Education Finance Solutions Ltd

What Education Finance Solutions Ltd does

Education Finance Solutions Ltd (trading as EduFin) is a UK-based specialist finance consultancy and software provider serving the academy and multi-academy trust (MAT) sector. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in East Malling, Kent, the firm deploys qualified finance professionals into client sites and offers a portfolio of services spanning temporary absence cover, outsourced finance, CFO mentoring, internal scrutiny, audit assurance, due diligence, health checks, training, and an annual helpdesk subscription. Its technology stack centres on IRIS Financials (PS Financials), which it has specialised in since 2009, supplemented by three proprietary products: Foresight (a budget and five-year planning tool used for over ten years), e-Reporter (an automated budget-holder reporting distribution tool), and EduFin Connect (a cloud-hosted platform with multi-factor authentication serving 600+ users).

Revenue is generated through a blend of professional services fees, subscription contracts (helpdesk and EduFin Connect hosting), and managed-service engagements (fully outsourced finance departments). GTM is enterprise-led, with consultants delivering on-site support primarily across Kent, Essex, and Surrey but increasingly UK-wide, supplemented by remote helpdesk and hosted software channels. Customer acquisition leans on referrals, sector reputation, blog content, LinkedIn presence, and the apprenticeship programme as a brand-building channel. EduFin holds ISBL Approved Partner status and is an AAT Employer Scheme member. In November 2025 the firm joined Transforming Learning Group (TLG), a family of education-focused organisations, while retaining its team, brand, and operating model.

Name

Education Finance Solutions Ltd

Legal name

Education Finance Solutions Limited

Website

https://edufin.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Sector Financial Consulting and Software

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Outsourced Finance & CFO Services (BPAHABAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Financial Planning & Analysis Support (Budgeting, Forecasting, Management Reporting) (BPAAAGAJ)

Keywords

• Education finance consulting
• Academy financial management
• Outsourced finance services
• Budget planning software
• Multi-academy trust support

Headquarters

HQ city

East Malling

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consultancy Services: Expert finance consultants deployed to client sites for temporary cover, permanent support, or project work. Covers roles from Finance Assistant through to CFO level. Consultants have deep expertise in IRIS Financials and academy finance regulations.
2. Outsourced Finance: Fully managed finance department service for academies and trusts. Includes staffing solutions, finance processing, and ongoing support from EduFin's equipped offices.
3. Helpdesk Support: Annual fee-based unlimited access to EduFin staff for finance and finance system queries. Offered as Central-only (for MATs with 3 named users) or Academy Helpdesk (unlimited contacts per academy).
4. Training Services: Financial software and accounting training courses tailored to client requirements. Includes Introduction to Academy Accounting, Management Accounts, Budget Planning, and Governor Training.
5. Audit and Assurance Services: Internal scrutiny, audit preparation, and compliance review services for academy trusts.
6. EduFin Connect Hosting: Monthly or annual hosting fees for cloud-based financial software access. Provides significant cost savings compared to traditional hosting with no long-term contract commitments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

EduFin provides specialist finance consultancy, outsourced finance services, and proprietary software for UK academies and multi-academy trusts. The offering combines on-site finance staffing (Finance Assistant to CFO level), IRIS Financials (PS Financials) implementation support, training, internal scrutiny, due diligence, helpdesk, and audit assurance with three proprietary products: Foresight budgeting, e-Reporter, and EduFin Connect cloud hosting.

Product overview

EduFin is a platform-plus-services provider offering a portfolio of finance software products and consultancy services for the UK education sector. Its core software products include Foresight (a budget and five-year planning tool), e-Reporter (a report distribution tool), and EduFin Connect (a hosting solution with multi-factor authentication). These products are complemented by an extensive range of specialist services including IRIS Financials support, Helpdesk, Training, Absence and Vacancy Cover, Internal Scrutiny, HealthCheck, Due Diligence, CFO Mentoring, Outsourced Finance, and Audit Assurance. The offering is designed as an integrated ecosystem where the software tools support the consultancy services, and the services extend client engagement beyond standalone product transactions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EduFin Connect: A dependable hosting solution for financial software that allows users to access their financial system from anywhere with over 600 users.
• Foresight
• e-Reporter

Products and services

• Foresight Budgeting Software A straightforward budget and five-year planning tool designed for single academies and multi-academy trusts. Built by EduFin's team and used for over ten years across the UK academy sector.
• e-Reporter An automated reporting tool that emails informative and clear budget holder reports at the press of a button, eliminating the need for manual printing and distribution of reports across academies.
• EduFin Connect Cloud Hosting A cloud-based hosting solution for academy financial software that allows users to access their financial system from anywhere with multi-factor authentication included, with claimed savings of up to £30,000 over 5 years compared to alternative providers for a 10-user trust.
• IRIS Financials (PS Financials) Support Comprehensive support for IRIS Financials (PS Financials) including implementation, training, bespoke reports, database restructures, server migrations, security setup, and budget holder configuration for academies and multi-academy trusts.
• Helpdesk Support An annual subscription helpdesk providing unlimited access to EduFin staff for finance and finance system queries with a 24-hour response time, offered as Central-only (for MATs with 3 named users) or Academy Helpdesk (unlimited contacts per academy) tiers.
• Training Services Financial software and accounting training courses tailored to client requirements, including Introduction to Academy Accounting, Understanding Trial Balance and Management Accounts, Budget Planning and Monitoring, Governor Training, and bespoke training options.
• Absence and Vacancy Cover Staffing solution providing qualified finance professionals for temporary or permanent cover of absences and vacancies across roles from Finance Assistant through to CFO, without training needs or agency hassles.
• Internal Scrutiny Internal audit service providing trustees and managers with tools for robust financial oversight, covering risk management, governance, income, payroll, purchasing, budget planning, and financial controls in academies and multi-academy trusts.
• HealthCheck External review service examining organisational processes, procedures, and systems to identify irregularities or inefficiencies, including year-end close down, user accounts, housekeeping, and balance sheet reviews.
• Due Diligence Comprehensive evaluation service for multi-academy trusts considering mergers or academy acquisitions, reviewing pupil numbers, premises, financial health, MIS/IT infrastructure, governance, and HR compliance.
• CFO Mentoring Mentoring programme supporting aspiring, new, and long-standing CFOs in multi-academy trusts, focusing on budget management, DfE reporting, trustee reporting, compliance, and strategic financial planning.
• Outsourced Finance Fully managed finance department service providing comprehensive finance support, staffing solutions, consistency, tailored solutions, seamless coverage, audit support, and cost efficiency for academies and trusts.
• Audit Assurance Audit preparation and support service reviewing fixed asset registers, payroll reconciliations, balance sheet controls, management accounts, funds analysis, and governance policies to ensure smooth audit outcomes for academies and trusts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Savings of up to £30,000 over 5 years for a 10-user trust compared to alternative hosting providers
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Transforming Learning Group (TLG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 November 2025EduFin announced joining Transforming Learning Group in November 2025, marking an exciting new chapter. TLG is a family of like-minded organisations committed to supporting education and improving outcomes for children. This acquisition enables EduFin to expand impact, strengthen their offer to schools and trusts, and continue delivering services with the added support and reach of the TLG family. The EduFin team, values, and dedication remain the same under this new ownership.
• IRIS Financials (PS Financials)coreTechnology or IntegrationEduFin positions themselves as IRIS Financials specialists with extensive technical and practical experience since 2009. They offer implementation support, database restructures, server migrations, bespoke reports, training, and security configuration. Their expertise spans every iteration of the software, enabling independent advice on upgrade decisions.
• AquAidminorOthersEduFin partners with AquAid for water cooler provision. With each purchase, AquAid makes automatic donations to The Africa Trust, funding 'Elephant Pumps' for clean water in Africa. To date AquAid has built over 10,000 pumps across Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, donating over £20 million to charity. EduFin is a proud sponsor with their organisation's name displayed on their well.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• PS Financials (IRIS Financials): The vendor of the IRIS Financials / PS Financials software platform that is the core technology on which EduFin's consultancy, hosting (EduFin Connect), and proprietary tools (Foresight, e-Reporter) are built. Closely linked as platform provider and integration partner.

Broad incumbents

• Azets: UK and Nordic accountancy group with a growing academies and education sector offering spanning audit, accounts, and finance support — comparable buyer relationships and service overlap.
• KPMG UK: Big Four firm with a UK education sector practice serving large MATs, universities, and government bodies — competes only at the top end of EduFin's market but shapes procurement expectations in the sector.
• Mazars UK: Global audit and advisory firm with a UK education and academies sector offering across audit, tax, and consulting — a broader incumbent competing for the same trust-level finance work.
• RSM UK: Top-10 UK accountancy and advisory firm with an education sector practice serving academies, MATs, and higher education institutions — overlapping EduFin's audit, due diligence, and outsourced finance services at the upper end of the market.
• BDO UK: Large UK audit and advisory firm with a published academies and educational bodies practice; competes for larger MAT audits and advisory mandates where EduFin typically serves mid-tier trusts.

Direct peers

• Crowe UK: Major UK audit and advisory firm with an academy trusts sector team providing internal scrutiny, due diligence, and finance transformation — competing for the same CFO-level and trustee-level engagements EduFin pursues.
• Bishop Fleming: UK Top-30 accountancy firm with a dedicated academy trusts and schools practice offering audit, internal scrutiny, and finance advisory — directly overlapping EduFin's outsourced finance, audit assurance, and HealthCheck services for the same MAT buyer.
• Haines Watts: UK accountancy group with an established academies and MATs service line covering audit, bookkeeping, and finance support — a head-to-head competitor for EduFin's helpdesk, training, and outsourced finance offerings in the same client segment.

Emerging players

• Schools Advisory Service: UK education-focused advisory and support provider offering finance, HR, and governance services to schools and academies — an adjacent niche specialist comparable to EduFin in segment focus though broader in scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/education-finance-solutions-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Education Finance Solutions Ltd