EFA e-bulletin for schools, colleges, local authorities and other 16 to 19 providers: 17 December 2015
Published 17 December 2015
© Crown copyright 2015
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/efa-e-bulletin-17-december-2015-issue-112/efa-e-bulletin-for-schools-colleges-local-authorities-and-other-16-to-19-providers-17-december-2015
1. Information: 16 to 18 further education data and management information for local authorities
Local authorities (LAs) can now access the December 2015 release of 16 to 18 further education data and management information pivot tables on EFA Information Exchange. The tables can be found at the ‘Revenue Funding > AY 2014-15’ folder.
The purpose of the release is to update LAs’ overview of provision.
2. Information: schools revenue funding settlement 2016 to 2017
The Department for Education (DfE) has announced to Parliament the schools revenue funding settlement for 2016 to 2017.
Alongside the announcement, we have published local authority allocations and supporting technical information for 2016 to 2017 for the dedicated schools grant (DSG) and the education services grant (ESG).
The DSG settlement for 2016 to 2017 includes:
- the DSG schools block allocated on the basis of the schools block units of funding 2016 to 2017 announced in July 2015
- a minimum funding guarantee of -1.5% per pupil remains in place for 2016 to 2017
- the DSG high needs block increased by £92.5 million above the 2015 to 2016 baseline
- the rates per child for the DSG early years block maintained at their 2015 to 2016 levels
The ESG settlement for 2016 to 2017 includes:
- the ESG retained duties rate maintained at £15 per pupil
- the ESG general funding rate reduced to £77 per pupil as a first step towards achieving the savings announced in the spending review
- continued protection to limit reductions in academy budgets as a result of changes to the ESG for 2016 to 2017
3. Information: pupil premium grant 2016 to 2017
We have published the pupil premium conditions of grant for 2016 to 2017. Per pupil rates for pupil premium in 2016 to 2017 will stay the same as 2015 to 2016.
The pupil premium awards continue in 2016 but will not involve cash prizes for schools. Details of the awards will be announced early in 2016.
4. Information: other grant funding for 2016 to 2017
The meal rate for universal infant free school meals (UIFSM) stays at £2.30 for the 2016 to 2017 academic year. Further details will be available in the new year.
The year 7 catch-up premium continues in 2016 to 2017. We will confirm the per pupil rate early in 2016.
Summer schools funding will not continue in 2016.
The primary PE and sport premium continues in 2016 to 2017. Further details will be announced in the new year.
As part of the government’s commitment to improving outcomes for vulnerable children, the special educational needs and disability (SEND) implementation grant will continue at an increased level in 2016 to 2017. This is to support English local authorities in the transition to the new SEND system. Further details will be announced in the new year.
The grant for extended rights to home to school transport grant will continue in 2016 to 2017. We will confirm allocations in early 2016.
5. Information: school and early years finance regulations
The Department for Education (DfE) has published its response to the consultation on changes to the school and early years finance regulations.
We have updated the school revenue funding 2016 to 2017 operational guide to reflect changes made to the regulations. These include changes to the treatment of underspends on growth and falling roll funds, and an expanded definition of amalgamated schools.
We have published our response to the consultation on changes to the schemes for financing schools statutory guidance, and have updated the guidance accordingly. This extends the list of services local authorities can charge the budgets of maintained schools to include admission appeals.
6. Information: EFA Information Exchange - submitting documents and updating contact details
We’ve enhanced EFA Information Exchange to make it easier for you to submit documents and to help you update your contact details.
In Document Exchange, we have added a ‘document purpose’ drop-down list so that when you submit documents to the finance and payments folder it’s clearer what the document is for. This will help us process your returns more quickly and follow up with you sooner.
This is explained in the guidance for academy trusts and sixth-form colleges that are submitting their accounts by 31 December 2015. If you’ve already submitted your audited accounts, you don’t need to submit them again.
In My Contact Information, we’ve included text to help you navigate to guidance, and have added more information in Knowledge Centre about updating your contact details.
Please remember to inform the EFA of any changes to your contact details using My Contact Information. This is important for all institutions and a requirement for certain roles in academy trusts as defined in the Academies Financial Handbook.
7. Information: consultation on parents and childcare provider ‘rights to request’ wraparound and holiday childcare
The Department for Education (DfE) is seeking views on draft departmental advice on wraparound and holiday childcare.
The advice is for maintained schools, academies and free schools on how they should respond to parents’ and childcare provider requests for wraparound and/or holiday childcare. It also covers requests to use school facilities for wraparound and/or holiday childcare provision at times when the school is not using them.
The aim of the advice is to avoid imposing unnecessary burdens on schools while ensuring schools understand the basis on which they should be responding constructively to requests for wraparound childcare. The consultation is open until 29 February 2016. DfE intends for the ‘rights to request’ to be introduced in September 2016.