ESFA Update academies: 7 April 2021
Published 7 April 2021
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2021
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-update-7-april-2021/esfa-update-academies-7-april-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: a new Document exchange service is now live
ESFA Information Exchange will no longer be accessible after Friday 30 April.
A new Document exchange service is now live.
We’ve automatically given ESFA Information Exchange users access to the new service.
We’ve also uploaded any 2021 to 2022 academic year documents to it.
ESFA Information Exchange users should now:
- access the new Document exchange service using their existing DfE Sign-in credentials
- follow the steps on the DfE Sign-in help page in the unlikely event of any access issues
- read the guidance for information about how to use it
- use the new service to view, manage and submit documents, rather than ESFA Information Exchange
- view, download and save any older documents they wish to keep from ESFA Information Exchange before 23:59 on Friday 30 April 2021
Any documents not downloaded and saved before 23:59 on Friday 30 April 2021 will no longer be accessible from ESFA Information Exchange.
If you need help with DfE Sign-in, access our help page.
If you have any other questions, please contact us.
3. Reminder: submit your school resource management self-assessment tool checklist
This is a final reminder that the school resource management self-assessment tool is 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.
4. Information: update to academies general annual grant allocation guides
We have noticed an out-of-date link in our academies general annual grant allocation statements and our academies general annual grant allocation guides.
The out-of-date link takes you to an old version of our academy national non-domestic rates claims form.
For the academies general annual grant allocation guides: 2020 to 2021, we have updated the link in the:
- mainstream academies: open between 1 April and 31 August guidance
For the academies general annual grant allocation guides: 2021 to 2022, we have updated the link in the:
- mainstream academies: open before 1 April 2021 guidance
- special academies: open before 1 April 2021 guidance
- mainstream academies: open between 1 April and 31 August 2021 guidance
- special academies: open between 1 April and 31 August 2021 guidance
You can find out more information about how to claim for national non-domestic rates.
5. Information: national professional qualifications for teachers and leaders
From September 2021, a reformed suite of national professional qualifications (NPQs) will be available for teachers and leaders who want to develop their knowledge and skills in school leadership and specialist areas of teaching practice.
This reformed suite will ensure these qualifications continue to offer the best possible professional development opportunities.
On 31 March, the Department for Education announced the lead providers who will deliver these NPQs to future participants:
- Ambition Institute
- Best Practice Network (home of Outstanding Leadership Partnership)
- Church of England
- Education Development Trust
- Harris Federation
- Leadership Learning South East
- Teacher Development Trust
- Teach First
- UCL Institute of Education
Scholarship funding to support participants to access the reformed suite of NPQs is planned from September 2021 and details will be confirmed in due course.
If you would like to receive direct updates from the department on the reformed NPQs, please fill in this form.
6. Information: Women’s health - Let’s talk about it
The government has launched a 12 week call for evidence to better understand women’s experiences of the health and care system.
The call for evidence will form the basis of a landmark government-led Women’s Health Strategy, to improve the health and wellbeing of women across England and place women’s voices at the centre of their care. By better understanding women’s experiences, the government can ensure key parts of the health service are meeting women’s needs as they should be.
Everyone aged 16 and over is welcome to contribute to the call for evidence, as well as people who live with and care for women, organisations with experience of providing services for women and those with an expertise in women’s health are also encouraged to share their views.
The easiest way to participate in the call for evidence as an individual is by completing the public survey which is quick to fill in and easily accessible from people’s mobiles. This consultation closes at 11:45pm on 30 May 2021.
We’d be grateful if you could share the consultation widely with your networks to ensure wide-ranging and diverse views are reflected. Social media assets are available to support sharing with your audiences and we also encourage you to use the #TalkWomensHealth hashtag when posting on social media.