Correspondence

ESFA Update further education: 25 November 2020

Published 25 November 2020

This correspondence was withdrawn on 29 December 2021

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date. Read the latest editions of ESFA Update for up to date news and information.

Applies to England

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.

There is also guidance on the apprenticeship service about COVID-19.

Please check GOV.UK regularly for updates.

2. Action: give your feedback on the apprenticeship landscape

The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (the Institute) has launched its annual stakeholder engagement survey to gather views on their work over the last 12 months.

This is asking all the Institute’s stakeholders like apprentices, employers, training providers, end point assessment organisations and higher education institutions what experiences they have had when dealing with the Institute.

The survey will be open for four weeks and will close on Wednesday 9 December.

To take part in the survey please visit the Institute’s website.

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

The R04 ILR data return closes on Friday 4 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 funding allocations and growth for the 2021 to 2022 funding year
• calculating the carry over costs for procured non-levy apprenticeship contracts for the 2021 to 2022 financial year
• supporting the calculation of 19+ funding allocations for the 2021 to 2022 funding year
• measuring the performance of your adult education budget (contract for services), 16 to 18 traineeship (for providers without 16 to 19 funding) and 19 to 24 traineeship contract value as set out in the adult education budget funding and performance-management rules

For further information on data submissions please refer to our individualised learner record (ILR) guidance and also our funding guidance for young people: ILR funding returns.

If you have any queries, please contact your territorial team lead.

4. Information: campaign to recruit next Further Education Commissioner – deadline this Friday

The FE Commissioner works with colleges to improve the quality of education for learners, strengthen financial resilience, improve the quality of leadership and reduce the risk of colleges requiring interventions. More details and how to apply are available on GOV.UK.

There is one week left to apply to be one of the six new FE Advisers being recruited to the FE Commissioner’s team – these are finance and/or curriculum and quality specialists with a deep understanding of the sector, who support the FE Commissioner in his work. Further details, including an application pack, are available on GOV.UK.

5. Information: updates to the apprenticeship service support videos

Users can find videos on how to use different functions of the apprenticeship service in the “Using the apprenticeship service” playlist available on our YouTube Channel.

We have recently made improvements to the following support videos:

• reserving apprenticeship funds
• adding an apprentice to an account

We have also added a new video demonstrating how to apply for an incentive payment for hiring a new apprentice.

We have also added a new video demonstrating how to apply for an incentive payment for hiring a new apprentice.

Alongside these we have recordings from our webinars available on the “Apprenticeship service – webinar recordings” playlist and any future recordings will continue to be uploaded here.

Videos created to support the delivery of apprenticeships are available on the “Apprenticeship Support Videos” playlist.

You can also search for help in the apprenticeship service.

6. Information: subcontracting returns following consultation response: extension to December deadlines

Earlier this year ESFA published its response to the subcontracting consultation. Within this document, we gave a deadline of 31 December 2020 for the following:

• 16 to 19 provision only: requests to continue with existing “distance learning” arrangements in 2021 to 2022
• 16 to 19 provision only: requests to continue with “whole programme subcontracting” arrangements in 2021 to 2022
• excluding ESF provision and local authorities: cases made to the agency If providers do not think they can reduce their subcontracting

COVID-19 has impacted ESFA’s timelines for publishing the autumn document. This publication will set out further detail of what we expect from providers in relation to these requests to the agency, including what should be included in the request and where this should be sent to. The deadline for sending these requests will be extended to 31 January 2021.

7. Information: traineeships website and resources launched

Traineeships have launched a new website aimed at young people, parents, teachers and careers advisors, which is housed on the Amazing Apprenticeships IAG website.

The site contains a number of new resources such as engaging case studies, information factsheets, video content and webinar recordings. Further resources will be added in the coming weeks.

8. Information: find apprenticeship training redesign

We have redesigned the find apprenticeship training function in the apprenticeship service to make it easier for employers to find the information they need.

Our improvements will:

1. Make it easier for employers to compare training providers by displaying their overall ratings in a list.

2. Show information on a provider’s ‘strengths’ and ‘things to improve’, listing (up to) the top 3 for each section.

3. Order training provider results by considering employer reviews, achievement rates and distance.

For any queries please visit the apprenticeship service on GOV.UK or contact the Apprenticeship Service on 08000 150 600.