Guidance

EFA e-bulletin for academies: 3 April 2014

Updated 8 April 2014

This guidance was withdrawn on

This is an old edition of the EFA e-bulletin, so has been archived.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.

© Crown copyright 2014

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/efa-e-bulletin-3-april-2014/efa-e-bulletin-for-academies-3-april-2014

1. Information: Voluntary risk pooling scheme

On 14 February 2014, Sue Baldwin, Director of Academies and Maintained Schools, wrote a letter to all academy trusts announcing a voluntary risk pooling scheme for academies and free schools with effect from 1 September 2014.

We have now published a guide about the scheme, which has been re-named the risk protection arrangement for academy trusts.

2. Information: Local authorities’ schools block funding formula for 2014 to 2015

EFA has published a data file and an analysis of local authorities’ schools block funding formula for 2014 to 2015.

3. Information: 16 to 19 allocations

In the last week of March EFA sent out allocation statements for 2014 to 2015 to around 2,800 institutions in receipt of EFA 16 to 19 funding. The allocation statements were accompanied by explanatory notes setting out how the calculations have been applied. This follows confirmation of the funding rates for 2014 to 2015 and other decisions as set out in EFA National Director for Young People Peter Mucklow’s letter of 18 March 2014.

Allocation summaries for maintained schools with 16 to 19 students have been sent to local authorities. EFA is also providing local authorities with a summary of the funded 16 to 19 student numbers for all institutions in their area to support their responsibilities in relation to the raising of the participation age (RPA). Any queries on the allocations can be raised with us through the normal email addresses.

EFA questions

For schools, local authorities, other education institutions and providers, accountants, auditors and other professional advisers with queries for the Education Funding Agency

16 to 19 providers - northern territory

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 - central and south west territory

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

16 to 19 providers - southern territory

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

4. Information: Finance webinars for academies – coming soon

EFA is shortly launching a series of online presentations and interactive webinars to help you complete your financial returns.

You can register now for the first webinars, which will take place on 15 May and covering the March accounts return. You can also register for a session on 9 June covering the 2014 to 2015 budget forecast.

5. Information: National Association of School Business Management (NASBM) resource library

Jointly with EFA, NASBM published a library of resources in September 2013 to share good practice in financial management in academies.

If your academy has policy documents, guidance or templates that you would like to include in the library, please send them to info@nasbm.co.uk.

6. Information: Regional Schools Commissioners and Headteacher Boards

The national Schools Commissioner, Frank Green, has written an open letter to all academy headteachers to update them on the appointment of Regional Schools Commissioners and their Headteacher Boards.

7. Information: National Audit Office study on intervention and support for schools

A National Audit Office (NAO) survey for a value-for-money study on the Department for Education’s oversight of school performance is open until 30 April 2014.

8. Information: Future of apprenticeships in England consultation

The government wants to know your views on issuing funding for apprenticeships directly to employers. It wants the standards of all apprenticeships to be raised to the level of the best, by making them more rigorous and more responsive to the needs of employers, so they can grow and compete.

The consultation closes on 1 May 2014.

The government has announced copyright licence deals for schools.

Back to top