Guidance

EFA e-bulletin for schools, colleges and other 16 to 19 providers: 15 May 2014

Published 15 May 2014

This guidance was withdrawn on 13 May 2015

This is an old edition of the EFA e-bulletin, so has been archived. Please view our most recent e-bulletins and web pages for up-to-date information.

1. Information: Priority School Building Programme 2

On 1 May the Department for Education announced a new second phase of the Priority School Building Programme. This is a 5 year programme operating between 2015 and 2021 to undertake major rebuilding and refurbishment projects in those schools and sixth-form colleges in the very worst condition.

EFA expects to open the online application process in early June and will be publishing further detailed guidance on the information applicants will need to provide, to enable you to consider this in advance. This will be available on GOV.UK by the end of May.

2. Action: 16 to 19 Bursary Fund - vulnerable student claims

16 to 19 Bursary Fund vulnerable student claim forms need to be submitted to the Learner Support Service (LSS) before the end of the academic year.

Institutions should draw down funding for vulnerable students from the LSS as soon as they assess a student as being in one of the four defined vulnerable groups, which are:

• in care
• care leaver
• in receipt of Income Support or in receipt of Universal Credit in place of Income Support
• in receipt of Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or in receipt of ESA and Personal Independence Payments (PIP)

Please read the guidance notes accompanying the form before completion. Detailed explanations of the vulnerable groups are set out in the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund guide for the 2013 to 2014 academic year.

For more advice or information, call LSS on 0300 303 8610 or visit GOV.UK.

3. Information: Residential Support Schemes

The Residential Support Scheme and the Residential Bursary Fund guides for the 2014 to 2015 academic year have been published on GOV.UK.

The guides provide information, including the required monitoring information for the scheme, to all those involved in the delivery of the Residential Support Scheme and to institutions receiving Residential Bursary Fund allocations in the 2014 to 2015 academic year.

Residential Support Scheme application forms will be available on GOV.UK later this month.

4. Information: final Devolved Formula Capital allocations

The 2014 to 2015 Devolved Formula Capital (DFC) allocations have been updated based on the list of open academies as at 1 April 2014.

The provisional allocations published in January 2014 were based on those schools that were expected to convert to academy status by 1 April 2014. The final allocations reflect the actual position as at 1 April 2014.

5. Action: colleges directly enrolling 14- to 16-year-olds for the first time

Colleges considering the direct enrolment of 14- to 16-year-olds for the first time in the 2014 to 2015 academic year are advised to read the relevant departmental guidance and requirements.

An updated version of this document will be published in May but the current version will be sufficient for planning purposes.

The eligibility requirements will be unchanged other than for those colleges with an Ofsted overall effectiveness grade of 3 ‘satisfactory’ (pre-September 2012).

Any declarations of interest in 2014 to 2015 delivery from those colleges will be considered on a case by case basis.

Colleges wishing to proceed should tell EFA by 30 June 2014 via the appropriate EFA territorial email:

16 to 19 providers - northern territory

Contact form https://form.education...

For local authorities, schools, colleges and other (non-academy) providers in north west, north east and Yorkshire and the Humber with queries for the Education Funding Agency

16 to 19 providers - southern territory

Contact form https://form.education...

For local authorities, schools, colleges and other (non-academy) providers in south east, east of England and London with queries for the Education Funding Agency

16 to 19 providers - central and south west territory

Contact form https://form.education...

For local authorities, schools, colleges and other (non-academy) providers in south west, west midlands and east midlands with queries for the Education Funding Agency

6. Information: revised traineeships framework for delivery

The revised traineeships framework for delivery will shortly be published on GOV.UK by the Skills Funding Agency.

It consolidates and provides further information on previous announcements and developments since traineeships were introduced in August 2013. It also seeks to refine the policy and expectations for delivery in 2014 to 2015.

7. Reminder: Secretary of State approved list of independent special schools and special post-16 institutions - application closing date

EFA would like to remind independent education institutions, independent special schools and special post-16 institutions the closing date for applications for inclusion on the Secretary of State’s approved list is 31 May 2014.

8. Action: EFA customer survey

The EFA customer survey is currently open for all providers and academies to give your thoughts about the service EFA provides. All comments, compliments and criticism is welcome!

The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete and will help EFA continue to develop the service that it provides to you.

9. Information: asbestos - gas masks and other military artefacts

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has produced advice to schools that no gas mask should be worn or handled by children or teachers.

It also advises that it is not appropriate for children or teachers to wear or handle any artefacts that potentially contain asbestos. This includes army helmets such as ‘Brodie’ helmets.

Please seek health and safety advice should you have any concerns on this issue. Further guidance on asbestos management in schools can be found on GOV.UK.