ESFA Update local authorities: 14 July 2021
Published 14 July 2021
Applies to England
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-update-14-july-2021/esfa-update-local-authorities-14-july-2021
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.
Please check GOV.UK regularly for updates.
2. Information: adult education budget (AEB) reconciliation thresholds for ESFA grant funded providers for 2020 to 2021 academic year
We have published information confirming that following the year-end claims submissions, whilst the 90% remains unchanged, we are developing arrangements to allow grant funded providers to apply for support.
The details of the new arrangements, including how this will operate, are being finalised and we expect to publish these in early September 2021.
If you have any questions, please contact your ESFA territorial colleague or use our online enquiry form.
3. Information: 2020 to 2021 year-end forecast funding claim – indicative reconciliation statement
We will upload your indicative year-end reconciliation statements through Manage your education and skills funding (MYESF) week commencing Monday 19 July for the following funding streams:
- adult education budget (AEB) adult skills and community learning
- AEB Covid-19 skills offer
- AEB 19-24 traineeships - grant funded
- advanced learner loans bursary – grant funded
- learner support for procured 19-24 traineeships 2020 – paid on profile
- learner support for ESFA AEB procured adult skills – paid on profile
- learner support for ESFA AEB Procured 19 to 24 traineeships – paid on profile
You do not need to take any action at this stage. These statements are indicative and based on your recent year-end forecast claim return, so that you are aware of any potential impact before we publish your final reconciliation statements in November 2021. Please read our news story about thresholds and final reconciliation.
Where appropriate, we will show any funding monitoring return errors within your indicative reconciliation statement. This is so you are aware of the potential impact before final claim reconciliation statements.
If you have any queries, please contact the Service Desk or your Territorial team.
4. Reminder: high needs import/export data published
Local authorities have until Monday 26 July to notify us if the census or individual learner record data used in the import/export adjustment was incorrect at the time returns were submitted.
We uploaded the institution level data used to calculate the 2021 to 2022 import/export adjustment to the ESFA Document Exchange. Use this information if you wish to review the calculation of the total net adjustment to your local authority’s dedicated schools grant.
You can find the data and guidance in the Document Exchange, ‘Documents you’ve received from ESFA’ view.
5. Information: consultation launch: fair school funding for all: completing our reforms of the National Funding Formula
The Department for Education has launched the Fair school funding for all: completing our reforms of the National Funding Formula consultation. This seeks views on how to simplify the current funding process and ensure all schools are funded on a single, fair, and consistent basis.
The introduction of the schools National Funding Formula (NFF) in 2018 to 2019 was a major step forward from the postcode lottery of the previous funding system. Our ambition is now to complete those reforms, so that every school’s final funding allocation is determined by the same, national formula, and is no longer subject to further adjustment by local authorities.
The consultation presents our proposals for how such an NFF, that is directly applied to schools’ budgets, should operate. It also sets out the next steps to ensure a smooth transition towards this goal.
This is the first stage of the consultation on these reforms to the NFF, and it will be open for responses until 30 September.
6. Information: further education workforce data collection
The FE workforce data collection for the 2020 to 2021 academic year opened on 12 July 2021. The collection will close on 24 September 2021.
This will collect data about staff working in FE providers and was outlined in the recent ‘Skills for Jobs’ White paper published in January 2021.
Guidance on the collection including the specification and provider support manual is published on GOV.UK.
Users will need an Identity and Access Management System (IdAMS) account. Instructions on how to register for this are available for users who do already have one.
To access the collection Users will need to request a new role ‘Submit Learner Data FE Workforce’ and this will need to be approved by the providers super user.
The collection sits on the submit learner data service and will offer two options for returning data.
These will be:
- an online form which will allow direct entry on staff data
- uploading an XML file
There is also desktop application which you can use to generate an XML file for upload should they wish to use this option and cannot generate the file from their MIS.
7. Information: 16 to 19 study programmes guidance for 2021 to 2022
We have published the 16 to 19 study programme guidance for the 2021 to 2022 academic year.
All students funded through the 16 to 19 funding methodology must be enrolled on a study programme, a T Level Transition Programme or T Level programme, which typically combines qualifications and other activities, and is tailored to each student’s prior attainment and career goals. T Level is not in the scope of this guidance because a T Level is a full study programme in itself with a number of components that have to be completed or achieved in order for the T Level to be awarded.
The study programme guidance is designed to help providers understand their obligations and duties in relation to the provision of 16 to 19 study programmes in their institutions. This year’s guidance includes new information relating to education recovery and remote learning, as a result of COVID-19.
We continue to welcome your feedback on how to make this guidance more useful – please email us with your comments and suggestions at Post16.Level3AndBelowReview@education.gov.uk.
8. Information: interactive post-16 school census tool
We have updated our post-16 interactive tool to support the return of accurate post-16 school census data. Some institutions risk not getting the funding they should because of inaccurate data.
The tool will help you understand:
- how your data is used to calculate your post-16 funding
- how common data errors affect your funding
Updated worksheets for 2021 to 2022:
- Census data fields: updated with the new name for GCSE prior attainment fields (‘maths/English GCSE prior attainment year group’ fields are now ‘maths/English GCSE prior attainment year 11’)
- Data usage map: updated to include T Level occupational specialism codes, and the use of postcode data for discretionary bursary
- Programme cost weighting tab: updated to include information on T Level occupational specialism codes
- T Levels tab: also updated to include information on T Level occupational specialism codes; the T Levels examples include a new example
- Condition of funding tab: updated with additional information on completing the highest prior attainment field for students who resit GCSEs; also updated to reflect new requirements on traineeship students
Those responsible for preparing and submitting the autumn school census return will find it useful.
A suite of ESFA funding reports will be available in COLLECT when the autumn census opens in October. They will show you how your data looks in relation to our post-16 funding calculations. We strongly advise institutions to use these reports to help quality assure census returns.
The tool is in an Excel workbook, please make sure that macros are enabled so that the workbook functions properly.
If you have any questions, please use our online enquiry form.
9. Information: ESFA funded adult education budget performance management review 2021 to 2022
We will shortly be conducting a performance review for ESFA Funded adult education budget. Providers will have the opportunity to request a first time request for 19 to 24 traineeships or ESFA Funded National Skills Fund allocation up to the value of £45,000 – or a top up increase to an existing 16 to 18 traineeships, 19 to 24 traineeships, or ESFA Funded National Skills Fund allocation if it is below £45,000.
Full details will be available within the request form, which will be published on Tuesday 20 July, with a submission deadline of 5pm on 3 August.
The form will be published on AEB performance management requests page.
If you have any queries about this process, please contact your territorial team lead.
10. Information: changes to the 16 to 19 tuition fund in academic year 2021 to 2022
We are broadening the eligibility for the 16 to 19 tuition fund to include economic disadvantage in addition to low prior attainment in academic year 2021 to 2022.
Including these students allows providers to offer tuition to all disadvantaged students who have been impacted by the pandemic, while still maintaining focus on low prior attainment.
We are also making some adjustments to the scheme based on feedback from providers to:
- allow some flexibility in the number of students included in a small group for the purposes of the fund
- strengthen accountability of the fund
We will publish further details on GOV.UK in due course.
11. Information: the National Careers Service results day webinars for parents/carers
The National Careers Service is delivering a series of webinars for parents and carers whose children are receiving results this August. We recognise that it has been a challenging year for students and want to equip parents and carers with advice to support their children on the day. Click the links below to sign up to one of the webinars and get:
- tips on how your child can prepare for results day
- advice about their options
- advice about leaving education and exploring careers
- signposting to useful sources
- an opportunity for Q&A
11.1 Dates
12. Information: Gender Balance in Computing (GBIC) research programme
The Gender Balance in Computing (GBIC) research programme is an amazing opportunity to find out what works to encourage girls to develop an interest in computing during their primary and secondary school years and increase the number of young women who choose to study Computer Science at GCSE and A level.
The projects available are:
12.1 Non-formal learning (Years 3–6) — starts October 2021
In this project, schools will run an extra-curricular Code Club for 12 weeks for Key Stage 2 pupils. The project will explore the impact of strengthening the links between non-formal learning and the skills required to study GCSE Computer Science.
12.2 Teaching approach (Year 8) — starts October 2021
The project is based on the idea that current approaches to teaching computing may be less appealing to girls. Some of the schools involved in this project will be trained in structured, collaborative approaches to teaching computing and will use this pedagogy for 12 weeks of computing lessons. They will also receive 12 hours of teaching materials.
12.3 Relevance (Year 8) — starts January 2022
Research suggests that girls value the opportunity to use computing in real-world applications. In this project, some schools will use new resources developed by Apps for Good to solve real-world problems through technology while studying the computing curriculum.
More than 500 schools are already taking part in projects, and we would love you to join!