Guidance
Academies planning calendar 2023 to 2024
Updated 1 September 2023
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2023
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academies-planning-calendar/academies-planning-calendar-2022-to-2023
A summary of key dates and actions relating to academy funding, finance and trust compliance with their funding agreement.
September 2023
Trust action
- Accounts return online form available 12 September
- Academies must complete the National Tutoring Programme 2022 to 2023 Year End Statement
Information and published guidance
- Academy Trust Handbook 2023 comes into effect
- ESFA publishes guidance and workbook for the land and buildings collection tool
- ESFA publishes guidance and workbook for the academies accounts return
- ESFA publishes key findings following the assurance work relating to academy trust financial statements, academy funding audits and financial management and governance reviews, for the year 2022 to 2023
- Pupil number adjustment (PNA) plans commence for the 2022 to 2023 debts
Tip: Are your trustees informed and providing effective challenge? Understanding your data: a guide for school governors and academy trustees. Information to help school governors and academy trustees analyse and understand performance data for their school.
October 2023
Trust action
- Autumn school census day, Thursday 5 October
- Land and buildings collection tool online form available 3 October
- Academies must publicly consult by 31 January 2024, for a minimum of 6-weeks, on proposed changes to admission arrangements for entry in September 2025, or if they haven’t consulted in the past 7 years
- Academies in scope submit estimated pupil numbers for the 2024 to 2025 academic year
Information and published guidance
- ESFA publishes the 16 to 19 revenue funding allocation data for 2023 to 2024
- Pupil number adjustment (PNA) calculator and guidance notes 2023 to 2024 published
- PE and sport premium conditions of grant and allocations issued for the 2023 to 2024 academic year
- Mainstream schools additional grant (MSAG) second payment allocations
- ESFA publishes 2024 to 2025 academic year high needs place change guidance
Payment
- Second quarterly pupil premium for 2023 to 2024 financial year
- Universal infant free school meals (UIFSM) for newly eligible academies
- First payment of the national tutoring programme grant payment and first payment of the recovery premium for the 2023 to 2024 academic year
- Reimbursement of Senior Mental Health Leads Grant claims made in financial year (quarter 2)
November 2023
Information and published guidance
- Academies must return the school census by Wednesday 1 November
- Academies must submit their land and buildings collection tool by 7 November 2023
Payment
- First payment of the teachers’ pay grant and teachers’ pension grant for the 2023 to 2024 academic year (post-16 providers only)
- First PE and sport premium payment for the 2023 to 2024 academic year
- First payment of cadet school staff instructor grant for 2023 to 2024 academic year
- Payment of teachers’ pay additional grant for 2023 to 2024 financial year
- Mainstream schools additional grant (MSAG) second payment for the 2023 to 2024 financial year
Tip: Thinking about your land and buildings? Get help by using the good estate management for schools guidance.
December 2023
Trust action
- Trusts submit their 2022 to 2023 audited financial statements, auditor’s management letter, annual summary internal scrutiny report and accounts submission coversheet by 31 December
Announcement
- DfE announces the schools revenue funding settlement for 2023 to 2024
January 2024
Trust action
- Spring school census day - Thursday 18 January
- Schools resource management self-assessment checklist (SRMSAC) online form available
- Complete and submit the accounts return online form by 30 January
- Trusts publish their 2022 to 2023 audited financial statements on their website by 31 January
- Academies with high needs place funding in 2024 to 2025 academic year to check place change published outcomes
Information and published guidance
- ESFA publishes outcomes of requests from local authorities for changes to high needs places for 2023 to 2024; academies have 2 weeks to submit a query about the outcomes
- ESFA issues guidance on estimating your funding for April 2024 to August 2024 openers.
- Early PNA exercise complete and revised GAG’s uploaded to Document Exchange for 2023 to 2024. Letters are also issued via CRM
- ESFA publish 2024 to 2025 high needs place change outcomes
Payment
- Third quarterly pupil premium for the 2023 to 2024 financial year
- Second payment of the recovery premium for the 2023 to 2024 academic year
- Second payment of the national tutoring programme grant payment for 2023 to 2024
- Reimbursement of Senior Mental Health Leads Grant claims made in financial year (quarter 3)
February 2024
Trust action
- Academies must submit their spring census return by Wednesday 14 February
- Academies must determine their admission arrangements for entry in September 2025 by 28 February
- Academies must publish their admissions appeals timetable for 2024 on their website by 28 February
Information and published guidance
- ESFA issues guidance on 2024 to 2025 funding allocations for open academies
- ESFA issues guidance on funding allocations for new openers between April 2024 and August 2024
- ESFA issues 16 to 19 allocation calculation toolkits (ACT) containing funding factors and student numbers
- Allocations for mainstream schools additional grant for new and growing schools in 2023 to 2024 financial year - this covers the second payment for schools open before September 2023, and the first payment for schools opened since September 2023
- Publication of allocations of teachers’ pay additional grant to new and growing schools for 2023 to 2024 financial year
Payment
- Positive early PNA payments made to academies for 2023 to 2024
March 2024
Trust action
- Academies must publish their admission arrangements for entry in September 2025 on their website and send a copy to their local authority by 15 March
- Trusts complete and submit the school resource management self-assessment checklist (SRMSAC) by 15 March
Information and published guidance
- ESFA issues academy revenue funding allocations for 2023 to 2024 including 16 to 19 allocations (plus student support, 16 to 19 Bursary Fund and free meals in further education) where applicable
- ESFA publishes the Academies Accounts Direction, Model Accounts and Auditor Guide for 2023 to 2024
Payment
- PE and sport premium for newly eligible academies
April 2024
Trust action
- 16 to 19 revenue funding allocation business case for major data errors deadline 30 April
Information and published guidance
- ESFA publishes 16 to 19 funding regulations guidance, funding rates and formula guidance for 2023 to 2024
- ESFA publishes 16 to 19 student support eligibility and guidance, including 16 to 19 Bursary Fund guidance
- ESFA publishes guidance and workbook for the budget forecast return
- Mainstream schools additional grant (MSAG) final allocation for period April 2024 to August 2024
Payment
- Final quarterly pupil premium payment for the 2023 to 2024 financial year
- Third payment of the recovery premium for 2023 to 2024
Tip: Budget planning and recruiting? Use the benchmarking and view my financial insights (VMFI) tools and sign up for the free Teaching Vacancies service
May 2024
Trust action
- Summer school census day, Thursday 16 May
- Trusts must submit their audited financial statements to Companies House within 9 months of the end of the accounting period which is 31 May
- Academies must submit their public sector apprenticeship data returns for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 by 31 May.
Information and published guidance
- Main PNA exercise complete and statements uploaded to Document Exchange for 2023 to 2024
- Chart of Accounts 2024 to 2025 published
Payment
- Second payment of the teachers’ pay grant and teachers’ pension grant for the 2023 to 2024 academic year (early years and post 16 providers only)
- Final PE and sport premium for the 2023 to 2024 academic year
- Final payment of the National Tutoring Programme grant payment for 2023 to 2024
- Final payment of cadet school staff instructor grant for 2023 to 2024 academic year
- Teachers’ pay additional grant allocations for new and growing schools for 2023 to 2024 financial year
- Final payment of mainstream schools additional grant (MSAG) final allocation for period April 2024 to August 2024
June 2024
Trust action
- Budget forecast return form available
- Academies must submit their summer census return by Wednesday 12 June
Information and published guidance
- ESFA publishes the 16 to 19 sub-contracting controls guidance
- for 2023 to 2024
- ESFA issues guidance on funding allocations for new openers between September 2024 and March 2025
Tip: Buying supplies? Find advice and guidance on buying goods and services using Get help buying for schools.
July 2024
Trust action
- Complete and submit the budget forecast return
- Trust information to local authorities on your admission arrangements in order for the local authorities to publish the composite prospectus (deadline 8 August)
- Trusts must inform the local authority by 1 August if they want the local authority to co-ordinate their in year applications for 1 September 2024 to 31 August 2025 (and provide the required information if so), or if they intend for in year applications for that period to be made directly to them. Publish information on your website about how in-year applications can be made (deadline 31 August)
Information and published guidance
- ESFA publishes the 2024 Academy Trust Handbook
- ESFA refreshes the 16 to 19 interactive census tool
- ESFA issues guidance on estimating your funding, for September 2024 to March 2025 openers
Payment
- Final payment for universal infant free school meals for the 2023 to 2024 academic year
- Quarter 1 payment of pupil premium
- Main PNA positive payments made to academies for 2023 to 2024
- Final payment of the recovery premium for the 2023 to 2024 academic year
- National Professional Qualification Targeted Support 2023 to 2024
August 2024
- Backfill payments for time off timetable for early career framework (ECF)
Tip: Planning for next year’s intake? Use our integrated curriculum and financial planning tools and guidance
All of the highlighted tools and resources are available on GOV.UK.