Correspondence

ESFA Update local authorities

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.

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 local authority maintained schools from 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; this is for information only
• will not receive NNDR funding as you did previously

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

• 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
• must contact the billing authority directly for any adjustment queries related to your rates bill
• will continue to be funded for NNDR as per current arrangements

Contact the customer help portal with any NNDR related enquiries.

Information: Thursday 9 January 2025 authority proforma tool workshop is now uploaded to the ESFA YouTube channel

We have published the authority proforma tool (APT) local authority webinar presentation which took place on Thursday 9 January 2025, on the ESFA YouTube channel.

This session highlighted the ESFA process for checking APTs and some of the reasons why local authorities occasionally need to resubmit their APTs.

You can also view the webinar slides presented at this webinar in the local authority workshops 2024 Google Drive folder.

Information: Local authority planning calendar 2024 to 2025 (to cover the period January 2025 to March 2025)

ESFA has published the local authority planning calendar for the 2024 to 2025 financial year, which covers the period January 2025 to March 2025.

The calendar details important dates for ESFA activities during this period that relate to local authority funding, finance and compliance with funding regulations.
The calendar is for planning purposes only. Dates are provisional and subject to change.

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.

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.

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: Mandatory FE workforce data collection window is closing on Friday 17 January 2025

The mandatory FE workforce data collection window will close Friday 17 January 2025. Thank you for all those who have already returned their data collection.

Make sure to submit all returns for your organisation by the above deadline.

The collection is separated into two parts, both of which are mandatory requirements:

• Staff level data: asking questions about members of staff, their contracts, and responsibilities.
• Provider level vacancy and recruitment data: asking questions about organisation’s vacancies and ability to fill them.

If you require help in completing the collection, contact the customer help centre or attend one of the provider surgeries we are running daily until the collection closes.

We will be publishing outcomes in 2025, for the benefits of providers and key stakeholders, such as Ofsted and sector representatives. You can find outcomes from previous collection round on the FE workforce GOV.UK page.

Thank you, this would not have been possible without your continued support.

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: RPA members only – School trips workshop

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