Correspondence

ESFA Update local authorities: 223 November 2022

Published 23 November 2022

This correspondence was withdrawn on 27 December 2023

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date.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. Action: Launch of Wave 5 T Level capital funding

This week we announced the next round of T Levels capital funding and opened the window for applications for Wave 5 of the Buildings and Facilities Improvement Grant.

This funding is for providers delivering T Levels in September 2024.

Wave 5 will make at least £150 million of capital funding available for T Levels providers, and is made up of two elements of funding:

• Specialist Equipment Allocation (SEA) – a one off payment for providers to purchase industry standard equipment for each new T Level route it offers. Providers do not need to apply for the SEA – they will automatically receive an allocation if they complete their T Level data collection return.
• Buildings and Facilities Improvement Grant (BFIG), a bid-based grant for providers to refurbish existing facilities or create new space to support T Level delivery.

Please do consider applying for the Buildings and Facilities Improvement Grant. You are eligible to apply if:

• You are registered to deliver T Levels in the 2024 to 2025 academic year
• You have not previously received capital for the T Level route and site that you are applying for.

The deadline for applications is at midday on Friday 3 February. Guidance for applicants including information on how to apply, in on GOV.UK. If you have questions on the fund, you can submit them via the application portal.

We will be running a webinar on the fund, which you can sign up to.

2. Reminder: R04 individualised learner record (ILR) data return

The R04 ILR data return closes on Tuesday 6 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 growth for the 2022 to 2023 funding year (subject to affordability)
• reconciling independent learning provider’s 16 to 19 ILR recorded delivery against funding allocations for 2022 to 2023 funding year
• calculating 16 to 19 funding allocations for 2023 to 2024 funding year
• 16 to 19 2022 to 2023 T Level reconciliation
• calculating the carry over costs for procured non-levy apprenticeship contracts for the 2023 to 2024 financial year
• supporting the calculation of 19+ funding allocations for the 2023 to 2024 funding year
• measuring the performance of your adult education budget, level 3 free courses for jobs offer, 16 to 18 traineeship (for providers without 16 to 19 funding) and 19 to 24 traineeship contract values as set out in the adult education budget (AEB) funding rules 2022 to 2023.

For further information on data submissions please refer to our ESFA - Online Documentation site and also our funding guidance for young people: ILR funding returns.

If you have any queries, please contact your territorial team lead or use the ESFA help centre.

3. Reminder: Teaching Regulation Agency – interested in becoming a teacher or lay panellist?

The Teacher Regulation, School Safeguarding and Safety policy team within the DfE is currently recruiting teacher and lay panellists to sit as members of the professional conduct panels. Panels are convened to hear and consider allegations of serious teacher misconduct and then determine whether to make a recommendation of teacher prohibition to the Secretary of State.

A panellist’s role helps to safeguard pupils, maintain public confidence in the teaching profession and uphold proper standards of conduct referred to as public interest.

More information on the vacancy and the deadline for applications can be found here.

4. Information: update to dedicated school grant (DSG) 2022 to 2023 allocations

We have now updated the financial year 2022 to 2023 DSG allocations on MyESF to reflect the latest academies recoupment and high needs deduction data.

5. Information: R03 release of data in the post-16 monitoring reports dashboard

We will release the first tranche of FRM reports into the post-16 monitoring reports dashboard on 24 November 2022. This is earlier than previous years as we want to support providers to identify any data queries early and in time to make necessary amendments in their R04 ILR return.

We have prioritised reports that lead to funding recoveries and/or relate to 16 to 19 learners (including T levels). The remaining reports will be published after the R04 data return. This will include reports covering advanced learner loans and apprenticeships.

Full details of the reports we are publishing at R03 are on the ESFA online forum communities.

6. Information: book a 1:1 chat to discuss your school’s buying needs – spaces available on 14 December

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. Simply click on ‘more options’ under the date and time on the Eventbrite page and choose your slot.

7. 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 continues with the webinars listed below. Click on the links to find out more and book your place:

• buying support services for your school – 29 November
• buying school building maintenance, extensions and refurbishment – 30 November
• buying cleaning services for your school through YPO – 1 December
• buying financial support to cover you for staff sickness or absence – 1 December
• buying electricity and mains gas for your school – 1 December

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

8. Information: keeping schools safe and secure

The risk protection arrangement (RPA) is an alternative to commercial insurance for schools. RPA aims to protect schools against losses due to any unforeseen and unexpected event.

Read our latest Buying for Schools blog post to find out about the targeted work that Russ Bland, Head of crime, fire and health and safety resilience for the Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA), and his team are doing, to keep schools with particular risks as safe and secure as possible.

9. Your feedback: have our say in wave 2 of the Working Lives of Teachers and Leaders survey in January 2023

We are launching the second wave of Working Lives of Teachers and Leaders survey from January 2022.

The survey is crucial in helping us to understand the experiences and views of teaching and leadership and this is an opportunity for you to share your lived experiences of teaching. Views from this second wave of the study allow for important comparisons to the previous wave to help us understand if there are any significant changes in teachers’ and leaders’ experiences.

The research is conducted by IFF Research and the Institute of Education (IoE), on behalf of DfE. It aims to collect robust evidence about the experiences of teachers, middle leaders, and senior leaders in England. Questions cover a range of topics about working life, from workload and wellbeing to career reflections and future ambitions.
Please look out for an invitation in the new year (invitations will be received by letter, email, or telephone from IFF Research).

The survey will remain open until Spring 2023. Participation is voluntary.

For more information about the survey – including participant anonymity, data linking, GDPR and other FAQs – please visit the survey website or contact workinglives.teachers-leaders@education.gov.uk.

10. Your feedback: 16 to 19 Bursary Fund survey

We are asking all 16 to 19 providers that have a Bursary Fund allocation from the Department for Education to complete our first survey for 5 years, so that we can see how the Fund (£144 million allocated in academic year 2022 to 2023) is being used.

You can access the survey here.
The information you provide will be used for research purposes only.  All your responses will be treated confidentially, and we are not collecting any personal details.

We would be very grateful if you could complete the survey by 10am on the 16 December 2022.

Thank you for taking the time to help us with this.