Correspondence

ESFA Update local authorities: 7 September 2022

Published 7 September 2022

This correspondence was withdrawn on 27 December 2023

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date.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

Applies to England

1. Reminder: submit your school-led tutoring year-end statement by Friday 16 September 2022

The deadline to submit the year-end statement is 6pm on Friday, 16 September 2022.

This is a mandatory return. You need to complete this form if your institution received school-led tutoring funding in the 2021 to 2022 academic year, even if you have not used it.

Failure to submit this form will result in your full school-led tutoring programme funding allocation being recovered by ESFA.

We have published technical and policy guidance (which includes FAQs and scenarios).

We strongly encourage you to watch this tutorial video to help you complete the form.

Embed video here.

We recommend you double check your responses before submitting the year-end statement. Please check:

• that you have put the correct figures in the relevant boxes – we ask you to submit the total spend on tutoring and the total number of tutoring hours delivered, please do not enter the same figure for both (unless your spend and hours delivered were equal)
• how much you have spent on school-led tutoring, as your total spend should include both the funding we provided and your school’s contribution - if you used all your funding from DfE, the amount you enter will be higher than your school’s allocation

You can read more on the school-led tutoring grant on GOV.UK.

2. Reminder: public sector apprenticeships target data

Public sector apprenticeships target data for 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022 needs to be submitted to DfE by 30 September 2022.

All public sector bodies who employ 250 or more staff have a legal requirement to publish their progress against the public sector target and submit this to the department, alongside supporting evidence that demonstrates that they have shown due regard to the target.

Organisations with fewer than 250 staff are not required to submit data.

You can access the form by visiting the “Apprenticeships” tab from the homepage of your Apprenticeship Service account.

You can read more detailed information about the public sector apprenticeship target, including what data is required.

If you are unsure about how to submit your data return, please contact Apprenticeship Service Support on 0800 0150 600 or email helpdesk@manage-apprenticeships.service.gov.uk.

3. Reminder: consultation on implementing the direct NFF

Last call for responses on our consultation on the direct national funding formula (NFF), which closes on Friday 9 September. Following our first consultation last summer, the department confirmed that we plan to determine funding directly for all schools through the NFF. The new consultation focuses on some more technical aspects of how the direct NFF could be implemented.

We would be grateful if you gave us your views at Implementing the direct national funding formula. We are particularly keen to hear from schools that currently receive split site or exceptional circumstances funding or have received growth or falling rolls funding from their local authority

4. Information: support with your school buying - join our webinars on approved frameworks or book a 1:1 conversation

Are you responsible for buying goods and services for your school? The Schools Commercial Team (SCT) within the Department for Education is leading on the Buying for Schools programme; delivering services to support schools to buy goods and services.

The team are hosting free webinars on how using our approved frameworks could save you time and help your school get value for money. Our autumn programme will begin the week commencing 26 September with the webinars listed below. Click on the links to find out more and book your place:

• Find out how the Get help buying for schools service can help you make every pound count when buying goods and services for your school
• Everything ICT – for more details from hardware to software, connectivity to cloud services and more
• Is your school looking to renew and/or set up a new catering or cleaning contract?
• Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA) – an alternative to commercial insurance

You can find the full programme of webinars for the autumn term on the Autumn 2022 webinar page. Visit the page to find out more and book your place.

The team are also offering the opportunity for a free virtual 1:1 conversation with a member of the team to see how we can support you. You can speak to us about anything you like to help you make informed buying choices for your school. There is no pressure or obligation to take any of our recommendations forward following the conversation. Book your 1:1 conversation now.

5. Information: national professional qualifications: targeted support funding for settings with one to 600 pupils

We have published conditions of grant for the national professional qualifications (NPQs) funding to support teachers and leaders to participate in NPQs.

We know that staff who work in smaller settings can face more barriers to participating in professional development. To support these staff to access NPQs, from autumn 2022 state-funded schools and 16 to 19 organisations with between one and 600 pupils will receive £200 for every teacher or leader they employ who takes an NPQ.

These grant payments are in addition to government funded NPQ scholarships.

Teachers and leaders who work in state-funded settings in England are eligible for NPQ scholarships, which cover the training cost of the qualifications.

You can read further information on the funding available to teachers and leaders taking NPQs.

6. Information: statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms

In November, the Department for Education published statutory guidance for schools to ensure the cost of school uniforms is reasonable and secures the best value for money. Governing boards should now be compliant with much of the guidance – and fully compliant by Summer 2023. Here are some key actions schools should already have taken:

• reviewed their uniform policy against the expectations in the statutory guidance (for example removing unnecessary branded items)
• engaged with parents and pupils when developing/reviewing their policy
• published their uniform policy on the school website
• ensured second hand uniforms are available
• considered any procurement needed to comply with the contract and uniform supplier requirements within the guidance (for example for any branded items) so that school uniforms are ready by summer 2023.

All schools should be fully complaint with the guidance by summer 2023.

For more information, please see the Department’s Education Hub.

You can read the cost of uniforms guidance on GOV.UK.

7. Information: DfE announces contracts for £18 million investment for Supported Internships

The Department for Education (DfE) has announced the Internships Work consortium and the British Association of Supported Employment (BASE) as the chosen delivery partners for an £18 million investment in the Supported Internships programme.

The new Internships Work programme will deliver on a commitment set out in the SEND and AP green paper, offering more young people who have additional needs (an Education, Health and Care Plan) the skills to secure and sustain paid employment.

The Internships Work programme includes the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi), BASE, and DFN Project SEARCH. It will work closely with local authorities to double the number of supported internships by 2025, engaging with employers and young people to level up the quality of Supported Internships across the programme.

In addition to their involvement in Internships Work, BASE will offer personalised support to young people in acquiring skills and independence by training over 700 new job coaches by 2025.

You can read more about Internships Work and BASE by visiting their websites.