Correspondence

ESFA Update academies: 21 September 2022

Published 21 September 2022

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This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date.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

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1. Action: extension of the school-led tutoring year-end statement to 30 September 2022

The deadline to submit your year-end statement is now 6:00pm on Friday, 30 September 2022. This includes an extension of 2 weeks following the mourning period for Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

This is a mandatory return. You need to complete this form if your institution received school-led tutoring funding in the 2021 to 2022 academic year, even if you have not used it.

Failure to submit your form will result in full recovery of your school-led tutoring grant by ESFA.

The schools and academies form can be accessed here.

We have published technical and policy guidance (which includes frequently asked questions and scenarios). We strongly encourage you to watch this tutorial video which shows how to complete the form.

We also recommend that you sense check your responses before submitting the year-end statement. For example:

  • double check you have put the correct figures in the relevant boxes – we ask you to submit the total spend on tutoring and the total number of tutoring hours delivered. Please ensure you do not enter the same figure for both (unless your spend and hours delivered were equal)
  • check how much you spent on school-led tutoring – your total spend should include both the funding we provided and your school’s contribution. If you used all your funding from DfE, the amount you enter will be higher than your school’s allocation

You can read more about the school-led tutoring grant on GOV.UK.

2. Action: participate in the National Tutoring Programme (NTP) data collection pilot

As we enhance and improve the delivery of the NTP, we are working with ImpactEd to pilot a digital platform that schools can use to upload and link tutoring data within their settings to data automatically drawn from their Management Information Systems and other information (such as children’s characteristics, attainment, attendance and wellbeing).

The pilot is free of charge and will last 10 weeks during the autumn and spring terms.

As well as the ability to link your tutoring data to other data held in your MIS and analyse it over the course of the pilot, our ambition is that in the longer term the outcomes of this pilot can help to inform more streamlined, automated, and user-friendly data collections for schools and more valuable analysis of tutoring and other interventions.

We are looking for volunteers to participate in the pilot to help shape how DfE collects data from schools in the future and to help us to understand what information schools find valuable in return. You will receive full support and training on how to use the platform.

Schools currently delivering tutoring, or planning to do so this term, can join the pilot by completing a registration form before Friday 7 October. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-serve basis.

Read our FAQs to find out more.

3. Information: Energy Bill Relief Scheme

The Government has outlined plans for the new Energy Bill Relief Scheme, which will give early years settings, schools, colleges, and universities a discount on wholesale gas and electricity prices.

This will automatically be applied to bills for energy usage between 1 October 2022 and 31 March 2023.

Read more information from the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy.

4. Information: updated school resource management self-assessment checklist (SRMSAC) guidance and submission information for 2022 to 2023

We have published updated guidance for the 2022 to 2023 school resource management self-assessment checklist (SRMSAC) . This guidance helps academy trusts check they are managing resources effectively and identify any adjustments they need to make, and to complete the SRMSAC submission.

Updates to the 2022 to 2023 SRMSAC are outlined in the guidance. In summary, the checklist includes one new question regarding estate management. Guidance has been updated to detail how schools can use the Department’s Get Help Buying for Schools service and good estate management for schools’ advice.

For the financial year 2022 to 2023, academy trusts should submit their SRMSAC no later than Wednesday 15 March 2023. Returns will need to be submitted using an online form, 2022 to 2023 version of which will go live in January 2023. We will let academy trusts know when this goes live.

5. Information: academies national non-domestic rates (NNDR) historical claims for unclaimed years

This message is for all academies in relation to NNDR.

Academies can submit historic claims for previously unclaimed years. This applies to financial years 2017 to 2018 up until 2021 to 2022, which have not been claimed for.

Claims can be submitted on the academies NNDR service.

Claims can be submitted up until Tuesday 31 January 2023. We will not accept claims for previously unclaimed years after this deadline.

6. Information: academies national non-domestic rates (NNDR) new claims for 2022 to 2023

This message is for academies opted out of the new NNDR process. You can check if you still need to submit your own NNDR claim.

Academies that remain under the current NNDR arrangements because their billing authority has decided to not implement the new payment process for April 2022, should submit new claims for 2022 to 2023 by Tuesday 31 January 2023.

Claims can be submitted on the academies NNDR service.

We will not accept new claims after this deadline.

7. Information: academies national non-domestic rates (NNDR) adjustments to previous claims

This message is for all academies in relation to NNDR.

All academies and trusts can adjust previously paid NNDR claims for 2017 to 2018 to 2021 to 2022 using the academies NNDR service.

Claims can be submitted up until Tuesday 31 January 2023.

We will not accept adjustment claims after this deadline.

8. Information: National Tutoring Programme: 2022 to 2023 tutoring guidance and webinars for schools

Following feedback from school leaders and stakeholders, the NTP has been simplified for the 2022 to 2023 academic year. The refreshed programme provides schools with NTP funding directly and the freedom to decide how best to offer targeted academic support to their pupils.

DfE is hosting 2 webinars to share information with schools on how tutoring could benefit your pupils. The webinars will include guests from NTP’s new delivery partners, Cognition Education and Education Development Trust, who will be able to answer questions about academic mentors and training for tutors.

Please register using one of the links below – the content of the webinars is the same on both days:

9. Information: book an informal 1:1 to discuss your school’s buying needs on 23 September

Schools Commercial Team are offering the opportunity for a free virtual 1:1 conversation with a member of the team to see how we can support you. You can speak to us about anything you like to help you make informed buying choices for your school.

There is no pressure or obligation to take any of our recommendations forward following the conversation. Book your 1:1 conversation now.

10. Information: join these webinars on approved frameworks and see how you could save money for your school

Are you responsible for buying goods and services for your school? The Schools Commercial Team (SCT) within the Department for Education is leading on the Buying for Schools programme; delivering services to support schools to buy goods and services.

The team are hosting free webinars on how using our approved frameworks could save you time and help your school get value for money. Our autumn programme begins week commencing 26 September with the webinars listed below.

You can find the full programme of webinars for the autumn term on the autumn 2022 webinar page. Visit the page to find out more and book your place.

11. Information: RPA members – Crime, Fire Safety and H&S Resilience webinar for all RPA members

It is important we keep our pupils safe in school.

This session is free for all RPA members to find out more about risk assessments to enable your school to identify internal and external security risks and how schools are identified, evaluated, and selected for RPA funding for physical risk mitigation measures.

You will have the opportunity to ask our Security, Health & Safety and Fire Safety specialists any questions you may have.

You can find the full programme of webinars for the autumn term on the autumn 2022 webinar page. Visit the page to find out more and book your place.

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