Correspondence

ESFA Update academies: 30 September 2020

Published 30 September 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This correspondence was withdrawn on 29 December 2021

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date.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

Please check GOV.UK regularly for updates.

2. Reminder: public sector apprenticeship target reporting

All public bodies, including academy trusts, with 250 or more staff in England should have submitted their public sector apprenticeship target report for the period 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020 period by 30 September 2020.

Thank you if you have submitted this information already. If you have not, please can you access the form by visiting the “Apprenticeships” tab from the homepage of your Apprenticeship Service account.

We appreciate that organisations may face challenges submitting data at this time, but reporting against the target remains a legal requirement.

For questions on how to complete the report, please contact the National Apprenticeship Service on 0800 150 600 or helpdesk@manage-apprenticeships.service.gov.uk.

3. Information: autumn school census is approaching

The autumn school census 2020 opens on Thursday 1 October. You need to submit your information by Wednesday 28 October.

These user reports explain how to use COLLECT.

The interactive post-16 census tool supports institutions to return accurate 16 to 19 data. Post-16 funding reports are available in COLLECT and we have published information on the reports and common data issues to help you check your data.

A guide for the 2020 to 2021 academic year is available. We would ask that you also look at the section which covers changes since the previous census and completing the school census in unusual circumstances.

4. Information: list of academy trusts late with two or more financial returns in the 2019 to 2020 academic year

We have published a list of 23 academy trusts that were late with two or more of the following financial returns in the 2019 to 2020 academic year:

• land and buildings collection tool
• financial statements
• accounts return

Most academy trusts submitted their financial returns on time, but in order to improve compliance with the submission deadlines, and in fairness to the trusts who do submit their returns on time, we have a policy of naming those academy trusts who are late with two or more deadlines in an academic year.

This policy will be in place for the 2020 to 2021 academic year and will apply to the following financial returns:

• land and buildings collection tool
• financial statements
• accounts return
• budget forecast return outturn
• budget forecast return three-year

5. Information: 16 to 18 traineeship in-year growth for 2020 to 2021

The Chancellor announced on 8 July that we will provide additional funding for traineeship delivery in 2020 to 2021. We have now published guidance on how we will award in-year growth for 16 to 18 traineeships.

This guidance is for colleges, schools, academies, independent learning providers and other provider types with 16 to 18 funding allocations, to deliver study programmes. It does not apply to those providers with standalone 16 to 18 traineeship contracts—separate guidance is available for this.

The process for awarding growth funding for traineeships will be entirely data- driven, based on individualised learner record and school census returns, and the guidance outlines how growth will be calculated and when it will be paid.

If you have any questions about this guidance, please contact us using the online enquiry form.