Correspondence

ESFA Update further education: 8 May 2019

Published 8 May 2019

This correspondence was withdrawn on 21 December 2020

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date. Find the latest information from ESFA in the latest ESFA Update.

Applies to England

1. Action: call for evidence on SEN funding

In December 2018 the Secretary of State announced our intention to hold a call for evidence on the current funding arrangements for those with special educational needs (SEN), those with disabilities, and those who require alternative provision.

We entirely accept that the overall amount of funding available is the most pressing concern. However, this call for evidence is intended to help us understand how the current available funding is distributed, and what improvements to the financial arrangements could be made in future to get the best value from any funding that is made available.

The call for evidence will be open from now until 31 July 2019.

2. Reminder: withdrawal of apprenticeship frameworks

On July 31 2020 apprenticeship frameworks will be withdrawn to new starts. This means there will be no more starts on frameworks from the 2020 to 2021 academic year onwards. All new starts will be on high-quality standards.

Employers have already developed over 400 standards, and standards represented nearly 60% of all starts reported in the first half of 2018 to 2019. This is fantastic progress towards the full transition to standards by August 2020, and we are confident that frameworks are increasingly covered by standards.

If you are unsure about which apprenticeship standard is right for your business, please contact the National Apprenticeship Service via email at nationalhelpdesk@findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk, or call 0800 015 0400.

If you cannot find a standard to meet your business need, please check the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education website or contact them via email at enquiries.ifa@education.gov.uk.

3. Information: change in payment dates from August 2019

We are changing the date on which we make payments from August 2019.

We will pay the following funding streams on the 14th working day of the month:

• adult education budget (AEB)
• apprenticeships
• Advanced Learner Loans bursary
• European Social Fund (ESF)
• National Careers Service

Therefore, any payments relating to these funding streams will reach bank accounts on 20 August 2019, and then on the 14th working day thereafter.

4. Information: Advanced Learner Loan 2019 to 2020 online application service

The Student Loan Company’s (SLC) Advanced Learner Loan 2019 to 2020 online application service for courses starting from 1 August 2019 will be available soon.

In the meantime, they have prepared some information to help you and your learners get ready. You can find further guidance on SLC’s practitioners website, including useful tools and materials to help you, your colleagues and learners.

5. Information: 16 to 19 funding - publication of the Care to Learn guide for the 2019 to 2020 academic year

We have published the Care to Learn guide for the 2019 to 2020 academic year.

Care to Learn provides funding for childcare to help young parents (aged under 20) continue in education after the birth of a child.

The guide sets out the eligibility criteria for young parents, childcare providers and education institutions. It provides information about the application process, the administration of the scheme, and the audit requirements.

It also has examples of good practice for institutions around raising awareness of the scheme and encouraging young parents to apply.

6. Information: individualised learner record (ILR) funding reports guidance 2018 to 2019

We will shortly publish version 3 of the guidance on the 2018 to 2019 ILR funding reports. We generate these reports when providers submit an ILR file. This guidance for young people and adult programmes covers:

• 16 to 19 (excluding apprenticeships)
• adult education budget (AEB)
• all apprenticeships
• European Social Fund (ESF)
• Advanced Learner Loans bursary

We updated the guidance to include a new apprenticeships report. A new beta version of the ‘Apps Co-Investment Contributions Report’ shows the different co-investment amounts for starts from 1 April 2019.

We intend to develop this report further for the 2019 to 2020 year, when it will replace the existing co-investment report.

7. Information: update on the review of apprenticeship funding bands

The Secretary of State has approved a further recommendation from the review of apprenticeship funding bands, led by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.

The Digital and Technology Solutions Professional apprenticeship will be moved into funding band 28 (£25,000) on Monday 13 May 2019. You can find more information on funding bands on GOV.UK.

The Department for Education (DfE) has asked the Institute to continue to bring older standards into the new band structure and have commissioned reviews of a further 30 standards.

You can find more information on the standards affected on the Institute’s website.

8. Information: 16 to 18 English and maths progress measures changes to 2020 performance tables

We have made changes to the 16 to 18 English and maths progress measure which will apply to 2020 performance tables. These are:

• increasing the relative progress points for attaining Functional Skills Level 1 and Level 2 qualifications so providers can further support students to take the level 2 qualification which is most appropriate for them.
• reflecting the new GCSE grading system and making the points consistent by moving from the old 8-point scale to the new 9-point scale, with each grade worth one point.
• recognising progress made between each entry level. Currently attainment of any entry level qualifications receives 0.4 progress points. From 2020 tables, Entry Level 1 will receive 0.25, Entry Level 2 0.5 and Entry Level 3 0.75 points.

Further information, including the new points table, is available in our 16 to 18 accountability headline measures guidance.