EFA e-bulletin for schools, colleges, local authorities and other 16 to 19 providers: 8 September 2016
Published 8 September 2016
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/efa-e-bulletin-8-september-2016-issue-140/efa-e-bulletin-for-schools-colleges-local-authorities-and-other-16-to-19-providers-8-september-2016
1. Action: Individualised Learner Record R13 2015 to 2016
The Individualised Learner Record (ILR) R13 data collection for the 2015 to 2016 funding year will close at 6pm on Wednesday 14 September. If you are due to make a return for R13, you must submit your data to the Hub.
We’ll use R13 data for all commercial and charitable providers (CCPs) to update the funding reconciliation values previously determined from your ILR R10 data. We expect to issue revised R13 CCP reconciliation statements by October 2016 and where appropriate these will show planned clawback recovery until December 2016. We’ll only update responsive growth values after receipt of all R14 data and final claim returns later in October and this will remain subject to EFA budget affordability.
A maintenance schedule listing future collection dates and proposed system maintenance is available on GOV.UK. For more information, please see the Skills Funding Agency payments and data section on GOV.UK.
2. Information: claims for 16 to 19 Bursary Fund for vulnerable students
The online form to claim from the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund for vulnerable students for the academic year 2016 to 2017 is now available on the Student Bursary Support Service (SBSS) portal.
Further information is available on GOV.UK.
3. Information: new process for 2015 to 2016 for local authorities (LA) grant return and use of funds statement
We sent an email to all local authority chief financial officers copied to chief executives and LA grant return nominated contacts, on Friday 2 September 2016. The email highlights the enhanced process for LAs to submit their 16-19 LA grant return and use of funds statement for 2015 to 2016.
EFA will require LAs to upload a grant return, signed by the chief financial officer, and a use of funds statement to EFA Information Exchange by 24 October 2016. Detailed guidance will be published on GOV.UK and notified to LAs via e-bulletin over the coming weeks.
4. Action: making an accurate autumn census return
The autumn school census 2016 opens on 6 October 2016. The deadline for approved census submissions is 2 November 2016.
Institutions may not receive the correct funding amount if the data returns are not accurate. Department for Education (DfE) have published a series of school census guidance videos which discusses funding implications of the autumn census. The videos have useful tips on how academies can prepare for the autumn census.
We have also published an interactive tool to support the return of accurate post-16 school census data. The tool is aimed at business managers and staff responsible for preparing and submitting the autumn school census return. Contact us if you have a question about the tool.
During the production of the 2016 to 2017 academic year post-16 funding allocations, we identified some common data errors for a number of schools and academies. Institutions that are most affected will be contacted this week with details of the errors along with an explanatory note.