Preparing for and Managing a Funding Assurance Review (Audit) – 2025/26

Part of the Compliance Essentials CPD Series

Funding assurance reviews can feel daunting, but with the right preparation they don’t have to be disruptive or stressful. This session is designed to help providers feel confident, organised, and in control when a review takes place.

While DfE guidance sets out the assurance review process, it doesn’t always show how to prepare in practical, day-to-day ways. This three-hour CPD session supports providers across 16–19, Apprenticeships, Adult Skills Fund and Bootcamps, focusing on realistic, achievable approaches to planning for and managing both internal and external funding assurance activity.

Using the published DfE/DWP framework as a starting point, we’ll explore how to plan ahead, collate evidence effectively, understand sampling and findings, and communicate clearly with internal teams and assurance review officers. The session also shows how good assurance practice can be built into everyday delivery, reducing pressure when a review happens.

The session will cover:

Practical tools provided:

David Lockhart-Hawkins, SDN Mesma Group’s funding and compliance specialist will facilitate the session.

After working in the sector for over 25 years, David has supported hundreds of providers to establish effective compliance systems. His in-depth understanding of funding and wider apprenticeship delivery gives him a unique insight into compliance across the organisation

Booking and payment:

You can either attend live sessions or be sent the recordings and materials if you prefer to review them in your own time. You can also mix and match for whatever works best for your schedule.

If you have several staff who would benefit, let us know and we’ll send you details of the most cost-effective way of accessing the session.

If you’re a public sector body (e.g. Local Authority), and unable to book via card, please email us. When you make a booking, you agree to these Terms and Conditions (including those who request a booking via email and invoice)

SDN CPD is designed for Government funded Training Providers. If you’re not a Government funded Training Provider but are still interested in attending please email events@strategicdevelopmentnetwork.co.uk to discuss your attendance in more detail before booking.