ESFA Update further education: 2 December 2020
Published 2 December 2020
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2020
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-update-2-december-2020/esfa-update-further-education-2-december-2020
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.
There is also guidance on the apprenticeship service about COVID-19.
Please check GOV.UK regularly for updates.
2. Reminder: new providers applying for the industry placements - Capacity and Delivery Fund (CDF) from the 2021 to 2022 academic year
On 10 November, we published guidance for the delivery of industry placements – Capacity and Delivery Fund (CDF) from the 2021 to 2022 academic year. This guidance also includes information on how providers not currently in receipt of CDF can apply for funding. For the 2021 to 2022 academic year, there is no minimum Ofsted grade threshold for applicants, which means that any providers delivering vocational and technical qualifications will be able to apply.
The window for applications for the delivery of CDF from the 2021 to 2022 academic year closes at midnight on Tuesday 8 December 2020.
CDF was introduced to enable providers to build capacity and capability in preparation for the delivery of T Level style industry placements. As T Level delivery increases over the next three years, industry placements delivered through CDF will be gradually phased out. The guidance explains in full the delivery arrangements for CDF for the 2021 to 2022 academic year, and how and when the fund will be wound down as placements start to be delivered and funded within the T Levels instead of alongside existing qualifications.
3. Reminder: R04 individualised learner record (ILR) data return
The R04 ILR data return closes on Friday 4 December. It is important that you submit accurate and timely data.
We use your R04 data return in several ways, including:
- calculating 16 to 19 funding allocations and growth for the 2021 to 2022 funding year
- calculating the carry over costs for procured non-levy apprenticeship contracts for the 2021 to 2022 financial year
- supporting the calculation of 19+ funding allocations for the 2021 to 2022 funding year
- measuring the performance of your adult education budget (contract for services), 16 to 18 traineeship (for providers without 16 to 19 funding) and 19 to 24 traineeship contract value as set out in the adult education budget funding and performance-management rules
For further information on data submissions please refer to our individualised learner record (ILR) guidance and also our funding guidance for young people: ILR funding returns.
If you have any queries, please contact your territorial team lead.
4. Information: finance record for colleges
ESFA has launched an updated version of the finance record for colleges on GOV.UK for colleges to complete and return to ESFA together with the audited annual report and accounts.
This new finance record is a two-year return combining the financial outturn for the year 2019 to 2020 and the budget forecast for the year 2020 to 2021.
To accompany this new finance record, ESFA has also published an updated version of the College Financial Planning Handbook which provides guidance on how the finance record should be completed as well as some minor changes to our approach to assessing and moderating college financial health.
The deadline for submission of the finance record is the same as that for the audited annual report and accounts, 31 January 2021.
5. Information: updated version of the college accounts direction
ESFA has published a second version of the college accounts direction 2019 to 2020 setting out the financial reporting requirements for sixth-form and further education colleges.
This second edition recognises the new two-year finance record for colleges and the extended deadline of 31 January 2021 for submission of college accounts.
6. Information: update to the published high needs student and pupil numbers for 2019 to 2020
We have updated the high needs student and pupil numbers: 2019 to 2020 academic year workbook to reflect the high needs student numbers recorded in the 2019 to 2020 ILR R14 data return. The workbook now includes pupil and place numbers for:
- further education colleges
- Independent Learning Providers
- 16 to 19 academies
- 16 to 19 free schools
- special post-16 institutions
- special academies
- special free schools
You can use the high needs student and pupil numbers recorded in the ILR and school census to inform local discussion about commissioning arrangements for 2021 to 2022.
7. Reminder: college board reviews
Might your college’s governing board benefit from a free board review?
The Department for Education (DfE) is currently testing the impact of providing bespoke governor recruitment services and board reviews to selected colleges, via Peridot and ETF respectively.
Whilst there is little room for further referrals for recruitment services, there are still opportunities for colleges to receive free board reviews where a particular need has been identified.
We are keen to ensure that as many colleges as possible benefit from the ETF board review service.: The Further Education Commissioner teams, and ESFA’s Territorial teams will continue to assess whether reviews would be helpful for colleges with whom they are in touch, but colleges may also make their own case for a referral.
If you would like to seek a referral for your college, please email the policy team at GovernancePilots.FECOLLEGES@education.gov.uk to explain the factors that should be taken into account as requests are prioritised.
These factors might include:
- a recent self-assessment which indicates the need for a thorough review,
- a recent change in leadership,
- a period of structural change, or
- other new challenges which require the college to take stock
8. Information: introducing ‘Analyse FE Data (AFED)’, a new tool to see your data post-ILR submission
You told us of several frustrations with what happens during and after submission of your ILR. One being that it’s hard to keep track of how you’re performing using data in a simple and connected way.
Another is the time and effort involved maintaining good quality data, as this can affect your funding when it’s wrong.
These, among others, were discovered during research with providers. We set about addressing these issues by developing AFED to show some of your most important data, all in one place and suitable for data specialists and non-specialists alike.
To use AFED, you will need an IDAMS account. Visit view your education data to request one.
We will be launching AFED on Thursday 17 December. The first release will focus on analysis of your learner data, with future releases covering funding, compliance and benchmarking.