EFA e-bulletin for academies: 14 April 2016
Published 14 April 2016
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2016
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/efa-e-bulletin-14-april-2016-issue-124/efa-e-bulletin-for-academies-14-april-2016
1. Action: March accounts return due 31 May 2016
EFA has published the March 2016 accounts return. EFA requires academy trusts to submit a March 2016 accounts return by 31 May 2016 if:
- they did not prepare audited financial statements as at 31 August 2015 and had open academies at 31 March 2016; or
- they did prepare audited financial statements at 31 August 2015 and they opened new academies between then and 31 March 2016
A guide to completing and submitting the return, and a series of training videos are now available. EFA will hold a live webinar at 3pm on 26 April 2016. Anyone can register for the webinar, and we strongly recommend that colleagues in new academy trusts attend.
The webinar will be a question and answer session, and you can submit questions in advance when you register. The return is due by 31 May 2016.
2. Action: budget forecast workbook and guidance
EFA requires academy trusts open as at 31 March 2016 to submit their budget forecasts for the 2016 to 2017 academic year by 31 July 2016.
For trusts opening between 1 April 2016 and 31 March 2017, the deadline is either 6 weeks from receiving their funding letter or 31 July 2016, depending which is later.
A new online form will be available from June 2016.
We have published a workbook and guide to help you prepare for the new online form. The workbook allows you to see what information we require so you can prepare your forecast before you complete the form.
3. Information: final pupil premium allocations for 2015 to 2016
We have published the final pupil premium allocations for 2015 to 2016. This includes allocations for new schools that opened from September 2015.
4. Information: high needs funding operational guide 2016 to 2017
We have updated the high needs funding operational guide 2016 to 2017. We have:
- revised the ‘changes to 2016/17 high needs place numbers in 2016 to 2017’ section to reflect that the place change request process has closed
- updated the ‘what you will need to do in 2016 to 2017’ section and timetable
- confirmed the 2016/17 funding arrangements for non-maintained special schools and special post-16 institutions
- confirmed that EFA will not fund students with a Learning Difficulty Assessment (LDA) after September 2016
5. Information: post-16 allocation statements for 2016 to 2017 academic year
We have now issued allocation statements to all institutions, inclusive of their student support funding, apart from a few institutions with specific data issues. All statements are located in Document Exchange in the ‘revenue funding’ folder under ‘AY 2016-17 (2016/17)’.
The business case window for all institution types (except for the groups outlined below) has now closed. For non-maintained special schools, special post-16 institutions, charitable and commercial providers and higher education institutions returning HESA data, the window remains open until 22 April 2016 as they received their statements later.
We are reviewing business cases from institutions which are received in accordance with our published thresholds and deadline dates and will respond to institutions regarding the outcomes of their case by the end of May 2016.
If you have any issues using EFA Information Exchange, please check our support guidance. For queries about allocation statements, please refer to our supporting documents on GOV.UK. You can contact us via our online enquiry form.
6. Information: 2016 to 2017 academic year student support scheme guides
We have published the student support scheme guides for the 2016 to 2017 academic year on GOV.UK.
The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund guide includes improved information about how institutions can identify and support young carers. It also contains further detail about the removal of the ring fence between the bursary fund and free meals in further education allocations.
The scheme guides 16 to 19 Bursary Fund, Free Meals in FE, Residential Bursary Fund, Residential Support Scheme and Care to Learn can be found on GOV.UK.
7. Information: funding guidance for young people aged 16 to 19 in 2016 to 2017
We have published 2 key elements of the funding guidance for young people aged 16 to 19 for the 2016 to 2017 academic year.
There are some small changes and clarifications in both documents from the 2015 to 2016 guidance. An overview of EFA post-16 funding that may help institution staff and governors new to the FE sector is also available.
8. Information: maths and English condition of funding
We have updated the guidance on the maths and English condition of funding to include new information where one or more institutions have collaborated to ensure students are meeting the condition of funding.
9. Action: Document Exchange folder removal
At the end of April 2016 we’ll be deleting the ‘AY 2013-14’ folders in Document Exchange.
These are the folders where you received information relating to the 2013 to 2014 academic year. This does not affect folders for later years.
We’ll begin the folder removal on Friday 29 April 2016. Please take a moment to log into EFA Information Exchange to check your folders and download any files you need before this date.
All files held in Document Exchange are automatically removed 13 months after we upload them. Please do ensure you download and saves any files you need before they expire.
If you have any issues accessing EFA Information Exchange or Document Exchange, please see our online guidance.
10. Information: buying tablet devices for schools
The Department for Education is helping schools to buy tablet devices using “collective buying power” through the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) aggregation team. A pilot made a 12% saving on the price for participating schools.
There are 4 tablets: Apple iPad, Microsoft Surface Pro, LearnPad and a generic tablet. There are also associated items such as covers, security marking and charging trolleys.
To register, email CG.Communications@education.gov.uk by 6 May 2016 with:
- your name
- your school’s name
- your contact details
- an estimate of how many devices you need
It is anticipated that schools will place orders in July 2016 and receive their tablets in August 2016.
11. Information: Children’s Social Care drive improvements over the next three years
On Sunday 3 April 2016 the Government announced that it will be committing nearly £200m to drive innovation and improvement to Children’s Social Care over the next 3 years.
In 2013 the Edward Timpson (Minister of State for Children and Families) launched the Innovation Programme to drive creativity, enterprise and risk taking in children’s social care.
The press notice and policy document along with how to apply for funding is on the Department for Education pages of GOV.UK.
Some examples of organisations we want to hear from include schools, academies and academy trusts, to explore more effective models of bringing closer together children’s social care and education, developing models that would see longer term safety and educational aspiration for children and young people. Models that will help children attain the best possible levels of education and development and doing this by working closely with the children themselves, their schools and their families.
If you require further information please contact Lisa Thom.