Correspondence

DfE Update local authorities: 3 December 2025

Published 3 December 2025

Applies to England

1. Action: Post-16 monitoring dashboard now live

Use the post-16 monitoring reports dashboard for academic year 2025 to 2026 to check your data.

The dashboard supports financial assurance: monitoring post-16 funding for 2025 to 2026 and identifies potential data quality and funding errors. Review these throughout the year to ensure your data and funding is accurate.

This first release includes R03 data to help you review your R04 data submission on or before Thursday 4 December 2025.

Make sure the data driving 16 to 19 in-year processes such as exceptional in-year growth and T level reconciliation is complete and accurate.

We will use this data, and any funding claims you submit, to assure ourselves that your delivery meets our funding rules and key policy objectives.

Some errors may result in a funding recovery if they are not corrected by the close of the R14 individualised learner record data return for 2025 to 2026 which is Thursday 22 October 2026.

2. Information: 2024 to 2025 final reconciliation statements

We would like to thank providers for submitting your 2024 to 2025 adult education and skills final funding claim.

Reconciliation statements are now available on manage your education skills and funding for you to view.

This will set out the final position for the 2024 to 2025 funding year and inform the funding that is required to repay (if applicable) or over delivery funding that we will pay.

Final reconciliation statements are available following submission of a final funding claim for the following funding streams:

• adult skills fund (adult skills and tailored learning)
• level 3 free courses for jobs
• advanced learner loans bursary

If you are required to repay funds back to us, we will schedule those repayments from December 2025.

If you have any queries, contact us through the  Customer Help Portal.

3. Information: Local authority webinars 2025 now uploaded to the DfE YouTube channel

We have published the following autumn 2025 local authority webinar presentations  on the DfE YouTube channel:    

• High needs data collection - providing instructions on how to complete the place change workbook for 2026 to 2027 
• Dedicated schools grant (DSG) and other grants presentation - provides an outline of DSG funding allocations and payments for the 2026 to 2027 financial year. The webinar also covers payment timetables for other current DfE grants, including the pupil premium and breakfast clubs 

These webinars are designed to cover guidance on data collections and key operational areas of work within the Funding and Financial Oversight Directorate. 

We hope you find these useful and informative.  

You can also view the webinar slides presented at each webinar in the local authority workshops 2026 to 2027 Google drive.

4. Your feedback: Get involved with user research to help shape the future of how you interact with DfE services, information, and guidance

We are developing an online service to bring together DfE tools, guidance and services in one place. This aims to make it easier for you to find and access what you need, when you need it.  

We are inviting school business managers and school leaders to tell us about your experiences of interacting with the department. We will also ask for your feedback on new designs for the service.

Your feedback will help us to ensure that what we develop meets your needs. 

If your role involves funding, finance, estates, procurement, completing statutory returns, or HR,  sign up to take part. Or if you know someone who might be interested, encourage them to get involved.