EFA e-bulletin for schools, colleges and other 16 to 19 providers: 20 March 2014
Published 20 March 2014
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/efa-e-bulletin-20-march-2014/efa-e-bulletin-for-schools-colleges-and-other-16-to-19-providers-20-march-2014
1. Changing the way the EFA works
EFA is changing the way it works to make it easier for you to find the information you need and carry out the tasks you need to do.
Over the next 12 months there will be a number of changes in the systems EFA uses and the information it provides.
EFA has re-launched its e-bulletin and moved all its content to GOV.UK.
A number of document collections will help you find our key information. In addition, the search is much improved, and you can find EFA material in the ‘departments and policy’ tab.
EFA is also closing its old Information Management Portal and will be launching a new ‘document exchange’.
For this to work, all EFA-funded providers will need to sign up to use the Department for Education ‘Secure Access’ system. If you’re not already registered EFA will contact you by email shortly so you can sign up.
You can read more about all these changes in EFA’s news story.
2. Information: Post-16 funding in 2014 to 2015
EFA has written to all post-16 institutions that it funds with information about funding for students aged 16 to 19 and high needs students aged 16 to 25 in 2014 to 2015.
Each institution will receive a statement of its post-16 funding allocation for 2014 to 2015 by the end of March 2014.
3. Information: 16 to 19 Bursary Fund consultation report
In May 2013 the Department for Education (DfE) launched a consultation about changing the method for allocating the discretionary element of the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund.
The consultation asked for views on the best data to use to calculate the bursary allocation. It also asked whether an uplift should be applied to help with transport costs for students living in rural areas.
DfE has published its response to the results of the consultation, together with an impact assessment of the proposed changes.
4. Update: traineeships eligible provider
EFA and Skills Funding Agency have published the latest version of the 2013 to 2014 eligible providers list for traineeship delivery. There will be one more update for the 2013 to 2014 year in May.
5. Clarification: Individualised Learner Record data collection
The Individualised Learner Record (ILR) specification currently indicates information on Learning Difficulty Assessments (LDAs) and Education, Health and Care plans (EHC plans) should only be provided for certain age ranges.
The reason stated under these Learner Funding and Monitoring (FAM) types is ‘to identify learners aged 19 to 24 eligible for learner support funding from the EFA’.
This reason will be amended from 2014 to 2015 as LDA and EHC plan information should be provided for all learners.
6. Links to other items of interest
The Department for Education has published an advice document and toolkit to help schools providing universal free school meals for infants.
Information about the new Maths Hubs and how schools can apply to lead one in their area has been published.
The Department for Education has published a suite of papers setting out research priorities across education and children’s services, including papers on academies and free schools, UTCs and studio schools.