ESFA Update academies: 3 July 2019
Published 3 July 2019
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2019
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1. Action: Early Career Framework – the procurement for support is now live
The Early Career Framework underpins an entitlement to a fully-funded, two-year package of structured support for all early career teachers, as announced in the government’s recruitment and retention strategy published in January this year.
We are pleased to announce that we have launched the Invitation to Tender for materials and training to support early roll-out of the Early Career Framework on 28 June 2019.
Interested bidders have been asked to submit bids to develop and deliver a range of products to support schools in the first stage of implementing the Early Career Framework from September 2020.
The deadline for submission of bids is Friday 9 August 2019. Successful bidders will be announced in the autumn when we will also issue further information.
2. Information: Academies Financial Handbook 2019
We have published the 2019 edition of the Academies Financial Handbook, which comes into effect on 1 September 2019.
We have summarised the changes in the 2019 edition on page 8. This includes new requirements for academy trusts, from 1 September 2019, to maintain a risk register, submit an annual internal scrutiny report to the ESFA and provide a direct email address for all members and trustees using the governance section of get information about schools (GIAS).
New data fields providing member and trustee email addresses will be available on GIAS from 8 July 2019. To prepare for this, we’ve updated our guide to providing or updating academy trusts governance contact information.
3. Information: academies planning calendar 2019 to 2020
We have published the academies planning calendar for the 2019 to 2020 academic year.
The calendar provides a summary of key actions and dates about academy funding, finance and trust compliance with their funding agreement.
Along with the version designed to print as a wall planner, we have added a fully accessible digital version.
4. Information: update to the teachers’ pay grant supporting information
We have updated the supporting information for the teachers’ pay grant for 2019 to 2020 to clarify the data used in the calculation of the grant for 16 to 19 students. We have also updated the methodology page to confirm the payment dates.
We will make grant payments covering September 2019 through to March 2020 to local authorities at the end of October 2019, and to academies in early November 2019.
5. Information: 16 to 19 funding guidance for academic year 2019 to 2020
We have published the 16 to 19 subcontracting controls guide for academic year 2019 to 2020.
The guide sets out the compliance and control requirements for institutions using third parties for ESFA-funded provision.
Our funding guides are an integral part of our funding agreements and contractual arrangements for young people aged 16 to 19 and those aged 19 to 25 with an education, health and care plan.
We aim to publish the individualised learner record (ILR) funding returns guide by the end of July.
6. Information: Keeping Children Safe in Education
On 26 June 2019, the Department for Education published a revised version of the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) statutory guidance.
The changes are of a largely factual and technical nature and include amongst other things, new paragraphs on serious violence, upskirting (now a criminal offence), and a link to the departmental advice supporting schools to teach pupils how to stay safe online. A full breakdown of the changes are included at Annex H of the guidance.
Schools and colleges are reminded to have regard to Part 5 of the guidance, which covers managing reports of child on child sexual violence and sexual harassment. This was introduced for the first time in September 2018. There is also detailed advice to support schools and colleges understand, prevent and respond to reports of child on child sexual violence and sexual harassment.
KCSIE 2019 will commence on 2 September 2019. Until that point schools and colleges must continue to have regard to KCSIE 2018.
7. Information: fire safety advice for building owners with balconies
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) have published guidance on the risks arising from balconies on residential buildings. Although the guidance is primarily for residents and building owners of residential buildings with multiple dwellings (such as blocks of flats), as MHCLG acknowledge, the principles may also apply to other building types.
If you have any concerns about your building we would encourage you to seek independent expert advice.