ESFA Update further education: 21 September 2022
Published 21 September 2022
Applies to England
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-update-21-september-2022/esfa-update-further-education-21-september-2022
1. Reminder: higher education learning aim requests
The deadline for submitting new higher education learning aim requests for the 2021 to 2022 academic year is Friday 23 September 2022.
Requests made after this date will not be available for your final R14 (2021 to 2022) ILR data submission.
Higher education learning aim request due date explains how to submit a request for a new learning aim to be added to Find a learning aim.
2. Information: further education (FE) workforce data collection
The FE Workforce data collection for the 2021 to 2022 academic year is now open and will close on Friday 25 November 2022.
Whilst last year’s collections were voluntary, all collections this year, staff, vacancy and recruitment and governor, are mandatory for the organisations in scope for each collection.
Providers can now submit their staff data via the XML file upload process.
The online form is available for providers to submit their vacancy and recruitment data.
The online form is available for FE and sixth form colleges to submit their governor data.
The updated online form for providers to submit their staff data will be available from Monday 3 October.
A new version of the Staff Data Desktop Application will be available from Monday 10 October. All guidance documents have been published on GOV.UK.
3. Information: designation of employer representative bodies (ERBs) for local skills improvement plans (LSIPs)
On 5 September, the Secretary of State designated employer representative bodies (ERBs) to lead the development and review of a Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) for local specified areas. This follows an expression of interest process that was launched in May 2022. More information is on the designated employer representative bodies page.
The department is introducing LSIPs to give employers a stronger voice in shaping local skills provision, working closely with providers, and engaging effectively with local leaders and other stakeholders. The aim is to forge a stronger and more dynamic partnership between employers and providers that will enable provision to support learners’ interests by being more responsive to skills needs of local labour markets, whilst ensuring providers continue to meet their fiduciary duties.
The national roll out of LSIPs is underpinned by duties on providers and the Secretary of State outlined in the Skills and Post-16 Education Act (2022) Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022. Providers including Further Education (FE) Colleges (and designated institutions), Sixth Form Colleges, Independent Training Providers and Higher Education Institutions will need to cooperate with the employer representative body developing and reviewing the LSIP. Once the LSIP is produced they will need to have due regard to it in developing provision.
Initial statutory guidance for the development and review of LSIPs, which took account of learning from the trailblazers, was published 1 August 2022 and will be updated in Autumn 2022 local skills improvement plans.
4. Information: updates to the post-16 audit code of practice 2021 to 2022
We have released an updated version of the post-16 audit code of practice for the year 2021 to 2022.
The update relates to a clarification concerning the reporting of any propriety exceptions arising from the reporting accountant’s regularity engagement.
We have also provided further details on how any actual or suspected cases of significant fraud, including cybercrime, should be reported.
If relevant to your role and/or business, please read the document so you are familiar with the changes.
5. Information: update from the Office for Students on higher education data collected in the ILR
The Office for Students has now made available its data checking tool for 2021 to 2022 individualised learner record (ILR) R14 data. The tool provides outputs designed to improve the quality of your final ILR data submission. The OfS regards engagement with the tool as an essential part of providers’ data quality processes.
More information about the process can be found on their website.
The Office for Students will not use FUNDCOMP data submitted in 2022 to 2023 ILR returns for funding or data assurance purposes. Further information can be found in their publication ‘Changes to 2022 student data surveys to inform funding: Notification of changes’.
If you have any queries please email ilrdata@officeforstudents.org.uk.
6. Information: Market Engagement for Adult Education Budget Procurement
The Department for Education is hosting two Market Engagement events during week commencing 26 September to talk to suppliers that would be interested in delivering adult education, to support the development of any potential future procurement exercise for ESFA Adult Education Budget contracts for services. For further details, including information on how to register for these events please use the following link: Adult Education Budget Early Supplier Engagement - Contracts Finder.
Please note that these are exploratory events and will not commit us to procuring or procuring services in specific ways.
7. Information: earnings adjustment statement (EAS)
We have published guidance for submitting EAS in the 2022 to 2023 funding year.
You can:
- use the EAS to adjust your funding from ESFA or from devolved authorities
- access the guidance and supporting documents, including a template CSV file and validation rules, to help you with your return