DfE Update local authorities: 15 October 2025
Published 15 October 2025
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2025
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/dfe-update-15-october-2025/dfe-update-local-authorities-15-october-2025
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.