Correspondence

ESFA Update local authorities: 16 September 2020

Published 16 September 2020

This correspondence was withdrawn on 29 December 2021

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date.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

Applies to England

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. Action: Additional traineeships performance-management point

On 8 July, the Chancellor announced that the government will provide additional traineeships funding this year. As a result, we will be launching an additional performance-management review for 19 to 24 traineeships and the 16 to 18 traineeships with a standalone traineeship contract (without wider 16 to 19 mainstream funding) on 15 September.

We will increase allocations for current 16 to 18 traineeships with a standalone traineeship contract and 19 to 24 traineeships allocations in line with the AEB performance-management rules. You do not need to complete a request form if you currently deliver traineeships, we will calculate increases using a nationally consistent methodology taking into consideration your previous years delivery.

Providers with ESFA funded adult education budget who do not currently have a 19 to 24 traineeships allocation can request an allocation of up to £25,000 using the AEB request form. The deadline for requests is 29 September. You will not be able to request a 16 to18 traineeship allocation for the first time and more details will follow next month on a 16 to 18 traineeship market entry process.

Please note where you have a contract for service for ESFA funded AEB, these contracts will expire on 31 July 2021 and the contract will not be extended again. Providers who wish to deliver traineeships beyond 31 July 2021, when existing AEB Contracts for service will terminate, must bid through the traineeship procurement.

More details will follow later this month on the in-year growth process for traineeships delivered through mainstream 16 to19 funding.

3. Information: Reminder of business case deadline 30 September 2020: financial support for independent learning providers (ILPs) delivering 16 to 19 study programmes

In June, we published the criteria for ILPs delivering 16 to 19 study programmes who may be eligible for financial support. This is to support ILPs whose recruitment of 16 to 19 students has been affected because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

You should only submit a business case if you have received a subsidiary statement setting out the provisional ILR R10 value of the maximum possible relief available. The subsidiary statement is alongside the usual R10 reconciliation statement. We will update these statements at the R13 collection. If the reconciliation statement in Table 3.9 shows a zero value for coronavirus (COVID-19) relief no business case can be submitted.

To submit a business case, you should complete the template, and return it through the ESFA online enquiry form after the R13 reconciliation (between 23 and 30 September 2020).

4. Information: Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) management template

We have published the new DSG management template alongside supporting guidance. We have developed this in partnership with local authorities (LAs), their representatives and other stakeholders through user research groups in order to help LAs meet the requirements of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG): conditions of grant 2020 to 2021.

It enables LAs to monitor how DSG funding is being spent, compare data on high needs spend between LAs and form evidence-based future plans for the provision of children and young people with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) highlighting areas where you can review spending.

The template will be useful for LAs when discussing and sharing proposals with internal and external bodies, including schools forum (particularly any high needs working groups), SEND partnership, parent and carer forums and relevant council committees.

If you have any questions, please contact us via email at Financial.MANAGEMENT@education.gov.uk.

5. Information: National roll-out of the early career framework (ECF)

The Department for Education (DfE) is seeking national lead providers to develop and deliver the national roll-out of the early career framework (ECF). An invitation to tender launched on Monday 14 September 2020.

Lead providers will develop training programmes for both early career teachers and their mentors, to offer an ECF-based induction to early career teachers.

The training materials are expected to be based upon the core induction programmes.

Interested lead providers will need to register on the contracts finder service to apply for this opportunity.

6. Feedback: the 16 to 19 statement and supporting guidance

The Manage your education and skills funding service (MyESF) team are looking to speak to individuals that work with the 16 to 19 allocation statement.

We are particularly looking to increase representation from:

• Independent learning providers (ILPs)
• Local authorities
• Special education providers

This piece of research will be looking at user interaction with the 16-19 statement and its supporting guidance. The results will feed into the design of digital allocation statements. Participation is welcomed from new and experienced users.

What this would involve:

• We will invite you to an online remote meeting with a researcher
• A conversation about your experience and current behaviour of reading the 16 to 19
• Showing you our prototype for feedback on look and feel The session will last approximately 60-90 minutes and will give you the opportunity to provide feedback to government service designers.

To take part, please complete our 3-minute survey, and our researcher will be in touch to agree a meeting time to suit.