ESFA Update local authorities: 15 January 2020
Published 15 January 2020
Applies to England
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1. Action: adult education budget (AEB) devolution, learner eligibility using postcode data
All providers are reminded that from 1 August 2019, the adult education budget (AEB) is apportioned between the ESFA and 6 mayoral combined authorities (MCA’s) and the Greater London Authority (GLA). ESFA is no longer responsible for administering the AEB in the MCA/GLA devolved areas.
It is the responsibility of each provider to ensure that appropriate funding agreements are in place with the relevant funding body, ESFA or devolved authorities (MCA/GLA), before they enrol a learner and claim AEB funding. Providers must also make sure that an individual is eligible before claiming funding. Providers can check which funding body is responsible for funding the learner using the devolution postcode data set.
Providers should not assume that their funding (ILR) claim will be paid unless they have a funding agreement in place with responsible funding authority (ESFA/MCA/GLA) and the learner satisfies the relevant eligibility requirements.
For further information on devolution see the published guidance.
2. Information: how to express an interest to deliver T Levels from 2022 to 2023
The Department for Education (DfE) is looking to identify the next tranche of providers to deliver T Levels from the 2022 to 2023 academic year.
The expression of interest went live on 9 January. Providers wishing to express an interest will be required to complete and submit an expression of interest to ESFA, by midnight on Friday 28 February 2020.
To complete the expression of interest providers need to be registered with DfE sign-in.
Further information and guidance is available on GOV.UK.
3. Information: qualification achievement rates (QAR)
QARs will continue to be published in March 2020 through the National Achievement Rate tables. However, the new transparency reporting table will be published alongside NARTs transparency tables at the same time. Please read this document alongside the 2018 to 2019 QAR business rules and the technical specification to review your QAR data.
We have also published the following documents on the QAR webpage:
- QAR business rules 2019 to 2020
- Technical specification 2018 to 2019 (version 3)
- Data extract guidance (version 3)
- Transparency reporting plans for 2018 to 2019
3.1 2018 to 2019 QAR provisional data is now live
We have published your provisional QAR 2018 to 2019 data. All the data is available through the View Your Education Data portal. There will no longer be any data available on the Hub.
You have until 5pm on Friday 31 January to inform us of any concerns about how we have implemented our published methodology. Please note that you cannot request fixes or adjustments to your 2018 to 2019 individualised learner record (ILR) data.
If you have any queries with the provisional data, please complete a data query form, email this to sde.servicedesk@education.gov.uk the service desk and ask us to assign your query to ‘ESFA Business Operations QAR’.
For further information, refer to the QAR guidance.
4. Information: consultation on lifting the inspection exemption for outstanding schools, colleges and other organisations
Last autumn DfE announced proposals to lift the exemption from routine inspection for outstanding schools, colleges and other organisations delivering publicly-funded education and training.
This will help to give parents, students and employers a clearer picture of the standard of schools, colleges and other organisations in their area, and support these institutions to continue improving.
The consultation on lifting the inspection exemption for outstanding schools, colleges and other organisations is now live. The consultation closes on Monday 24 February 2019.
5. Information: the apprenticeship technical funding guide has been updated
We have published version 3 of the apprenticeships technical funding guide for April 2019 to July 2020.
This explains how funding will work for apprenticeship frameworks and standards starting on or after 1 April 2019, including how we will calculate provider payments.
The update from the previous guidance is some clarifications around reservations for new non-levy starts on the apprenticeship service.
For further information please email sde.servicedesk@education.gov.uk.
6. Information: Quality in Careers Standard events
Is your school meeting its legal requirements on careers provision and supporting pupils to make informed choices about their futures?
The Department for Education (DfE) is funding 3 free to attend events for schools and colleges to learn more about externally validating their careers programme through the national Quality in Careers Standard.
These events involve testimonies from schools and colleges already holding the Standard and are hosted by the Quality in Careers National Director. They are intended for staff in schools and colleges that have not yet engaged with the Standard.
The event details, including the speakers from schools and colleges, have now been confirmed:
- Wednesday 4 March 2020, Newcastle upon Tyne
- Thursday 12 March 2020, Birmingham
- Tuesday 17 March 2020, Bristol
For more information and to book your free ticket, please visit the Quality in Careers website.
7. Your feedback: we would welcome your feedback on a new online form to report extremism concerns
As part of our work to help the education sector raise any matters or concerns that arise on extremism, we would like to speak to the sector to receive their feedback on a new online form.
DfE offer a service for anyone to report a concern relating to extremism within an educational environment using email or phone. We are currently working on an online form as an additional anonymous method to use the service. To ensure that the form is intuitive and easy to use, we’re looking for some volunteers to help us with our research. The research session will consist of you going through a test version of the form.
If you wish to take part in the research, where we will spend 30 to 45 minutes speaking to you on a 1 to 1 basis, either remotely using Skype or during a site visit, please email contact DataScience.USERRESEARCH@education.gov.uk by Friday 31 January 2020.