Correspondence

ESFA Update further education: 10 November 2021

Published 10 November 2021

This correspondence was withdrawn on 23 December 2022

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date.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

Applies to England

1. Reminder: 2022 to 2023 high needs place change notification process closing

The high needs place change notification process for 2022 to 2023 closes on Friday, 12 November 2021. Schools and colleges should engage in discussions with local authorities about their high needs places for the 2022 to 2023 academic year.

We have published guidance on the high needs place change process.

2. Reminder: 30 November deadline to claim £3000 for hiring a new apprentice

Do you work with employers who hired an apprentice between 1 April and 30 September 2021?

If so, they could be eligible for an incentive payment of £3,000 for each new apprentice. They need to apply before midnight on 30 November 2021 to claim the incentive.

To receive the payment, employers must submit an application for each eligible apprentice using their apprenticeship service account.

Apprentices must have an employment start date from 1 April to 30 September 2021. They must also have an apprenticeship start date from 1 April to 30 November 2021.

Our how to video provides a step-by-step guide.

How to video

Employers are not able to apply for apprentices they have hired from 1 October 2021 to 31 January 2022 until applications open on 11 January 2022. These apprentices must also have an apprenticeship start date from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022.

Review the guidance to find out more.

3. Information: December 2021 college financial statements submission

On 10 November 2021, we will be releasing an updated Finance Record (FR) for submission alongside college financial statements by 31 December 2021. The template will be made available via GOV.UK, along with details of how the FR and other documents can be submitted.

The new FR template is similar to previous versions and we have worked closely with representatives from colleges to align the return with the College Financial Forecast Return (CFFR). If you have any issues with completion or submission of the return please use the ESFA Enquiries Service, selecting ‘College Financial Returns’ as the query type.

We will only accept submissions that have been signed off by the accounting officer.

Colleges must complete and return the following financial accounts documents for 2020 to 2021 by 31 December:

1. Audited financial statements for the college corporation
2. Audit committee’s annual report
3. Auditor’s management letter (including college responses)
4. Finance Record – the updated template requiring 2020/21 outturn year financial information, per above
5. Audited accounts of all subsidiary companies (if any)
6. Optional additional evidence, such as: short period accounts for dissolved colleges; documentation to support moderation requests

Any college that has concerns about meeting the 31 December deadline should speak to their ESFA territorial team contact as soon as possible.

4. Information: claim form for mass testing exceptional premises costs to open shortly

There will shortly be an opportunity to submit claims for exceptional premises costs incurred during the mass testing of pupils and students on their return at the start of the academic year 2021 to 2022.

Schools and academies with secondary age pupils along with colleges and other eligible establishments will be able to submit claims when the online form launches on Monday, 15 November.

The form and submission guidance will be available on GOV.UK and the window to claim closes on Sunday, 5 December 2021.

5. Information: 16 to 19 tuition fund 2021 to 2022

Revised funding allocation statements have been made available on Document Exchange for institutions that opted in to receive the 16 to 19 tuition fund for 2021 to 2022.

Contract variations will be issued shortly and payments will commence in December providing the contract variations are signed by the end of November.

6. Information: College Collaboration Fund (CCF) – insight report publication

The second round of the College Collaboration Fund (CCF) is well underway. Colleges are working collaboratively on delivering their quality improvement projects and sharing good practice, including that developed through new ways of working. As part of their programme of work, colleges are producing resources that are available for the wider FE sector to access. These can be found on the CCF GOV.UK page and this will be continually updated as new resources become available.

On 5 November, the department published the first thematic ‘Insight Report’ to support sharing of the learning generated by the first round of the CCF. This short report focusses on the development of digital curriculum content and presents ‘top tips’ and case studies drawn from those projects who have produced new digital content. Further reports will be published as part of the department’s approach to sharing with FE leaders and practitioners the insights, learning and good practice from all the colleges involved in both rounds of the CCF.

We would strongly encourage colleges to access the learning, resources and support on GOV.UK that has become available through the CCF programme.

For further information please contact the team through the dedicated mailbox: College.CollaborationFund@education.gov.uk.

7. Your feedback: FE Capital Transformation Fund feedback survey

We are inviting all FE colleges and designated institutions to take part in a survey on the FE Capital Transformation Fund.

This anonymous survey takes less than 5 minutes to complete and will help to improve future services, so we would encourage you to take the time to offer your views if possible.