Correspondence

ESFA Update academies: 24 February 2021

Published 24 February 2021

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This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date.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.

Applies to England

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-update-24-february-2021/esfa-update-academies-24-february-2021

1. Latest information on coronavirus (COVID-19)

The Department for Education has published guidance about COVID-19 in educational settings for staff, parents and carers, pupils and students on GOV.UK.

Please check GOV.UK regularly for updates.

2. Action: submit your school resource management self-assessment tool checklist

The online form for the school resource management self-assessment tool is now open for academy trusts to complete and return their checklist by Thursday 15 April 2021. 

All academy trusts with open academies as at 31 December 2020 must submit the checklist return.

Please do not use your DfE sign-in or IDAMS registration details. They will not work with this form.

If you have used this type of online form before (for example, the last time you submitted the checklist return or for the academies accounts submission cover sheet) you can log in using the same details.

You can also “sign up” to create a new password for the checklist return.

3. Information: funding allocation statements for 2021 to 2022

We are on track to upload pre-16 and 16 to 19 allocation statements for academies that opened before or on 1 January 2021 by the end of March 2021.

We have published the academy general annual grant allocation guidance and 16 to 19 allocation guidance to help you understand your statement.

You will find your statements on ESFA Information Exchange in the Document Exchange ‘revenue funding’ folder, under ‘AY 2021-22 (2021/22)’. Your allocation includes a breakdown of our calculation.

4. Information: coronavirus (COVID-19) catch-up premium, second payment

The second payment of the coronavirus (COVID-19) catch-up premium will be delivered to local authorities on 26 February and to academies on 8 March 2021.

You can access the allocation tables and conditions of grant for the coronavirus (COVID-19) catch-up premium.

5. Information: free school meals supplementary grant 2020 to 2021

We have published the conditions of grant and allocations for the free school meals supplementary grant for 2020 to 2021.

6. Information: in-year growth for traineeships delivered through 16 to 18 mainstream contracts

We have now increased the in-year growth cap for traineeships delivered through 16 to 18 mainstream contracts, to allow these providers to deliver further traineeships in the 2020 to 2021 academic year with the guarantee that these will be funded, subject to delivery against allocation.

From R06, the growth cap is doubled so that it is now double the baseline, with a minimum of 40 students (£200,000 for independent learning providers) and a maximum of 200 students (£1,000,000 for independent learning providers).

7. Information: RPA members – managing stress and mental health workshops

Willis Towers Watson is providing risk management support for all RPA members through audit, guidance and advice. As part of the risk management support RPA members are invited to a Managing Stress and Mental Health workshop which will help you to:

  • understand stress and mental health to help you manage yourself and support your people through COVID-19 and beyond
  • develop a sustainable stress management strategy and achieve compliance with regulatory requirements

7.1 Who should attend?

This workshop will be useful for those with:

  • line management responsibilities for the management of employees (this could include the SLT and departmental heads)
  • responsibility for health and safety and HR

Benefits of attending

  • Boosts knowledge and confidence when dealing with stress and mental health issues
  • Enables you to recognise signs of stress/poor mental health and intervene early before escalating to illness and lost time
  • Helps you manage risk and achieve compliance with regulatory requirements to assess the risk of harm to your workforce

8. Information: teaching school hubs (TSH)

On 10 February 2021, the Department published a list of successful teaching school hubs. These 81 new TSH will be rolled out in addition to the six existing test & learn TSH who were appointed in January 2020, giving nationwide coverage.

All schools in England will now have access to a local centre of excellence for teacher training.

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