Correspondence

DfE Update academies: 15 October 2025

Published 15 October 2025

Applies to England

1. Action: Submit your audited financial statements for 2024 to 2025 by 31 December 2025

We have published the online form and guidance about submitting your audited financial statements for 2024 to 2025.

We advise you to read the guide before completing the online form and uploading your documents. You must upload the required documents within the accounts submission coversheet.

All academy trusts that had a signed funding agreement and had an open academy at any point during the accounting period to 31 August 2025, must submit audited financial statements, auditor’s management letter and an internal scrutiny summary report to the Department for Education (DfE). This includes free schools, studio schools and university technical colleges.

Submit your accounts on or before Wednesday 31 December 2025.

2. Information: Accounts submission coversheet virtual assistant

We have developed a virtual assistant which you can use to ask for advice on submitting your audited financial statements, auditor’s management letter and internal scrutiny summary report for the accounting period ending 31 August 2025.

This virtual assistant is a computer-based conversation that we have developed using the most common questions raised by trusts and external auditors about the accounts submission coversheet.

The assistant can provide immediate answers to the most commonly asked questions, helping to speed up our response time to queries.

Trusts and external auditors are also able to ask our virtual assistant about the submission requirements, passwords and signatures.

3. Information: Schools budget support grant allocations and conditions of grant for financial year 2025 to 2026

We have published the 2025 to 2026 schools budget support grant (SBSG) allocations and conditions of grant.

We will make payments to local authorities in October 2025 and to academies in November 2025.

4. Information: Core schools budget grant allocations for special schools

We have published core schools budget grant special schools allocations to reflect the funding to help special and AP schools with the additional costs relating to the teachers’ and other staff 2025 pay awards.

We will pay this element of the CSBG to local authorities in October 2025.

5. Information: Apprenticeship assessment changes coming

In February 2025, we published the Apprenticeship Assessment Principles which introduced significant changes on how assessment will take place across all apprenticeships.

The changes are intended to streamline the apprenticeship assessment process, enable design and delivery flexibility, and remove any duplication.

Where appropriate, assessment will be able to take place during the programme as well as towards the end.

Training providers may also be able to deliver elements of assessment, whilst assessment organisations continue to ensure validity of outcomes.

Skills England is finalising the initial group of assessment plans, which are expected to be published later this autumn. These plans will be published as illustrative examples to help employers, training providers, and assessment organisations prepare for future delivery.

While they won’t be available for live use just yet, they demonstrate the principles that will underpin revised assessment plans.

We will provide further details on implementation of the changes, including when apprentices can begin being assessed under the new plans. In the meantime, current end-point assessments will remain in place.

6. Information: Department for Education payments for Care to Learn and 16 to 19 Bursary Fund

We have published data showing aggregate payments made to childcare providers and education institutions, for both Care to Learn and the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund for students in defined vulnerable groups.

The existing dataset has been extended to show take-up and payments for academic years 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025.

The Care to Learn scheme helps young parents (aged 20 years and under) to continue in education after the birth of a child.

We provide funding towards childcare and travel costs whilst the young parent is engaged in a study programme.

The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund provides financial support to help care leavers, students in care, or in receipt of specific benefits, to remain in education.

7. Your feedback: Help us to shape the future of how you interact with Department for Education, and DfE Connect

Are you a school business professional, school leader, or trust leader? Are you responsible for completing activities to ensure your school or trust stays compliant?

We are developing an online service bringing together Department for Education tools, guidance and services in one place.

We are looking for your feedback on concepts and designs to improve the way you interact with us and to ensure the online service meets your needs.

What does taking part involve? 

• user research sessions will be held between October and December 2025, at a date and time convenient for you

• you can choose how many and what type of sessions you would like to take part in

To register your interest in taking part fill in this form and one of our team will contact you.

8. Events and webinars: Automating your accounts return for 2024 to 2025

Wednesday 22 October 2025, at 11am to midday. Register on Eventbrite.

9. Events and webinars: Automating your accounts return for 2024 to 2025

Wednesday 5 November 2025, at 2pm to 3pm. Register on Eventbrite.

10. Events and webinars: Autumn term webinars and power hours for school business professionals

There is still time to book your free place on our webinars and senior leadership and operations power hours.

The schedule of free online events is designed to support business and finance managers and leaders across all aspects of resource management in your school or trust.

View the full schedule and register online today.