Correspondence

ESFA Update academies

Published 15 January 2025

Applies to England

Action: 2025 to 2026 high needs place change process

We have published the high needs place change process outcomes which will inform the place numbers we will fund for the 2025 to 2026 academic year.

You should review the published outcomes as soon as possible to ensure the outcomes reflect those expected. If a provider is not listed, this means we were not notified of a change by your local authority and the published 2024 to 2025 place numbers will be used as the basis of your 2025 to 2026 allocation.

Local authorities and providers can contact us to query the outcomes for 2025 to 2026 until Friday 31 January 2025. We are unlikely to action any changes requested after this date.

More information about the enquiry window can be found in the high needs place change process guidance.

Action: Academies national non-domestic rates (NNDR) new claims for 2024 to 2025 by 31 January 2025

This message is for academies opted out of the current national non-domestic rates (NNDR) process. You can check the 2024 to 2025 NNDR process for your academy.

Academies that remain under the old NNDR arrangements because their billing authority decided not to implement the central payment process from 1 April 2024, should submit new claims for 2024 to 2025 by 31 January 2025.   

Claims can be submitted on the academies NNDR service.  

ESFA will not accept new claims after this deadline. 

Any 2024 to 2025 financial year adjustments submitted after the Friday 31 January 2025 deadline will be paid in the following claim year from June. 

Information: 16 to 19 in-year growth for academic year 2024 to 2025

Our guidance explains payments for 16 to 19 in-year growth for eligible institutions are due to start in spring 2025. To aid financial planning, we can confirm we will start to make these payments in April 2025.

We will notify all institutions with growth awards in February. If you need further support, please contact us using our customer help centre or your usual territorial contact.

Information: 16 to 19 funding for academic year 2025 to 2026

The Autumn Budget provided an additional £300 million revenue funding for further education (FE) for financial year 2025 to 2026 to ensure young people are developing the skills this country needs. Details on allocations will be made available later this term, and we are providing a high-level outline of plans now.

The government is committed to increasing opportunity for young people.We know the population of 16 to 19 year olds in learning is increasing, so this funding will be distributed specifically in support of 16 to 19 student participation. Approximately £50 million of this funding will be made available to general FE colleges and sixth-form colleges for the period April to July 2025. This one-off grant will enable colleges to respond to current priorities and challenges, including workforce recruitment and retention. Schools and academies will also continue to get grant funding for their 16 to 19 provision over this period.

The remaining funding will be made available in 16 to 19 funding rates for academic year 2025 to 2026, with the aim of ensuring that all 16 to 19 providers are funded on an equitable basis from 2025 to 2026. We are preparing the operational detail of the 16 to 19 funding rates and formula and the allocations timeline for the 2025 to 2026 academic year. We aim to publish more information as soon as we can and will provide a further update by Thursday 13 February 2025.

Information: National non-domestic rates payment process for academies from Tuesday 1 April 2025

We have published the schools and academies by billing authority area for national non-domestic rates (NNDR) 2025 to 2026 spreadsheet, confirming the process your billing authority will be implementing from April 2025.

If your billing authority is implementing the central NNDR payment process, you:

• should not pay your business rates bill to the billing authority as we will do this on your behalf
• will continue to receive a rates bill from the billing authority, for information only

If your billing authority is remaining on the old NNDR arrangements, you:

• must claim your payment from us (as in previous years) using the existing academies NNDR portal
• must contact the billing authority directly for any adjustment queries related to your rates bill
• should pay your business rates bill directly to the billing authority as previous year’s arrangement or as instructed on your rates bill for April 2025 to March 2026

Contact the customer help portal with any NNDR related enquiries.

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

The View national funding formula for schools service will be retired at the end of January. 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: 2025 to 2026.

Information: Changes to how we make variations to funding in our ESFA Education and skills agreements and accountability agreements

From the end of January 2025, we will be making a change in how we vary ESFA Education and skills agreements and accountability agreements.

At present, where funding is to be increased, providers must sign a variation to their original agreement or contract via manage your education and skills funding (MYESF). From the end of January, we will be removing the requirement to sign such changes, and they will now be made automatically by way of a notification through MYESF (as is the current process for any reduction in funding).

Digital signatures will still be required if there is any change to the terms and conditions of our ESFA Education and skills agreements and accountability agreements.

This change has been made following provider feedback.

Reminder: The Procurement Act goes live on Monday 24 February

The Procurement Act 2023 will go live on Monday 24 February 2025. This legislation will replace the current Public Contract Regulations 2015.

The new Procurement Act means changes in regulation and practices, aimed at bringing about a more flexible, strategic approach to public procurement.

This creates challenges and opportunities for schools and trusts. Training and support is available to help you prepare. Read the Buying for Schools blog for more information.

Reminder: Submit your trust’s accounts return by Tuesday 28 January 2025

A reminder to all trusts that the deadline to submit your trust’s accounts return is Tuesday 28 January 2025.

If you have not already completed the external auditor detail table, do action this as soon as possible as this will give the 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, see our academies account return guidance or send us a query using the customer help portal. Trusts can join either our teams calls or web chat sessions for help.

You can complete your accounts return quickly using automation, if your trust has this functionality. If you have any questions about using automation for your 2023 to 2024 accounts return, email api.finance@education.gov.uk.

Webinar: Q&A dial-in sessions – Academies chart of accounts and automation

Wednesday 15 January 2025, 2pm to 2:30pm. Register on Eventbrite.

Webinar: Academy finance professionals January power hour – Academies accounts return

Thursday 16 January 2025 3pm to 4pm. Register on Eventbrite

Webinar: The Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA)

Thursday 23 January 2025, 9:30am to 10am. Register online

Webinar: Buying ICT for your school webinar

Thursday 23 January 2025, 2pm to 2:30pm. Register online

Webinar: Q&A dial-in sessions – Academies chart of accounts and automation

Thursday 23 January 2025, 11am to 11:30am. Register on Eventbrite

Webinar: RPA members only – School trips workshop

Wednesday 29 January 2025, 10am to midday. Register online