Correspondence

ESFA Update local authorities: 21 February 2024

Published 21 February 2024

Applies to England

1. Action: final opportunity to register to deliver T Levels and the T Level Foundation Year from the 2025 to 2026 academic year

This is the final opportunity for providers not currently delivering T Levels to register an interest to deliver T Levels in the 2025 to 2026 academic year. They can also receive implementation planning support. The registration portal will close at midnight on Friday 22 March 2024.

Providers will require a DfE sign-in account to register. Only providers not signed up to deliver T Levels already should apply. 

You can access the registration portal and supporting guidance on GOV.UK.

A new registration process will open on Monday 25 March 2024 and close on Friday 21 March 2025. This process is for those planning to start delivering T Levels from September 2026.

If you have a question about the registration process, or want to confirm you are registered, check the GOV.UK T Level provider list. Alternatively, contact the TLevel.Registration@education.gov.uk mailbox. 

Please quote your organisation’s name and UKPRN in the subject header.

2. Information: for local authorities opted into the national non-domestic rates (NNDR) centralised payment process who are not the billing authority

As specified in the ‘local authority dedicated schools grant (DSG) allocation’ section of the national non-domestic rates accounting guidance for local authorities who are not the billing authority but whose billing authority or billing authorities have implemented the NNDR central payment process, we will issue a remittance advice to show the DSG payment and balancing NNDR recovery for your accounts.

For claims we have received from billing authorities in April to December 2023, we will provide a remittance advice in February 2024. This will have no effect on the payments you have received, as the DSG payment and NNDR recovery lines will balance.

For claims we have received from billing authorities after December 2023, these transactions will show on a future remittance.

Where we have received backdated claims, you may see multiple lines on your remittance advice, with the year stated in the description. It is also possible that these amounts may differ from the ‘for information’ invoice you received from your billing authority. This is due to further in-year adjustments, and we advise you to contact your billing authority for a revised invoice for your accounts. As with other remittance advice, we will issue a separate email providing a breakdown by schools within your local authority.

3. Information: dedicated schools grant recoupment guide for 2024 to 2025

We have published details of the dedicated schools grant recoupment process for the 2024 to 2025 financial year.

4. Information: update on Tailored Learning

The 7 purpose types for Community Learning will remain in place for Tailored Learning from 2024 to 2025.

The planned hours field Individualised Learner Record (ILR) Specification 2024 to 2025: Field: planned hours (submit-learner-data.service.gov.uk) will be a collection requirement for Tailored Learning. For Tailored Learning, this field collects the planned timetabled hours for learning activities for the learning aim. This data of size of provision data will be used to inform future policy development.

Skills for Jobs: Implementing a new further education funding and accountability system

The Department for Education (DfE) announced we would be merging funding for non-regulated formula funded provision, community learning and the delivery of new employer-facing provision into Tailored Learning funding from 2024 to 2025. This will apply to Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) funded provision. We are updating the list of learning aims to reflect all Tailored Learning provision. 

These new aims will be published in early spring.

5. Information: maximum loan amounts for advanced learner loans

Following the DfE consultation Skills for Jobs: Implementing a new further education funding and accountability system we have considered the maximum loan amounts for advanced learner loans (ALLs) for academic year 2024 to 2025. Maximum loan amounts will remain unchanged for 2024 to 2025 – these can be found in the maximum loans amounts for ALL designated qualifications guidance.

This will ensure that learners are not discouraged from applying to higher priority courses which will have higher funding bands if we were to adopt the new Adult Skills Fund rates as the basis for loan amounts. For any further enquiries, please contact us via our enquiry form.

6. Information: free school business professional (SBP) webinars on Tuesday 27 February – spaces available

The Schools Commercial team is hosting a programme of free webinars on how using DfE approved frameworks could save you time and help your school get value for money.

The following webinars take place on Tuesday 27 February. Follow the links to find out more and book your place.

•  9:30am - Buying facilities management services for your school
• 11:00am - How the Get help buying for schools service can support your school buying
• 2:00pm - The risk protection arrangement (RPA) - an alternative to commercial insurance

Get help buying for schools turns 2 this month and celebrates supporting over 2,000 schools and trusts. Jane Davies, Head of Schools Commercial Operations at the DfE, reflects on what has been achieved so far, and the future aims of the service. Read Jane’s blog post.

7. Information: fraud awareness

Stop! Think Fraud.

ESFA is proud to support the government’s new National Campaign Against Fraud.

It has never been more important to know how to protect yourself against, and how to recognise attempts to defraud you and your school. Fraud is getting more sophisticated.

Fraud is the most common crime in the UK, accounting for almost 40% of all crime in England and Wales. Across just one year, 1 in 17 people in England and Wales were victims of fraud.

Stay ahead of scams. Visit gov.uk/stopthinkfraud and watch the latest campaign

https://youtu.be/GvdzZlV3HYQ