ESFA Update local authorities: 23 October 2019
Published 23 October 2019
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2019
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-update-23-october-2019/esfa-update-local-authorities-23-october-2019
1. Action: local authority return about 16 to 19 infrastructure changes
We have contacted local authorities this week about returning details of any 16 to 19 infrastructure changes for the academic year 2020 to 2021. The deadline is Friday 29 November 2019. This includes details of any:
- new school sixth forms
- closing school sixth forms
- phased closure of sixth forms
- mergers between existing school sixth forms
Do not wait until the deadline, make your return now. All returns, including nil returns, must be made through the Manage your education and skills funding service.
2. Reminder: autumn school census deadline
The deadline for approved submissions for the autumn school census 2019 is Wednesday 30 October 2019.
Please make sure that you check your data before submitting your census return.
More information on how to use COLLECT is available in user guides while our interactive post-16 census tool can help you return accurate 16 to 19 data.
3. Information: interest free loans to fund energy saving projects
Salix Finance is available to help you upgrade to more efficient technology such as LED lighting, new boilers or insulation, to improve the learning environment, reduce emissions and save money.
There are no up-front costs and the interest free loan is repaid through savings made on your energy bills. Salix Finance, is a government funded organisation available to maintained schools, academies, free schools and sixth form colleges.
For further information visit the Salix website or contact schoolsapplication@salixfinance.co.uk.
4. Information: schools financial benchmarking tool updated for maintained schools
A new release of the schools financial benchmarking tool was made on Thursday 17 October. This release includes local authority maintained school spending data, updated for the 2018 to 2019 financial year.
5. Information: 16 to 19 local authorities grant return and use of funds statement; process for 2018 to 2019
We sent an email to all local authority (LA) chief financial officers copied to chief executives on 17 October 2019, highlighting the process for LAs to submit their 16 to 19 LA grant return and use of funds statement for 2018 to 2019.
We require LAs to upload a CFO signed grant return and use of funds statement to the ESFA Information Exchange by 31 October 2019. We have published detailed guidance on GOV.UK.
6. Information: schools funding 2020 to 2021
We recently wrote to all local authorities to let you know we have published the national funding formula (NFF) provisional allocations for schools, high needs, and central school services, for 2020 to 2021.
We have now also published technical notes, which set out how we have calculated the allocations.
You can also find guidance for schools on accessing their illustrative allocations via the COLLECT system in the ‘National funding formula illustrative allocations – supplementary guidance’.
7. Information: new funding reports guidance
We have published version 1 of the guidance on the 2019 to 2020 ILR funding reports. This guidance for young people and adult programmes covers:
- 16 to 19 (excluding apprenticeships)
- adult education budget (devolved and non-devolved)
- all apprenticeships
- European Social Fund
- Advanced Learner Loans bursary
- Community Learning
The key changes from last year’s reports are:
- added ‘Devolved Adult Education Funding Summary Report’ and the ‘Devolved Adult Education Occupancy Report’
- adult funding line types have been introduced
- ESF Round 1 reports will no longer be produced following the end of ESF Round 1 contracts in April 2019
- removal of the ‘Beta Apps Co-Investment Contributions Report’ and the ‘Career Learning Pilot Occupancy Report’
8. Information: 16 to 19 revenue funding allocations for 2019 to 2020
Yesterday we published the 16 to 19 revenue funding allocations for academic year 2019 to 2020.
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 plan.
We publish 16 to 19 allocations data annually in the interests of transparency.