ESFA e-bulletin for schools, colleges, local authorities, other 16 to 19 providers and academies: 6 July 2017
Published 6 July 2017
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2017
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-e-bulletin-6-july-2017-issue-177/esfa-e-bulletin-for-schools-colleges-local-authorities-other-16-to-19-providers-and-academies-6-july-2017
1. Information: academy trust financial returns 2017 to 2018
Peter Lauener, Chief Executive of the Education and Skills Funding Agency, has written a letter to academy trust accounting officers.
The letter sets out all academy sector financial returns, including the associated deadlines, that ESFA requires from trusts through to the end of the summer term 2018.
It also includes important information about a new return – the land and buildings collection tool – requiring trusts to supply a listing of land and buildings by 31 October 2017.
2. Information: budget forecast return webinar
You can now view a recording of the budget forecast return (BFR) webinar held on Monday, 3 July 2017.
The webinar introduces the BFR and answers a range of questions posed by colleagues in academy trusts.
Budget forecast return (BFR) webinar
3. Information: new presentations to support the 2017 to 2018 funding guidance for young people
We have published 2 further presentations to support the academic year 2017 to 2018 funding guidance for young people we published in April.
These presentations highlight key areas of interest to institutions with 16 to 19 provision and can be useful when delivering presentations. We will be publishing a further presentation, during August, to support the individual learner record (ILR) funding returns guidance, which will be published in July.
You may also find our overview of 16 to 19 funding useful, especially for staff and governors who are new to the further education sector.
4. Information: section 96 has a new temporary web location
We are currently updating the section 96 website. During this time, it will not be accessible. Whilst this work is taking place, we have temporarily moved the key content onto GOV.UK.
The search function that lets you find individual qualifications will not be available on the temporary page on GOV.UK. However, you can download the full lists of current qualifications approved on section 96 and the archived qualifications that have previously been approved. If you try to visit the old section 96 website, you will be redirected to the temporary page on GOV.UK. We will update you through the e-bulletin when the new permanent website is available.
5. Information: post-16 sub-contracting funding guidance for 2017 to 2018
We have published the sub-contracting controls guidance for 2017 to 2018 on GOV.UK. The guide sets out ESFA compliance and control requirements and advice for all directly funded institutions that use third parties to deliver provision. There are no significant changes from the 2016 to 2017 guidance.
We will be publishing the ILR funding returns guide for 2017 to 2018 by the end of July and it is not expected to have any significant changes from the 2016 to 2017 document. We will provide a further update once this has been published.
6. Information: pupil premium 2017 to 2018
We’ve published pupil premium allocations for 2017 to 2018.
Local authorities received their first quarter payment on 30 June 2017; academies will receive their first quarter payment on Thursday, 6 July 2017.
Read further information on pupil premium funding including how schools and academies are held accountable for the use of this funding.
If you have any questions about the pupil numbers used in your allocation, you will be able to view your data on the secure key to success website from mid-July.
7. Information: universal infant free school meal (UIFSM) allocations and conditions of grant for 2016 to 2017 and 2017 to 2018
We’ve published the final UIFSM 2016 to 2017 allocations. We’ve also published provisional allocations for 2017 to 2018, alongside the new conditions of grant.
The allocations table also shows the payment you will receive. It includes your final 2016 to 2017 payment, plus a payment for the first two terms of 2017 to 2018, based on the provisional allocation.
Local authorities received their payments on 30 June 2017; academies will receive their payments on Thursday, 6 July 2017.
8. Information: customer engagement user research
As we said last week, as a new agency, we are looking at how we engage with our customers. We want to understand your experience of engaging with us, identify what works well for you and where we may need to make improvements.
To achieve this aim we would like to speak with you directly. We have a series of focus groups planned and are now looking for volunteers who would be able to take part in these. Volunteers should ideally be people who have the most contact with ESFA within your organisation.
If you are able to take part, please contact us at ESFA@education.gov.uk by 12pm on Friday, 14 July.
| User group(s) | Host and area | Date and time |
|---|---|---|
| Local authorities, maintained schools and academies | Kent County Council, South East – Swanley | Tuesday, 18 July at 11.30am to 2pm |
| Local authorities, maintained schools and academies | Tupton Hall School, North - Chesterfield | Thursday, 20 July at 10am to 12.30pm |
| FE colleges and sixth forms | College of North West London | Wednesday, 19 July at 10am to 12.30pm |
| FE colleges and sixth forms | Prior Pursglove and Stockton Sixth Form College (Stockton Campus) | Monday, 17 July at 2pm to 4.30pm |
| Training providers (independent and charitable) | Appris Management Limited, North East – Bradford | Tuesday, 25 July at 2pm to 4.30pm |
| Training providers (independent and charitable) | Qube learning, Midlands – Abingdon | Monday, 31 July at 10am to 12.30pm |
We are also looking for volunteers to take part in one to one telephone interviews with a researcher during July. These will last no more than one hour. If you would be willing to help with this please contact ESFA@education.gov.uk by 12pm Friday, 14 July.