Correspondence

ESFA e-bulletin for academies: 16 November 2017

Published 17 November 2017

This correspondence was withdrawn on 23 December 2019

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date. The EFA e-bulletin has been replaced by ESFA Update.

Applies to England

1. Information: academy trust financial returns update

We’ve published a recording of the academies accounts return webinar held on 9 November. The session was well attended and we covered a range of topics – from what we do with the information collected to how you can solve validation queries in the accounts return.

1.1 Additional accounts return webinar

You can register now for additional accounts return webinar we’re hosting on Monday, 18 December. The webinar will discuss the most challenging aspects of the accounts return including a live question and answer session. You can submit questions in advance when you register.

1.2 Accounts return weekly Skype conferencing Q&A sessions

We’re hosting weekly Skype conferencing Q&A sessions from 4pm to 5pm every Thursday to answer your questions about the accounts return and any residual questions about the land and buildings collection tool return.

Please use this Join Skype Meeting link to access the conference and download the web app if necessary. If you don’t use Skype, you can join by phone. Call 02033 215238 and, when instructed, enter the conference ID (2081 9375).

1.3 Accounts return online form auditor linking

If you haven’t yet linked your trust to your auditor in the accounts return online form, you can read how to do this our financial returns online form registration guide.

If you have any questions about the LBCT or the accounts return, please contact us using our enquiry form. Please put either “LBCT question” or “AR question” at the top of the form.

2. Information: update to the 16 to 19 education: funding allocations page

We have updated our 16 to 19 allocations page on GOV.UK in preparation for the delivery of 16 to 19 revenue funding allocations for 2018 to 2019 academic year.

The page provides important information about how we allocate 16 to 19 funding to institutions. It also contains an allocation timeline and the latest 16 to 19 allocation developments, which we will continue to update as we move through the allocation process.

3. Information: November school workforce census

The deadline for submitting data is 1 December 2017.

Please submit your return now if you have not done so. The school workforce census is a statutory return, therefore you have a legal obligation to submit data.

If you do not have a management information system, or you cannot provide data in the correct format required by COLLECT, please request the XML generator tools from the helpdesk.

Please remember:

• returns are not complete until they are submitted (or submitted and approved for maintained schools)
• before submission all errors and queries must be corrected or, in the case of queries, a valid notepad entry made
• where the school had no teacher vacancies on the census date, (query 7240q), please enter the note ‘We confirm there are no vacancies in this school’
• where there is no Teacher Reference Number (TRN) available, (query 4100q), please enter the note ‘Awaiting teacher number’

We have provided a wide range of reports in COLLECT to ensure that you can check that your school’s data is correct. Details are available with the COLLECT guide. As a minimum please check the COLLECT credibility report once your data is complete.

If you have any query of concern regarding the school workforce census collection please contact the helpdesk using the service request form.

4. Information: schools funding and high needs funding videos

We’ve published new videos relating to schools funding and high needs funding which you may find useful. The videos we’ve published are:

• what’s changed in pre-16 schools funding for 2018 to 2019? video
• 2018 to 2019 high needs funding arrangements: what’s changed?
• minimum per-pupil funding factor in the national funding formula video

5. Information: traineeships: free workshops for training providers

The Learning and Work Institute is running a series of free workshops to help providers boost the number of young people who successfully progress from their traineeship programmes. These events will be appropriate for both existing traineeship providers and those who are interested in delivering the programme.

The workshops will focus on planning and implementing delivery models that secure strong progressions to apprenticeships and employment, and that engage young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), or are slightly further from the labour market than many young people.

They will provide insights into best practice from traineeship providers across England and will also be interactive, enabling participants to share practice, ask questions and gain tailored advice on boosting traineeship progressions. All workshops will take place from 10am - 4pm.

Please register to book your place for one of the following sessions:

• Leicester: 23 November 2017, Learning and Work Institute, 21 De Montfort Street, Leicester, LE1 7GE
• Leeds: 5 December 2017, Leeds Beckett University, Cloth Hall Court, Quebec Street, Leeds, LS1 2HA
• London: 31 January 2018, RNIB, 105 Judd Street, Kings Cross, London, WC1H 9NE

For further information please contact: Charlotte.Robey@learningandwork.org.uk.

6. Information: workload reduction toolkit

As part of continuing DfE action to remove unnecessary workload, we are launching a workload reduction toolkit in Spring 2018 containing advice, tools and best practice.

To make this toolkit as effective as possible it needs to include practical examples of how workload is being managed effectively, for example staff workload surveys, protocols for staff meetings or policies which remove unnecessary workload that schools are using. To help inform the toolkit, we would be very grateful if you and/or your networks could share examples of effective practice, by sending them to workload.solutions@education.gov.uk by Monday. 4 December 2017. All schools, organisations or individuals contributing to the toolkit will receive recognition in the final publication.

7. Information: DfE ‘removing unnecessary teacher workload’ events coming up!

A series of regional events on reducing teacher workload aimed at school leaders is starting this term. The events will consist of workshops led by serving teachers and leaders who have successfully reduced workload in their schools.

The first events will be in London on 28 November with Sir David Carter, National Schools Commissioner, as keynote speaker, and with a session run by Daisy Christadoulou on comparative judgements.

In Birmingham Dawn Copping, Chair of the Independent Review Group on Reducing Teacher Workload associated with Marking and who has effectively reduced workload in her school will present the keynote.

Leaders from all types of school are encouraged to attend with a member of their governing board to consider together the strategic importance of reducing workload due to the link to recruitment and retention and to choose the event closest to their school.