RSM Tenon | Case Studies | Quality compliance services

The organisation


A multi-site Further Education College serving the vocational and adult training needs of Central London.

The Business Challenge


Formed in 2000 as a result of a merger, with a broad curriculum base serving the adult and vocational training needs of Central London, the College had multiple sites North and South of the Thames. The College needed to engage an internal audit service that could deliver not only on the statutory requirements of the FE sector, but also provide an added level of service covering such as:

  • Corporate Governance – both in theoretical terms (what is ‘good practice’) and also in practical terms such as how to deal with situations affecting individual governors
  • Departmental efficiency and effectiveness reviews
  • Special investigations – for example on learner support funds and the splitting of resources on commercial and vocational delivery of catering services
  • Advice and guidance on government funding and other income streams
  • Providing support for the College’s complex and expensive project to consolidate down from seven to three sites across Central London

RSM Tenon's Approach


From RSM Tenon’s original appointment in 2002 after a rigorous tender process, through a successful re-tender in 2007, RSM Tenon has maintained an approach to this service centered around:

  • Client engagement – regular communication and detailed planning provides the College with a service that meets its needs in all key areas
  • High level input - we believe that to provide an effective internal audit service requires a high proportion of experienced input and therefore use a higher proportion of qualified and experienced staff than many of our competitors
  • Knowledge of the sector – all the senior members of the team understand the education sector, work closely with the regulatory authorities and disseminate that knowledge to our clients for their benefit
  • Quality control – we routinely seek feedback from clients after every assignment as this allows us to learn, develop and further enhance the service we provide

The Result


Having worked with RSM Tenon over a number of years, in both executive and non-executive roles, I am pleased to commend their work. Reports are delivered on time and both management and audit committee responses to performance measurement questionnaires on quality have shown a high level of satisfaction. Relationships with both management and committee have always been strong, whilst maintaining an appropriate independence. In short, we value their work.