staff.

Therefore, for a number of reasons, I believe a healthy workplace culture is at the heart of financial sustainability.

Somerset Education is dedicated to the financial viability and sustainability of non-government schools and has developed cost effective, self-service tools including the annual Financial Survey for Schools (FSS). The Somerset Education + PeopleBench alliance is consistent with our strategy of identifying crucial, cost effective, trusted tools to help schools govern with confidence.

What is the new product for Financial Survey for School’s (FSS) participants?
As an FSS participant you gain access to the PeopleBench unique Culture Tracker™ tool to help you rate and benchmark your school’s culture.

PeopleBench have been providing school workforce technology, research, and data analytics since 2017 and have worked with hundreds of non-government schools in Australia to help build better school workforces. The Culture Tracker™ (Bronze) accessed via the Somerset Education Financial Survey for Schools portal provides Somerset Education clients with complimentary workforce culture tracking resources and the ability to subscribe to the PeopleBench Culture Tracker™ (Silver or Gold) to access a more detailed analysis of their workforce culture.
🎥 Watch video: 15 Minutes on school workforce culture
👩‍💻 Upcoming Webinar—Last one for 2022!
Breakfast Seminar Series: Webinar — Thursday 24 November 2022

Why measuring culture counts in the financial sustainability of schools 
Time: 8.00am to 9.00am (AEST) via Zoom
Recommended for: Principals, Governors, and Business Managers… but all welcome!

The webinar will include:

• Attributes of a financially sustainable independent school
• Key ratios to assess financial sustainability and industry trends
• Special guest—Mike Hennessy, Chief Research and Insights Officer, PeopleBench, to demonstrate the School workforce Culture Tracker™.

👉🏻 Register here
Registration fee: A$99 (inc GST) per Registrant*
Register here: Zoom
*Note: Please register even if you’re unable to attend the ‘live’ webinar as the recording is available to all Registrants up to thirty days after the webinar.

Any questions?
For more information about the FSS, Culture Tracker, Webinar, or our budgeting and reporting tools, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@somerseteducation.net or call on 1300 781 968 (from outside Australia +61 7 3263 5300).

If I can help in any way with the financial governance of your school, please contact me directly at john@somerseteducation.net or mobile 0417 618 899.

Kindest regards

John Somerset 

John Somerset is a Chartered Accountant. He has extensive knowledge of the independent school sector and is past President of Independent Schools Queensland and a past board member of the Independent Schools Australia.

References: 

[1] PhD research, John Somerset

Disclaimer: We publish this article only for non-government schools in Australia. All material should be regarded as information only and individuals should rely on their own enquiries when formulating decisions for themselves or their clients. In no way do we warrant or guarantee any changed circumstances for a school from use or non-use of this material. As a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, the firm participates in a national liability capping scheme. Accordingly, our liability is limited by a scheme approved under professional standards.

® Somerset Education is a registered trade mark.

Independent Schools’ sector has strengthened
Early indications from the 2022 (2021 school-year) Somerset Education Financial Survey for Schools (FSS) indicates sound operating surpluses with a five-year average (2017 to 2021) Net Operating Margin of 13.8%, although this will be influenced by changes in accounting treatment of right of use assets, an increasing trend in the Working Capital Ratio to 1.39 in 2021 up from 1.16 in 2017, and with an average $7,800 Debt per student (excluding right of use) in 2021, relative debt is about the same as five years ago but down from a high of $8,600 in 2019. How does your school compare?

With sound operating surpluses, more cash, and less relative debt this indicates the average independent school is “trimming their sails” for what might be challenging economic and financial storms ahead. What is your school doing?

Participate in the FSS by September to receive early bird* subscription
So far this year about 460 schools have completed the 2022 (2021 school-year) FSS with a further 120 schools having started but not yet finalized. So, the averages discussed above may change slightly as more surveys are completed – we expect 600 to 700 schools will eventually complete the FSS.

Schools can enter or change data to produce and re-produce Financial Performance Reports at any time until April next year. However, we strongly encourage survey completion by September to inform the coming strategic planning and budgeting season which is usually completed before announcing school fees for next year.

Participation in the FSS provides school owners, governors, principals and business managers access to simple, factual trend and comparative financial information to identify changing circumstances plus areas that will have the greatest impact on improved financial performance. This helps to govern with confidence and reduce financial worries.
*Early Bird price if completed by 30 September 2022 — from A$680 (plus GST) per school (half price if < 200 enrolments). Else from A$780 (plus GST).

Breakfast Seminar Series: Webinar — 13 October 2022
Participate in the FSS and have your reports available while I run through the Somerset School Portal explaining how to analyse your past, current and future financial performance to help the school board and senior management assess financial strengths, weaknesses, risks and where best to change course if required.

Date: Thursday 13 October 2022
Time: 7.00am to 8.00am (AEST) via Zoom
Topic: Chart a course for success using the FSS
Registration fee: A$99 (inc GST) per Registrant*
Register here: Zoom 
*Note: Please register even if you’re unable to attend the ‘live’ webinar as the recording is available to all Registrants up to thirty days after the webinar.

Any questions?
For more information about the FSS or our budgeting and reporting tools; or the upcoming Breakfast Seminar Series webinar, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@somerseteducation.net or call on 1300 781 968 (from outside Australia +61 7 3263 5300).

If I can help in any way with the financial governance of your school, please contact me directly at john@somerseteducation.net or mobile 0417 618 899.

Kindest regards

  John Somerset 

John Somerset is a Chartered Accountant. He has extensive knowledge of the independent school sector and is past President of Independent Schools Queensland and a past board member of the Independent Schools Australia.

UPCOMING EVENTS 2022:
ABSA NSW—Webinar, How to use the school budget to influence people, Tuesday 04 October.
CEBA 2022 Conference—Trade stand, Melbourne & Olympic Parks precinct, Melbourne, Victoria, 05-07 October,.
Somerset Education Breakfast Seminar Series—Webinar, Chart a course for success using the FSS, Thursday 13 October (7am-8am).
CSA National Business Conference—Workshop Presentation, Mantra on Salt Beach, Kingscliff, NSW, 26-28 October

Disclaimer: We publish this article only for non-government schools in Australia. All material should be regarded as information only and individuals should rely on their own enquiries when formulating decisions for themselves or their clients. In no way do we warrant or guarantee any changed circumstances for a school from use or non-use of this material. As a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, the firm participates in a national liability capping scheme. Accordingly, our liability is limited by a scheme approved under professional standards.

® Somerset Education is a registered trade mark.