Correspondence

ESFA Update academies: 10 April 2019

Published 10 April 2019

This correspondence was withdrawn on 21 December 2020

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date. Find the latest information from ESFA in the latest ESFA Update.

Applies to England

1. Action: budget forecast return outturn 2019

The academies budget forecast return outturn (BFRO) online form is now open and ready for academy trusts to complete by the deadline of Tuesday 21 May 2019.

We advise accessing the form early. If you encounter difficulties in accessing the form please refer to our registration guidance.

We will be hosting Skype dial in sessions every Wednesday at 13:00, to receive any questions about the return or workbook, details are in the BFRO page on GOV.UK.

A reminder that the BFRO is now in scope of the ESFA’s policy on publishing the names of academy trusts who are late, or do not submit, two or more financial returns in each academic year. We strongly advise all users to allow enough time for the form to be completed and submitted by the deadline of 21 May 2019.

2. Reminder: new arrangements for related party transactions

Academy trusts must declare or seek approval for a related party transaction, before they agree it with the related party. Related party transactions made on or after 1 April 2019, which are part of a contract or agreement entered into before 1 April 2019, are not in scope of this reporting requirement.

We have published guidance about declaring and seeking approval for related party transactions.

If you have any queries, please contact us using the ESFA enquiries form. Please put “related party transactions” at the top of your enquiry.

We have created a video on how to declare or seek approval for related party transactions.

We’ve created a video on how to declare or seek approval for related party transactions.

3. Information: risk protection arrangement (RPA) price drop and 3-year guarantee

From September 2019, we are pleased to announce that the RPA general annual grant (GAG) deduction will drop from £20 per pupil to £18 per pupil for the 2019 to 2020 academic year. It will offer the same cover.

We are also guaranteeing that the GAG deduction will not exceed £20 per pupil for a further 2 academic years – up to and including 2021 to 2022.

If you are an academy, free school, studio school or university technical college (UTC) and not already in the RPA, please consider this option and receive the benefits currently enjoyed by 65% of all academies.

You can find information about the risk protection arrangement on GOV.UK.

If you have any questions, please contact the RPA team via email at RPA.StakeHolderRelations@education.gov.uk.

4. Information: academy national non-domestic rates claims for 2019 to 2020

We have updated the academy national non-domestic rates claims page with information for the 2019 to 2020 financial year.

Academies can now make claims for the 2019 to 2020 financial year.

5. Information: new teacher recruitment service launched

This week the Secretary of State for Education, Damian Hinds MP, called on all publicly funded schools in England to use Teaching Vacancies, the free-to-use job listing service to advertise teaching vacancies, and stop using agencies that charge “excessive” fees to list job adverts.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said:

Teachers are the beating heart of our education system and school leaders want to make sure they recruit the best to inspire students. But finding the best has become very expensive.

With every school in the country now having access to this completely free site, I am calling on schools to ditch platforms that charge a fee. Why spend £1,000 on a service you can get for free?

More than 8,000 schools (38%) nationwide have already signed up to the service. You can find out more about Teaching Vacancies on GOV.UK.

Guidance is available on how to sign up to the service.