ESFA Update academies: 12 January 2022
Published 12 January 2022
Applies to England
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1. Reminder: academies accounts return – 2 weeks to deadline
A reminder to all trusts that the deadline to submit your accounts return is Tuesday 25 January 2022.
If you have not already completed the external auditor details section, please do as soon as possible as this will give your auditor access to the form. The return can only be submitted by the trust’s external auditor.
If you are having difficulties completing or submitting the form, please:
- refer to the academies accounts return guidance
- join either our Teams dial-ins or web-chat sessions
- send us a query using our online enquiry form (please select option ‘Academies financial returns/IDAMS’ and provide your trust’s UPIN).
2. Action: register for the Academies Finance Professionals Power Hour - networking event
This networking event will provide an opportunity to meet virtually with peers from your region and discuss the challenges of strategic and financial planning.
The event will be held on Thursday 27 January 2022 from 3pm to 4.30pm.
The event will begin with the chief financial officer from Rainbow Education Multi Academy Trust sharing their own experience of:
- strategic planning
- integrated curriculum and financial planning (ICFP)
- school improvement through effective financial planning
This will be followed by an hour for you to network with your peers, ask questions, spotlight your issues, and utilise the experience from others to get support.
Spaces are limited, register for the January Power Hour.
3. Information: school resource management webinars
DfE has funded a new series of school resource management webinars covering key elements of school resource management and integrated curriculum and financial planning (ICFP). The webinars started in December and are delivered virtually. They are suitable for school business professionals, school senior leadership teams, curriculum leads, members of governing boards and local authority staff.
The webinars will help schools to integrate their curriculum goals and financial resource management, providing a holistic and proactive way of planning and using resources efficiently and ensuring collaborative decision making across the leadership team.
You can book now for each of the 6 different webinars listed below with a choice of dates up to March 2022.
- ICFP metrics
- ICFP tools
- introduction to benchmarking
- estate management
- introduction to procurement
- joined up leadership for effective schools resource management
These webinars build on previous rounds of training delivered by ISBL and Entrust Support Services.
4. Information: join these webinars on approved frameworks and see how you could save money for your school
DfE has approved frameworks which could help your school get value for money.
If you are responsible for buying goods and services for your schools check out the range of informative webinars that could help you save time and money.
All sessions are free, use these Eventbrite links to join the Schools Commercial Team and take the opportunity to ask providers the questions you may have about staff absence protection and alternatives to traditional grass playing fields.
- Staff absence protection – multiple dates
- Synthetic sports facilities – 27 January 2022
- Risk Protection Arrangement – multiple dates
For the latest on our wide range of webinars, check out the events tab on our Buying for schools LinkedIn page.
5. Information: T Level Transition Programme publication of revised Framework for Delivery
We have published the revised Framework for Delivery for providers delivering the T Level Transition Programme from September 2022 onwards.
Alongside the Framework, we have published national technical outcomes for the first 7 T Level routes, a student guide, and resources to help providers develop their programmes.
The Transition Programme provides a high-quality route onto T Levels for students who would benefit from the additional study time and preparation the programme will give them before they start their T Level.
6. Your feedback: universal infant free school meals (UIFSM) - new digital design
We are working on a digital design for publishing UIFSM funding allocations. If you work with this funding, we would like to speak to you.
Participation is encouraged from all experience levels.
What the session would involve:
- we will invite you to an online meeting with a researcher.
- a conversation about your current use and experience of the funding
- you’ll be given access to a prototype, to complete a few set activities to test the usability, look and feel of the design.
The session will last up to 60 minutes and will give you the opportunity to provide feedback directly to government service designers.
To take part, please complete our 3 minute survey, and our researcher will be in touch to agree a meeting time to suit.