Correspondence

EFA e-bulletin for academies: 1 December 2016

Published 1 December 2016

This correspondence was withdrawn on 20 December 2019

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date. The EFA e-bulletin has been replaced by ESFA Update.

1. Information: academies accounts return 2015 to 2016

We’ve now published the online form for the accounts return but trusts need to register first before they can access the form. We’ve written to accounting officers with instructions for registering and setting up the online system for the accounts return in the next few days. We’ll aim to process registrations within 3 days of trusts setting up their account on the system. If you do not receive registration instructions by 6 December, please contact our enquiry service.

Because of the delay in releasing the online form, we’ll accept accounts returns using the accounts return 2015 to 2016 Excel workbook for trusts who submit their accounts return by 31 December. We’re updating the current workbook following feedback and we’ll publish an updated version and information about how to submit it next week.

From 1 January 2017, we’ll only accept your accounts return using the online form. The deadline for submitting your accounts return is 31 January 2017.

You can register now for our live question and answer session via webinar from 3pm to 4pm on 7 December 2016. A panel will be available to answer your questions about the accounts return. You can submit questions in advance when you register.

2. Information: high needs student numbers recorded in the 2015 to 2016 ILR R14 return and January 2016 school census in special academies

We have updated the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) data page within our published workbook on GOV.UK to reflect the high needs student numbers recorded in the 2015 to 2016 ILR R14 data return.

We have published this data in the interests of transparency and to promote collaboration between local authorities (LAs) and institutions. In addition, where LAs have submitted 2017 to 2018 high needs place change requests which have not been agreed with institutions, the data in this updated workbook will be used in conjunction with the principles set out in section 7.3 of the ‘high needs place change notification: technical note 2017 to 2018’, to determine 2017 to 2018 high needs place numbers.

3. Information: early years funding reform: consultation response and operational guidance

Department for Education (DfE) today published its government response to the consultation on early years funding reform, including the introduction of an early years national funding formula. DfE would like to thank all those who shared their views via the online survey and attended regional consultation events.

The government response will be relevant to you if you are involved in offering the free entitlements to childcare for 3- and 4-year olds.

EFA has published the early years operational guidance which explains to local authorities how the changes in early years funding are to be implemented. This will help local authorities to set budgets for 2017 to 2018 and plan implementation of the reforms.

The operational guidance also explains the new limits on central expenditure and changes in how provision for children with SEND is funded.

4. Information: new school improvement funding

The Secretary of State has announced an annual school improvement grant for local authorities, starting from September 2017. It will provide £50 million per year (£30 million for the initial 7 month period from September 2017 to March 2018). It allows local authorities to maintain their statutory intervention functions and services, such as monitoring and commissioning school improvement support. EFA will announce the amount of the grant and individual local authority allocations later this year.

We have also announced plans for a new Strategic School Improvement Fund. Maintained schools and academies will be able to apply to the fund, with the support of a teaching school, local authority or Regional Schools Commissioner. It will support their school improvement provision, complementing school improvement activity funded from their own budgets.

In addition, maintained schools on schools forums will be able to decide to de-delegate further funding for additional school improvement provision, in 2017 to 2018 and 2018 to 2019. More information is set out in the updated operational guidance for local authorities.

5. Information: updated schools revenue funding 2017 to 2018 operational guide

We’ve updated the operational guide to revenue funding in 2017 to 2018 for local authorities. It now lists the split of duties local authorities hold for all schools, compared to those they hold only for maintained schools. Local authorities will be able to make final arrangements for the central retention of dedicated schools grant following the removal of the education services grant. Local authorities can now plan how much funding they need to retain centrally for both academies and maintained schools, and for maintained schools only.

The updated guide also includes new information on:

• applying a national weighting to the secondary low prior attainment factor
• an update to the capping arrangements for spend on admissions and schools forums. We’ve also updated the document outlining the schools forum powers and responsibilities
• de-delegation of further school improvement funding, as mentioned above

6. Reminder: Document Exchange file expiry

All files held in Document Exchange are automatically removed 13 months after they are uploaded. Please ensure you check EFA Information Exchange regularly to download and save any documents you need before they expire.