Correspondence

ESFA Update further education: 1 July 2020

Published 1 July 2020

This correspondence was withdrawn on 29 December 2021

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date. Read the latest editions of ESFA Update for up to date news and information.

Applies to England

1. Latest information on coronavirus (COVID-19)

The Department for Education has published guidance about COVID-19 in educational settings for staff, parents and carers, pupils and students on GOV.UK.

There is also guidance on the apprenticeship service about COVID-19.

Please check GOV.UK regularly for updates.

2. Reminder: the deadline to apply to the provider relief scheme (July – October 2020) is Thursday 9 July

Providers are reminded that the provider relief scheme (July - October 2020) is open to applications and that further information can be found on GOV.UK.

As with the previous scheme, to be eligible to receive support from the scheme you must hold a direct contract that was procured as a service under Public Contract Regulations 2015. This applies to apprenticeship contracts for services that commenced in January 2018, for delivery to smaller employers that do not pay the levy (non-levy), adult education budget contracts for services that commenced in November 2017, and contracts co-financed by the European Social Fund. You may still be eligible to apply for funding if you applied to the earlier post-16 provider relief scheme (April – June 2020) and were unsuccessful.

In addition to demonstrating that they have a need for the funding requested to maintain capacity within their organisations to support learners and respond to the economic recovery, applicants will also need to explain how they are going to update and change delivery models to operate without further relief from November 2020. This plan should take account of all relevant guidance issued up to the closing date, which is 11.59 pm Thursday 9 July.

3. Information: reducing burdens on educational and care settings from the Department for Education and its agencies

To help reduce the burden on educational and care settings at this time, in April 2020, the Department for Education (DfE) and its agencies cancelled or paused all but the most essential data collections, services and requests and published the list.

The list of collections and services was reviewed in June 2020 and a revised list has now been published along with a summary of changes. Data collections which are paused will next be reviewed in September 2020 and the pause period extended if necessary.

For further information, and the full list of data collection changes, please read the guidance on reducing burdens on educational and care settings.

If you have any questions, please email managing.burdens@education.gov.uk.

4. Information: consultation response on subcontracting post-16 education and training with ESFA funding

We have published our response to subcontracting post-16 education and training with ESFA funding. Some of the key reforms include:

• reducing the volume of subcontracted activity
• requiring providers’ Corporations and Boards who choose to subcontract to publish a curriculum rationale for their subcontracted activity
• placing restrictions and limits on types of subcontracting that have been identified as higher risk
• acting on use of brokers to ‘sell on’ provision to subcontractors
• improving the management and oversight of subcontracting, assessed through a new subcontracting standard
• improving, across ESFA, the use of the data and audit returns to identify and act on risks

We will work with the sector to test and implement these changes to ensure that the offer for learners is central and will set out the detail of these reforms later this year. You can read the full consultation response on GOV.UK.

5. Information: supporting redundant apprentices

The current position on funding support for apprentices at risk of redundancy can be found in the current 2019 to 2020 funding rules, paragraphs 271-273.

If the apprentice is within 6 months of the final day of training, we will fund 100% of the remaining costs, of the price negotiated between the provider and the previous employer, up to the funding band maximum. Within this 6 month period:

• if the apprentice finds a new employer where they can complete their apprenticeship, the new employer assumes outstanding liabilities and benefits from that point.
• if the apprentice takes a job with an employer which is not related to their apprenticeship, we will continue to fund the remaining costs.

If the apprentice is between 6 months and 12 months of the final day of training, we will fund the remaining costs, of the price negotiated between the provider and the previous employer, for a maximum of 12 weeks. Within this 12 week period:

• if the apprentice finds a new employer where they can complete their apprenticeship, the new employer assumes outstanding liabilities and benefits from that point.
• if the apprentice takes a job with an employer which is not related to their apprenticeship, we will continue to fund the remaining costs for up to 12 weeks.
• if a new employer is not found within 12 weeks, the apprentice is withdrawn from the programme but can return to the same apprenticeship at a later date without the need to satisfy the 12 month minimum duration rule.

If the apprentice is more than 12 months away from the final day of training, we will fund the remaining costs, of the price negotiated between the provider and the previous employer, for a maximum of 12 weeks.

6. Information: eligibility rules for EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals for access to FE 19+ and apprenticeships

Eligibility rules for EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals, and their family members, who wish to access further education funding for those aged 19+, and apprenticeships, in England in the academic year starting in August 2021 are changing.

EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals will no longer be eligible for ESFA funded adult education budget funding, or apprenticeships, in England for courses or apprenticeships starting in academic year 2021 to 2022.

It will not affect students or apprentices starting courses or apprenticeships in academic year 2020 to 2021, nor those EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals benefitting from Citizens’ Rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement, EEA EFTA Separation Agreement or Swiss Citizens’ Rights Agreement respectively.

It will also not apply to Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland whose right to study and to access benefits and services will be preserved on a reciprocal basis for UK and Irish nationals under the Common Travel Area arrangement.

The adult education budget and apprenticeship funding rules will be updated in due course.

The written ministerial statement is available online.

7. Information: updated college financial benchmarking tool

We have updated the college financial benchmarking tool with data from further education and sixth-form colleges’ 2018 to 2019 finance records.

The tool allows colleges to compare their performance with others in the sector.

8. Information: joint statement from the ESFA, AoC, and AELP on strengthening relationships and enhancing communications between training providers and the agency

Please see the letter issued by:

• Peter Mucklow, Director of Apprenticeships, ESFA
• David Hughes, Chief Executive, Association of Colleges (AoC)
• Mark Dawe, Chief Executive, Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP)

9. Information: Department for Education Sustainability Award

DfE is inviting nominations for the 2020 Sustainability Award, which forms part of the Educational Estates conference in October.

The award aims to celebrate education institutions in England that have made a significant attempt to become more sustainable.