Correspondence

ESFA Update further education: 15 June 2022

Published 15 June 2022

This correspondence was withdrawn on 27 December 2023

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date. Read the latest editions of ESFA Update for the latest news and information.

Applies to England

1. Action: new subcontractor declaration window open, final collection for 2021 to 2022 including nil returns

Our final mandatory collection of subcontractor declarations for 2021 to 2022 is now open. The deadline for submitting declarations is Thursday 7 July 2022 by 5pm.In line with the funding rules, organisations delivering ESFA funded post-16 education and training programmes, including AEB, traineeships, apprenticeships, ESF and 16 to 19 programmes, must ensure they submit an updated declaration.

Organisations that subcontract 16 to 19 provision are reminded that they must declare subcontracting of employment, enrichment and pastoral (EEP) activity within their declaration. More information on declaring EEP related activity can be found in our published guidance on declaring subcontracting arrangements to ESFA.

All providers must declare their subcontracting arrangements for the period 1 August 2021 to 31 July 2022 through the Manage your education and skills funding service (MYESF). Please also note that if an organisation does not subcontract but receive direct funding from ESFA, they are still required to make a nil return.

The funding rules also state that if an organisation’s subcontracting arrangements change, then a declaration must be submitted. Therefore, if an organisation’s subcontracting arrangements change after the 7 July deadline, we expect an organisation to update their return.

An organisation will need one of the following MYESF roles to complete and submit a declaration:

• contract authoriser
• contract manager
• data returns and claims authoriser

You can check the user roles and permissions in MYESF.

If you have any questions, please submit an ESFA online enquiry form.

2. Reminder: funding rules for selection of the EPAO

We want to remind all stakeholders of the Employer’s responsibility to select the end-point assessment organisation (EPAO) and to negotiate the price within the funding band for assessment.

It is the Provider’s responsibility to contract with the EPAO selected by the Employer and to lead the relationship with the EPAO, including where the delivery of apprenticeship training is subcontracted.

Further information relating to these requirements can be found in the following paragraphs of the funding rules:

• employers: the following paragraphs, E180, E180.1, E180.2, E184
• providers: the following paragraphs, P163 and P164

3. Information: young people apprenticeship strategy – webinar for providers

We would like to invite apprenticeship training providers to join a webinar, to learn more about the Young People Apprenticeship Strategy, on one of the following dates:

• Tuesday 28 June (1pm to 2pm) - Register your interest
• Friday 01 July (1pm to 2pm) - Register your interest
• Tuesday 05 July (1pm to 2pm) - Register your interest

The young people apprenticeship strategy was developed at the start of 2022. The strategy supports the ministerial ambition to increase the number of young people undertaking apprenticeship opportunities. We previously spoke to apprenticeship training providers to understand any barriers in supporting young people to form the basis for the strategies development. We would now like to update you on the strategy and welcome conversation on how we can work together on its implementation.

The session will cover:

• Recap of the purpose of Young People Apprenticeship Strategy
• Planned actions proposed under the Strategy
• Opportunity for Q&A

Please complete the registration form, against your preferred date, to secure your place.

4. Information: additional funding for newly qualified teachers completing induction between summer 2021 and Spring 2022

We have now published the school level allocations for establishments which qualify for the additional funding for newly qualified teachers completing their second year of induction between summer 2021 and spring 2022.

The allocations are separated by pre-16 and post-16 establishments. We expect payments to be made to local authority maintained schools (via their respective local authorities) and academies before the end of the summer term.

For any further queries please contact: continuing-professional-development@digital.education.gov.uk.

5. Information: opportunity to participate in Academic Progression Programme

We would like to invite expressions of interest from providers of A Levels who wish to participate in a pilot Academic Progression Programme (APP).

The programme will provide support for post-16 students to access to A levels and other academic qualifications that will sit alongside A levels following the review of post-16 qualifications at level 3. It will be a type of 16-19 study programme for students who have narrowly missed the grades specified by institutions for entry to level 3 academic programmes but who have the potential to succeed with additional support.

Further details can be found in the supporting guidance, including information on components of the programme; what is expected of providers; and funding available to support the pilot.  This guidance and an Expression of Interest Form can be found on GOV.UK.

The deadline for submission is 11.59pm on 22 June 2022.

6. Information: 16 to 19 Bursary Fund

We have made an update to the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund rules about the annual checking of household income. This follows discussions with providers and recognises the administrative burden of handling large numbers of bursary applications in a short space of time, and our desire to maximise retention of students facing financial disadvantage.

We have also added some further clarification about use of the bursary fund in individual cases of severe hardship relating to food support.

Both changes are set out in more detail in the Bursary fund guide for the 2022 to 2023 academic year

7. Information: advice for schools in preparation for planned RMT Industrial Strike Action

Face to Face learning to continue during Rail Union RMT Industrial Strike Action OR Advice for schools in preparation for planned RMT Industrial Strike Action: 21, 23 and 25 June.

On 7 June 2022, Rail union RMT announced 3 days of national strike action across the railway network, which is planned to take place on 21, 23 and 25 June. The London Underground will strike on 21 June as part of a separate mandate.

Only a small proportion of children and young people across the country travel to school by train, but those that do may be understandably concerned about the impact the industrial action planned for next week - particularly if they are due to take exams that week.

We are extremely grateful for the work that education settings are putting in to ensure children and young people continue to receive high quality, face to face education and care. One of the biggest lessons we have learned from the pandemic is that the classroom is the best place for children and young people. Schools should deliver face-to-face learning where possible during the planned strike action, rather than default back to online learning. Children have been incredibly resilient these last few years and are bouncing back with the help of their teachers.

We know that schools and colleges will make every effort to ensure that examinations for all pupils go ahead as usual and, will draw on their existing contingency arrangements in place to manage any possible disruption, including late arrival of staff or students. If this might be difficult, schools and colleges should consult awarding organisations at the earliest opportunity.

Schools and colleges may wish to revisit the JCQ additional guidance.) for centres managing exams this summer, outlining existing flexibilities as well as changes to the normal rules for conducting examinations to support centres experiencing disruption. The guidance includes additional flexibility around invigilation numbers and published start times, which could be used if an invigilator is delayed by transport disruption.

Where students arrive late, exam centres should consult awarding organisations guidance on what to do. In most cases, centres should allow students to take the paper, and exam boards will determine whether that paper can be accepted.

For VTQs, centres should consult the guidance from their specific awarding organisation.

8. Your feedback: join a feedback session on ILR search and navigation

We are making improvements to the online Individualised Learner Records Documentation platform, to help us make the best decisions on those improvements, we are reaching out to people that use the ILR.

The feedback session is for half an hour and done remotely via a Teams meeting.

Please email to book a session.

9. Your feedback: FE workforce challenges survey

The Department for Education (DfE) is increasingly aware of workforce challenges faced by the FE sector. Over recent years, we have engaged extensively with the sector on the issues. We announced in the Skills for Jobs White Paper last year a set of measures aimed to help address these concerns.

However, we would like to continually understand the most up to date challenges and get a feel for how the measures set out in the White Paper are helping to address the challenges as well as learning more about good practice already being developed by the sector.

To gather a sector wide view, we have developed a short survey, that should take no longer than ten minutes to complete. This survey will enable us to see the national picture and identify any regional disparity of issues.

Your views on the themes raised through this short survey, combined with intel we gather from the workforce data collection later this year (collection opens 12 September 2022) will better enable us to target our resources and efforts towards the real pertinent issues affecting the sector. By completing this survey, you will be directly impacting the evidence base that underpins future policy direction.

We would be grateful if you/your leadership team could formulate a provider level response by 19 July 2022. As with all surveys, the more responses we receive, the more powerful the conclusions will be.

10. Your feedback: user survey for the post-16 monitoring reports dashboard

All post-16 providers and MCAs/GLA can give feedback on the post-16 monitoring reports dashboard or from the dashboard landing page until the 24 June 2022 so take a moment to tell us what’s working and suggest changes that may make your dashboard experience even better.

Following last year’s feedback, we added the category ‘Employer provider’ to the VYED sign in page, simplified graphical and tabular displays, and incorporated the Known Issues log.

This is your opportunity to tell us how you find your way around the funding monitoring reports and guidance, manage to download and filter data, and how useful the graphs and tables are.

So far, we’ve received wide ranging feedback and would like to encourage providers to perhaps consult their colleagues, view the dashboard together, consider their answers carefully and submit a team reply.