Many Multi Academy Trusts do not forecast monthly. For some, it feels like too much effort for too little return. More often, though, the challenge lies in the tools they use: producing forecasts can be slow and cumbersome, and finance teams simply do not have the capacity to manage the process regularly. Yet strong MAT forecasting can transform the way CFOs and finance leaders plan, collaborate, and make decisions.
Forecasting is not about perfection. It is about creating a picture that is reliable enough to inform choices, highlight risks, and provide leaders with the clarity they need. When done well, regular MAT reforecasting sits at the heart of effective financial planning and supports CFOs with the insight needed to lead with confidence.
Effort versus benefit in MAT forecasting
Ultimately, a forecast is still a guess. You could spend weeks refining every detail or you could spend half an hour sketching out assumptions. Either way, it remains a picture of the future that will never be exact. The value lies in finding the balance – spending enough time to produce a reasonable forecast built on well-thought-through assumptions without losing hours chasing a level of detail that does not change decisions. Strong forecasting is not about precision for its own sake, but about usefulness to the people relying on those reports.
MAT forecasting and projections you can rely on
When projections are well-founded, they become a strong basis for decision-making. As a former Trust Finance Controller, I relied heavily on regular reforecasting to provide information that I could use with confidence in conversations with Trustees and senior leaders. Reviewing actuals against budgets helped identify coding anomalies early, kept reports consistent, and strengthened overall Multi Academy Trust financial planning.
Spotting variances early through MAT reforecasting
Regular MAT reforecasting gives early visibility of overspends and underspends, reducing the risk of unexpected variances in monthly management accounts. This allows budgets to be adjusted in line with shifting priorities, so finance teams can support leaders with timely information rather than data that has changed materially by the time you receive it.
Linking MAT forecasts to future budgets
Too often, forecasting happens in isolation. Management accounts are prepared during the year, and when it comes to budget setting, the process starts almost from scratch. A better approach is to allow assumptions in your forecasts to flow naturally into future budgets. When monthly forecasts update the three- to five-year plan as a by-product, you gain an ongoing view of the direction of travel for the Trust. While forecasts become less precise the further ahead you look, this method minimises effort while still providing strategic visibility for MAT financial planning.
Scenario planning for Multi Academy Trusts
Multi Academy Trusts rarely stand still. Staffing structures change, spending priorities shift, and external pressures create new demands. Scenario planning enables leaders to test different possibilities and understand their impact in real time. By modelling these changes through regular reforecasting, CFOs can provide stakeholders with live insights without having to rebuild spreadsheets from scratch.
Monthly management accounts and compliance for MATs
The Academies Trust Handbook requires monthly management accounts that set out the Trust’s financial performance and position. Regular MAT reforecasting supports compliance and provides Trustees with the oversight they need. Embedding forecasting into the monthly cycle also strengthens governance and demonstrates robust financial discipline across the Trust.
Alignment between finance and curriculum planning
Forecasting is not just a finance exercise. It is also a way to bring people together. Using financial data alongside curriculum planning helps build transparency and shared understanding between CFOs, curriculum leads, and budget holders. When everyone can see the same picture, there is stronger alignment around the direction of travel and the impact of decisions across both finance and education.
How IMP Planner supports stronger MAT forecasting
Forecasting does not have to be a burden. IMP Planner is designed to make reforecasting part of the normal planning cycle. It provides projections you can rely on, helps identify variances early, links forecasts seamlessly to future budgets, and makes scenario planning straightforward. It also supports alignment between finance and curriculum leaders. By bringing everything into one place, IMP Planner enables CFOs and MAT finance teams to spend less time wrestling with spreadsheets and more time shaping strategy.
Our iterative approach ensures you automatically shape your future budget years, meaning the slog of budget setting is a thing of the past! See how it works on a live demo.
