Schools financial value standard (SFVS)
The schools financial value standard (SFVS) helps us ensure that maintained schools are meeting the basic standards for good financial health and resource management.
It is mandatory for all our maintained schools to complete an annual assessment using the SFVS checklist form which should be:
- signed and dated by the Chair of the governing body
- emailed to schoolsfinance@birmingham.gov.uk by the submission deadline 27 March 2026
Although an external assessment is not a requirement, we will review all returns.
SFVS guidance
The checklist asks 30 questions of governing bodies in 6 areas of resource management.
- Governance - 5 questions
- School strategy - 3 questions
- Setting the annual budget - 5 questions
- Staffing - 4 questions
- Value for money - 7 questions
- Protecting public money - 6 questions
For each question, you must provide:
- an answer of ‘yes’, ‘in part’ or ‘no’
- comments, evidence and proposed actions in a free text box where schools are encouraged to give support for their answer
The DfE’s checklist guidance provides clarification for each question, examples of good practice, and further support available to help schools address specific issues.
The standard and checklist contain all information required to complete the annual assessment. There are direct links to concise, simple support notes for each question.
For further information on SFVS and the assessment form visit the DfE website.
Download our SFVS guidance document 2025 - 2026
Page last updated: 6 January 2026
