ESFA Update local authorities: 24 November 2021
Published 24 November 2021
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2021
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-update-24-november-2021/esfa-update-local-authorities-24-november-2021
1. Action: join these webinars on approved frameworks and see how you could save money for your school
The Department for Education is hosting webinars on how using our approved frameworks could help your school get value for money.
If you are responsible for buying goods and services for your schools check out the range of informative webinars that could help you save time and money.
All sessions are free, use the below Eventbrite links to join the Schools Commercial Team and take the opportunity to ask providers the questions you may have about legal services, energy and cyber security.
- Legal Services – 8 December 2021
- Energy – multiple dates
- Cyber security - 9 December 2021
- Risk Protection Arrangement – multiple dates
For the latest on our wide range of webinars, check out the events tab on our Buying for schools LinkedIn page.
2. Reminder: changes to payment history in Manage your education and skills funding
The old interface for viewing payment history in Manage your education and skills funding will no longer be available from Thursday 9 December.
To continue to see your payment history via the new interface, please ensure you have requested the role of Payments Viewer in IDAMS by Thursday 9 December.
If you miss this deadline, you will still be able to request the Payments Viewer role but you will not able to see your payment history until the request has been actioned.
3. Reminder: R04 individualised learner record (ILR) data return
The R04 ILR data return closes on Monday 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 2021 to 2022 funding year (subject to affordability)
- reconciling independent learning provider’s 16 to 19 ILR recorded delivery against funding allocations for 2021 to 2022 funding year
- calculating 16 to 19 funding allocations for 2022 to 2023 funding year
- calculating the carry over costs for procured non-levy apprenticeship contracts for the 2022 to 2023 financial year
- supporting the calculation of 19+ funding allocations for the 2022 to 2023 funding year
- measuring the performance of your adult education budget, 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 2021 to 2022
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.
4. Information: 2020 to 2021 and 2021 to 2022 dedicated schools grant (DSG) allocations
We have updated the 2021 to 2022 DSG funding allocations which show how much funding each local authority will receive, and how that funding has been calculated. This reflects the latest academies recoupment data, including academy conversions as at 1 October 2021.
We have finalised the early years block allocations for 2020 to 2021 based on the early years funding guidance for local authorities: spring term 2021.
An early years pupil number tool shows the details of the pupil numbers used for the final allocation.
5. Information: ESFA funded adult education budget performance management review 2021 to 2022
We will shortly be conducting a performance review for ESFA Funded adult education budget (AEB). All Providers will have the opportunity to request an exceptional case for growth 19 to 24 traineeships, ESFA national skills fund and 16 to 18 traineeships.
Grant providers with an AEB Contract can raise a first time request for 19 to 24 traineeships, an ESFA funded national skills fund allocation up to the value of £45,000, or top up a current value if below £45,000.
Contract for Services providers can request a top up increase to an existing 19 to 24 traineeships, ESFA funded national skills fund allocation and 16 to 18 traineeships if it is below £45,000. Contract for Services providers can also raise an exceptional request for exemptions from auto reduction.
The request form and further details can be found on the AEB performance management requests page on GOV.UK. The deadline for submission is 5pm on 7 December 2021.
If you have any queries about this process, please contact your territorial team lead.
6. Information: 2020 to 2021 final reconciliation statements
Thank you for submitting your 2020 to 2021 final funding claim.
Reconciliation statements will be available for you to view on Manage your education skills and funding by the end of November 2021. This will set out the final position for the 2020 to 2021 funding year and inform the funding that is required to repay (if applicable) or over delivery funding that we will pay.
We will be contacting providers who submitted a business case for adult education budget (AEB) on the next steps required depending upon the outcomes of the process.
Final Reconciliation Statements are published following submission of a final funding claim for the following funding streams:
- ESFA AEB – adult skills and community learning – grant-funded
- ESFA AEB – covid skills offer – grant funded
- ESFA AEB – 19 to 24 traineeships – grant funded
- ESFA AEB – adult skills learner support – paid-on-profile (AEB procured)
- ESFA AEB – 19 to 24 traineeships learner support – paid on profile (procured)
- advanced learner loans bursary (ALLB) – grant-funded
If you are required to repay funds back to us, we will schedule those repayments from December 2021.
7. Information: School and College security guidance
Following the two confirmed terrorist incidents in the past month, the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) have increased the national threat level from ‘Substantial’ to ‘Severe’. Whilst it should be noted that there is no credible threat to the education sector, education settings may wish to review their security policies following these incidents.
The non-statutory School and College Security Guidance includes a range of helpful security guidance and advice covering a range of security risks to help settings review their security policies.
8. Information: statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms
On Friday 19 November the Department for Education published new statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms. The new guidance is available on GOV.UK.
School uniform should never be a burden for parents or a barrier to pupils accessing education. This guidance means that schools will have a legal duty to take steps to keep uniform costs down.
The guidance requires schools to think holistically about the cost of their school uniform and so covers a range of issues including branded items, supplier arrangements, and second-hand uniform. The guidance also sets out when schools are expected to implement the changes required.
The Department has also updated the wider non-statutory advice on developing and implementing a school uniform policy.
The Department has also produced a resource aimed at parents to help explain some of the key changes. Schools are invited to share this with their parents.
9. Information: have your say in the The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education’s (IfATE) stakeholder survey 2021
IfATE’s short but sweet stakeholder survey for 2021 has launched.
Each year the Institute runs this survey to get feedback about our work. The insights from this survey help us to plan future projects and gives us an understanding of our customers views.
Our 2021 survey has now opened (from 1 November)! We have worked hard to make sure the results will provide lots of useful feedback to inform our future work – but also prioritised ensuring it is quick and easy to complete.
The survey is open until 11.59pm on 12 December and will take no more than 5 to 10 minutes to complete.
Thank you for supporting us with this. We wouldn’t be able to do our work without your help and insights.
If you have any questions about the survey or trouble completing it, please email enquiries.ifa@education.gov.uk for support.