Our governance
Source: gov.uk (2025-04-29)

The structure and membership of the ESFA Management Board and the Audit and Risk Committee.

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) Management Board provides strategic direction, support, and guidance to ensure the delivery of the ESFA’s Business Plan objectives, organisational effectiveness, and alignment with the DfE’s mission, strategy, and purpose.

ESFA Audit and Risk Committee is a sub-committee of the Board. It supports the Board in its responsibilities for issues of risk, control, and governance by reviewing the comprehensiveness of assurances in meeting the Board and Accounting Officer’s assurance needs and reviewing the reliability and integrity of these assurances.

Members

Members of the ESFA Management Board include:
- Martin Spencer – Management Board Chair
- Harjit Sandhu
- Peter Kane
- Paul Woodgates
- ESFA CEO and Accounting Officer
Members of the ESFA Audit and Risk Committee include:
- Harjit Sandhu – ARC Chair
- Peter Kane
- Paul Woodgates
- ESFA CEO and Accounting Officer
- Director of Finance
Also in attendance at both meetings are:
- ESFA Executive Team members
Meetings

The ESFA management board meets regularly. The summaries from each meeting are available below :
- 18 March 2025 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6810dbdbbb145081834d6275/ESFA_management_board_minutes_18_March_2025.pdf) (PDF, 529 KB, 3 pages)
- 14 January 2025 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6810dbb4bb145081834d6274/ESFA_management_board_minutes_14_January_2025.pdf) (PDF, 535 KB, 4 pages)
- 17 October 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67c98e59ae2aa47d2f5ae38c/ESFA_Management_Board_minutes_17_Oct_2024.pdf) (PDF, 142 KB, 3 pages)
- 15 July 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/671a1c6cf9c66d6d3e85a571/ESFA_Management_Board_minutes_-_15_July_2024.pdf) (PDF, 170 KB, 5 pages)
- 2 May 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6697d27aa3c2a28abb50d168/ESFA_management_board_minutes_-_2_May_2024.pdf) (PDF, 132 KB, 4 pages)
- 22 February 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/663ca6f674933dccbbb6c48e/ESFA_management_board_23_February_2024_minutes.pdf) (PDF, 169 KB, 3 pages)
- 12 December 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65df3f26b8da630f42c86253/ESFA_Managment_Board_12_December_2023_minutes.pdf) (PDF, 123 KB, 4 pages)
- 12 September 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65856719fc07f3000d8d46d7/1a_-_Minutes_of_ESFA_Management_Board_September_meeting.pdf) (PDF, 197 KB, 4 pages)
- 9 February 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6499a40cde8682000cbc8e12/Paper_1a__MB_14-06-23__Minutes_of_ESFA_Management_Board_February_2023_meeting.pdf) (PDF, 121 KB, 3 pages)
- 13 December 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63ec9e95d3bf7f62ebd0bd8a/Paper_1a__MB_09-02-23_Minutes_of_ESFA_Management_Board_December_meeting.pdf) (PDF, 177 KB, 4 pages)
- 9 September 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63ec9e7ce90e077bb2487a45/Paper_1a__MB_13-12-22__Minutes_of_ESFA_Management_Board_September_meeting__1_.pdf) (PDF, 127 KB, 4 pages)
- 7 July 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63ec9e6a8fa8f5612c4f52f0/Minutes_of_7_July_2022_ESFA_Management_Board.pdf) (PDF, 120 KB, 3 pages)
- 6 April 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/62cc3a6be90e07747eb9b2ab/ESFA_Management_Board_6_April_2022_minutes.pdf) (PDF, 133 KB, 4 pages)
- 10 February 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/622b1ad4e90e070ed5aaedc0/ESFA_MB_minutes_10_February_22__002_.pdf) (PDF, 119 KB, 3 pages)
- 9 December 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/622b1ac7d3bf7f5a8d1651b2/ESFA_MB_minutes_9_December_2021.pdf) (PDF, 240 KB, 4 pages)
- 15 September 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/622b1ab58fa8f56c1ba9dc52/ESFA_MB_minutes_15_Sept_2021.pdf) (PDF, 166 KB, 3 pages)
- 30 June 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/615b1de9d3bf7f5603eceeef/MB_Minutes_30_June_2021_-_for_publication_.pdf) (PDF, 171 KB, 4 pages)
- 15 April 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/60eeb332d3bf7f56824cc569/MB_Minutes_15_April_-_for_publication_.pdf) (PDF, 294 KB, 4 pages)
- 4 February 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6086db73e90e076ab34f6ef1/Minutes_of_MB_4_Feb_21_published_.pdf) (PDF, 267 KB, 3 pages)
- 10 December 2020 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6038c377e90e07054f89c522/MB_Minutes_101220for_PUBLICATION..pdf) (PDF, 172 KB, 3 pages)
- 10 September 2020 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6021479fe90e0711d1fd1d4c/2020_09_10_ESFA_Mgt_Bd_minutes_FOR_PUBLICATION.pdf) (PDF, 203 KB, 3 pages)
- 10 July 2020 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5fb53a72d3bf7f63d9ac865c/Minutes_of_MB_Meeting_10_July_2020_for_publication.pdf) (PDF, 171 KB, 2 pages)
- 30 June 2020 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5fb53a64d3bf7f63d9ac865b/Minutes_of_MB_Meeting_30_June_2020_for_publication_.pdf) (PDF, 232 KB, 3 pages)
- 21 April 2020 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5f0c6bf0e90e070321cc9236/Minutes_MB_21_April_2020_final_for_publishing_.pdf) (PDF, 220 KB, 3 pages)
- 6 February 2020 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5eb01024d3bf7f65363e4fe0/Minutes_of_MB_6_Feb_2020_for_Publication.pdf) (PDF, 252 KB, 3 pages)
- 6 December 2019 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5eb01017d3bf7f652ad79d4d/MB_Minutes_6_Dec_2019_for_Publication.pdf) (PDF, 171 KB, 4 pages)
- 12 September 2019 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5e29816de5274a6c43d73cad/MB__06-12__01a_-_Management_Board_12_September_Minutes_for_Publication.pdf) (PDF, 677 KB, 4 pages)
- 4 July 2019 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5d9b453b40f0b668752e9254/MB__12-09__01_Management_Board_minutes_4_July_2019_For_Publication.docx.pdf) (PDF, 440 KB, 4 pages)
- 4 June 2019 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5d249c80e5274a2f9c68ecc2/Management_Board_minutes_4_June_2019__for_publishing_.pdf) (PDF, 110 KB, 2 pages)
- 2 April 2019 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5d025ed8ed915d0a8216b106/ESFA_Management_Board_minutes_Apr_19_For_publishing.pdf) (PDF, 81.7 KB, 5 pages)
- 17 January 2019 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5c6c1e78ed915d4a3d3b23ba/For_Publication_-_ESFA_Management_Board_minutes_Jan_19.pdf) (PDF, 417 KB, 4 pages)
- 2 October 2018 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5bf2b706ed915d1830158994/MB_Minutes_2.10.18_V1_FOR_PUBLICATION.pdf) (PDF, 512 KB, 6 pages)
- 03 July 2018 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5b73e15840f0b6137e5d5698/03_July_2018.pdf) (PDF, 434 KB, 6 pages)
- 29 March 2018 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5aebfe6c40f0b63154caae5f/ESFA_-_Minutes_-_Management_Board_-_29_Mar_18.pdf) (PDF, 90.9 KB, 6 pages)
- 14 December 2017 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5aebfe4440f0b631578af225/ESFA_-_Minutes_-_Management_Board_-_14_Dec_17.pdf) (PDF, 79.9 KB, 3 pages)
- 11 October 2017 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5aebfddfe5274a7024fd716d/ESFA_-_Minutes_-_Management_Board_-_11Oct17.pdf) (PDF, 116 KB, 6 pages)