Action: Submit your school resource management self-assessment checklist

The school resource management self-assessment checklist is now open for academy trusts to complete and return by Friday 14 March 2025.

All academy trusts with an open academy on Tuesday 31 December 2024 must submit a checklist.

In the online form, question 42 has supplementary questions that must also be completed when answering ‘No’. If the ‘No’ answer to this question is applicable to your trust, answer ‘N/A’ to move on to the next question.  

Information: Update on post-16 funding arrangements

We said we’d provide an update about 16 to 19 funding by 13 February 2025.

We know it’s important to confirm all elements of funding as soon as possible to help you with financial planning, and this includes 16 to 19 funding rates and formula, 16 to 19 in-year growth, the post-16 budget grant and how we will support providers with the increase in employer National Insurance contributions.

We want to give you this information together in one package and therefore aim to publish more detail in March 2025, meaning you will have a full picture of funding levels across the board. This will set out details of rates and methodologies in order to help you to understand how we will allocate funding and get a broad understanding of the amount you will be receiving, in advance of issuing individual provider-level allocations. 

We expect most provider-level allocations for core 16 to 19 and adult funding will be issued by the end of April 2025. The timing of these payments in the next academic year will be as normal.

Information: Increase in employer National Insurance contributions

We aim to provide details of how we will support academies with the increase in employer National Insurance contributions in March 2025.

Information: Academy accounts return data from 2023 to 2024 is now available on the new financial benchmarking and insights tool

In autumn 2024, the financial benchmarking and insights tool (FBIT) became the principal place for schools to view their financial data and benchmark their spending. The new tool combines and replaces the ‘View my financial insights tool’ and the ‘Schools financial benchmarking’ website – new data releases will no longer be published through these services.

FBIT can be used by anyone working in a role relating to school resource management to:

• benchmark a school’s or academy trust’s spending against other similar providers
• identify areas for improvement and share best practice with other schools
• produce a workforce deployment plan via DfE’s curriculum and financial planning tool
• easily access commercial resources, guidance and frameworks provided by DfE
• build a report to share analysis with governors, trustees and senior leadership

Anyone can view the majority of the FBIT service, but for some functions you will need a DfE Sign-in account.

We are running introductory webinars during February and March 2025 to support new users of the tool and provide a refresher session on benchmarking.

Share your views with us, using our feedback form, or by emailing benchmarking.support@education.gov.uk.

Information: Mid-year funding claim for 2024 to 2025

The mid-year funding claim window opened on Monday 10 February 2025. 

Submit your mid-year funding claim by 5pm on Thursday 13 February 2025. The claim form will be available on submit learner data. The funding claims user guide is available to help you complete the form.   

You will need to submit a claim if you receive funds through these contracts:   

• grant funded – ESFA funded adult skills fund (ASF) (adult skills, tailored learning, funding for innovative provision, and level 3 free courses for jobs offer)
• grant funded – advanced learner loans bursary (ALLB)  

For 16 to 19 delivery, you do not need to take any action for mid-year (R06) or year-end (R10) funding claims. The 16 to 19 delivery section of the funding claim only needs to be signed off for your final (R14) funding claims.

Once you have submitted your mid-year funding claim you can view it on Manage your education and skills funding. 

You can raise any queries you may have using our customer help portal.

Reminder: View national funding formula for schools service is being retired 

The view national funding formula for schools service will be retired on Thursday 13 February 2025. In future, the national funding formulae allocations for schools and high needs will be available on GOV.UK where you can currently view the national funding formula tables for schools and high needs from 2025 to 2026 .

Webinar: Q&A drop-in sessions – academies chart of accounts and automation

Tuesday  18 February 2025, 11am to 11:30am. Register online

Webinar: Financial management system (FMS) comparison matrix

Wednesday 19 February 2025, 2pm to 2:45pm. Register online.

Webinar: FMS comparison matrix

Thursday 27 February 2025, midday to 12:45pm. Register online.

Webinar: DfE academies chart of accounts mapping review workshop

Wednesday 5 March, 11am to 12:30pm. Register online.

Webinar: Risk protection arrangement (RPA) members only – summer fetes

Thursday 6 March 2025, 10am to midday. Register online.

Webinar: DfE energy for schools service  – simplified buying of gas and electricity

Thursday 6 March 2025, 2pm to 2:30pm. Register online.

Webinar: Energy cost recovery services for your school

Thursday 13 March 2025, 2pm to 2:30pm.  Register online.

Webinar: RPA members only – mock trial

Tuesday 18 March 2025, 9am to midday. Register online.

Webinar: Q&A drop-in sessions – academies chart of accounts and automation

Wednesday 26 March, 2pm to 2:30pm. Register online.