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AoC Audit Committee Masterclass May 2026

Venue: Online via Zoom

Date: 12 May 2026

Time: 4:00 PM - 5:45 PM

Fee: From £60 +VAT per session for AoC members

In this interactive masterclass, Tom Morrison of Stone King and Richard Lewis of RSM UK will take you through the audit committee roles and responsibilities and how to meet them.

In this interactive masterclass, Tom Morrison of Stone King and Richard Lewis of RSM UK will explore the roles and responsibilities of college audit committees and how boards can meet the Department for Education’s expectations in practice.

Drawing on the College Financial Handbook 2025, the session will focus on the audit committee’s responsibility to advise the corporation on the adequacy and effectiveness of the college’s assurance framework, including oversight of risk management, internal control and value for money.

The Handbook places a strong emphasis on the audit committee’s role in providing robust challenge and independent assurance, and in supporting the corporation to explain—through its annual report and financial statements—how it has fulfilled its statutory, regulatory and funding responsibilities.

Experts

Tom Morrison

Partner, Stone King LLP

With over twenty years’ experience advising the sector on governance, strategic and commercial matters, Tom is nationally recognised by independent legal directory Chambers and Partners as an expert legal advisor for colleges. As part of the largest education sector legal team covering all areas of need for colleges, Tom supports college Boards and Senior Leaders in both progressive and challenging situations as well as managing projects and supporting effective governance.

Richard Lewis

Partner, RSM UK Audit LLP

Richard is RSM’s Head of Academies, Further Education and Skills. He has over 25 years’ experience working in the Education sector including providing financial due diligence and external audit services to Colleges.

Richard has delivered training to the sector in relation to external audit including regularity, college insolvency regime and more recently ONS reclassification of colleges into the public sector.

Richard is a member of RSM’s education steering group who meet to discuss emerging issues in the sector and how they will impact on colleges, which feeds into RSM’s education sector publications.