Correspondence

ESFA Update academies: 20 October 2021

Published 20 October 2021

This correspondence was withdrawn on 23 December 2022

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date.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. Information: guide to submitting your audited financial statements

We’ve published our guide to submitting your audited financial statements for 2020 to 2021. You should read the guide before completing the online form and uploading your documents.

You must upload your audited financial statements, auditor’s management letter and your internal scrutiny annual summary report within the accounts submission coversheet (ASC).

All academy trusts that had a signed funding agreement and had an open academy at any point during the accounting period to 31 August 2021, must submit audited accounts (annual report, financial statements, auditor’s management letter and internal scrutiny annual summary report) to ESFA. This includes free schools, studio schools and university technical colleges (UTCs). The deadline for submitting accounts is 31 December 2021.

Please do not use your DfE sign-in or IDAMS registration details to access the accounts submission coversheet online form. They will not work with this form.

If you have used this type of online form before (for example, the last time you submitted your ASC or the schools resource management self-assessment tool checklist), you can log in using the same details. You can also “sign up” to create a new password for the ASC.

2. Information: academies accounts return 2020/21 guidance and resources

We have published guidance and resources to support trusts completing their academies accounts return (AAR) 2020/21.

This includes:

• guidance documents to help complete the form
• guidance on providing pensions information
• tutorial videos on navigation around the form, validations, the questionnaire at the beginning of the form and benchmarking
• the schedule for MS Teams dial-ins and web chat.

The deadline for submitting the AAR is Tuesday 25 January 2022.

3. Information: a recording of the latest academy finance professionals “Power Hour” is available

Thank you to all who joined the “Condition Improvement Fund - CIF” Power Hour. If you were unable to attend the live event a recording is now available to watch.

We value your feedback to help shape future events. Please take a minute to complete the feedback form.

If you have any suggestions for future events, please contact us at: FD.FORUM@education.gov.uk.

4. Information: 16 to 19 and adult revenue funding allocations for 2021 to 2022

We have published the 16 to 19 revenue funding allocations for academic year 2021 to 2022 on GOV.UK.

The publication covers schools, academies and further education institutions funded by ESFA for 16 to 19 year olds and 19 to 25 year olds with an education, health and care (EHC) plan.

We have also published the adult, apprenticeship and traineeship funding allocations for academic year 2021 to 2022 for training providers.

The publication covers the funding values for colleges, training organisations and employers with an adult education budget, apprenticeship, advanced learner loan or traineeship contract for 2021 to 2022.

We publish both sets of allocations data annually in the interests of transparency.

5. Information: is your school looking to replace or renew its heating system – you could save time and money

Come along on 7 November 2021 for an opportunity to find out more about the DfE approved Fusion21- Heating systems and renewable technology framework. This joint DfE and Fusion21 webinar will provide an opportunity to ask the experts questions.

Register for free via Eventbrite.

For the latest on our wide range of webinars, check out the events tab on our Buying for schools LinkedIn page.

6. Information: join our Legal Services webinar and find out how you could save time and money

Don’t miss this opportunity to find out more about the DfE approved CPC Legal Services framework. Come along to one of the DfE and CPC webinars. All sessions are free with multiple dates available. You’ll learn more about the legal advice and services available including academy conversion and post conversion, construction and estate management, Health & Safety and much more.

To register and for more information visit out Eventbrite page.

For the latest on our wide range of webinars, check out the events tab on our Buying for schools LinkedIn page.

7. Reminder: Behaviour Hubs Lead school application window open until 31 October

Funded by the Department for Education (DfE), the Behaviour Hubs programme pairs schools and multi-academy trusts (MATs) with exemplary behaviour practices, called lead schools or MATs, with Partner schools or MATs who want and need to improve pupil behaviour.

Lead schools benefit from the opportunity to network with other excellent schools, consider their own staff’s professional development, and be recognised nationally as a beacon of exemplary behaviour.

The deadline for the current Lead school application period is midnight on 31 October 2021. The application form and guidance information can be found on GOV.UK.

If your school or Trust is interested in applying, you can find more information about the programme in the Behaviour Hubs brochure. For any other questions, please contact the team by emailing behaviourhubs@educationdevelopmenttrust.com.

8. Reminder: it’s Charity Fraud Awareness Week

Don’t forget, this week is Charity Fraud Awareness Week 2021.

During the week you’ll be able to access top tips and detailed advice via a range of campaign resources, from help sheets to webinars – on timely topics such as fighting grant or fundraising fraud to managing cyber-attacks; all hosted on a handy new information portal.

Charities are also encouraged to sign up to a Stop Fraud Pledge and make a public commitment to tackling fraud in their charities and you can sign up online.