Correspondence

ESFA e-bulletin for academies: 13 April 2017

Published 13 April 2017

This correspondence was withdrawn on

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date. The EFA e-bulletin has been replaced by ESFA Update.

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-e-bulletin-13-april-2017-issue-170/esfa-e-bulletin-for-academies-13-april-2017

1. Information: 2017 to 2018 mainstream school funding formulae published

We’ve published a dataset showing local authorities’ formulae for allocating dedicated schools grant (DSG) schools block funding. This is for the allocation of DSG funding for 2017 to 2018 to mainstream schools and academies in local authority areas.

These formulae determine school budget share funding for:

  • mainstream maintained schools for the 2017 to 2018 financial year
  • academies for the 2017 to 2018 academic year

We’ve also published schools block funding formulae guidance providing further information and brief commentary.

2. Information: funding guidance for young people aged 16 to 19 in 2017 to 2018

We’ve published 2 key elements of the funding guidance for young people aged 16 to 19 for the 2017 to 2018 academic year. These are:

There are some changes and clarifications in both documents from the previous year’s guidance. These include:

  • revisions to the sections on student numbers and area cost uplift factors in the funding rates and formula guidance
  • more detail on how we calculate lagged student numbers for different types of institutions
  • an explanation on when we use weighted averages for the area cost uplift factor, and when we will review the funding factors for existing and merging institutions

An overview of ESFA post-16 funding that may help institution staff and governors new to the further education sector is also available.

3. Information: budget forecast return: outturn live webinar

We’re hosting a live webinar about the budget forecast return: outturn (BFRO) on 20 April 2017. You can register for the webinar online. The webinar will include a question and answer session. You can submit questions in advance when you register.

Education and Skills Funding Agency requires academy trusts, open on and before 31 March 2017, to submit their BFRO for the 2016 to 2017 academic year by 19 May 2017. If a new academy joins an existing multi-academy trust (MAT) on or after the submission deadline of 19 May 2017, then no separate return for that academy will be required.

We’ve produced a guide to completing and submitting the BFRO. We encourage academy trusts to use the workbook and guidance to help complete their return.

4. Information: fraudulent communications claiming to be from ESFA

We’ve been made aware of an individual claiming to work for ESFA who is contacting academies to ask for details about the academy trust they are part of.

If you receive a call which you believe may be fraudulent, hang up the phone immediately and contact our enquiry service.

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