EFA e-bulletin for academies: 14 January 2016
Published 15 January 2016
© Crown copyright 2016
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/efa-e-bulletin-14-january-2016-issue-114/efa-e-bulletin-for-academies-14-january-2016
1. Information: schools financial efficiency package
Education Funding Agency (EFA) has published a new support package of guidance and tools covering schools financial health and efficiency.
Developed with school leaders and representative organisations, the package brings together existing information with new tools and guidance into one convenient place. It is for school leadership teams in maintained schools, academies and free schools including headteachers, finance directors and school business managers, and governors/trustees.
The package includes guidance on managing budgets, effective procurement and how to achieve greater efficiency by examining how they spend their budget compared to other similar schools.
The section covering financial benchmarking includes information about a new benchmarking report card that the Department for Education (DfE) is sending to all schools. The report card provides highlights of schools’ key financial and performance data compared with a small number of statistical neighbours.
You will receive an email from DfE with your report card soon.
2. Reminder: August accounts return due 31 January 2016
The 31 January 2016 deadline for submitting the August accounts return is fast approaching.
You should complete the return by this date if:
- your academy trust has prepared financial statements as at 31 August 2015; and
- your trust had academies open during the year ended 31 August 2015
Trusts that have been incorporated but are not preparing financial statements to 31 August 2015 or do not have any open academies should not complete this return. In March 2016 EFA will issue an alternative version for those trusts to complete.
Full guidance on completing and submitting the return, a recorded webinar and a series of short training videos are available.
3. Reminder: high needs place change request outcomes 2016 to 2017
On 14 January 2016, we published outcomes of the 2016 to 2017 high needs place change request process.
This presents validated results from the 2016 to 2017 high needs place change request process. Place change request outcomes will inform 2016 to 2017 high needs place funding in further education colleges, commercial and charitable providers, academies and free schools. They also impact on adjustments that will be made to local authority dedicated school grant allocations.
Place change request outcomes have been determined in line with the principles set out in high needs place change request process and the data published on GOV.UK.
Please send enquiries about the outcomes of the place change request process no later than Thursday 29 January 2016 via our online enquiry form.
Institutions should contact the local authority in the first instance. Requests from local authorities for further changes will not be considered.
4. Information: post-16 funding in academic year 2016 to 2017
We have written to EFA funded post-16 providers with information about funding in academic year 2016 to 2017 for students aged 16 to 19 and students aged 19 to 25 with an education, health and care plan.
5. Information: employer review of the Teachers’ Pensions scheme administration
Capita is working with Teachers’ Pensions to review the general administration of the scheme and the roles of Teachers’ Pensions and the employer.
The review reflects changes over the past 20 years including the growth of academies, the changing role of local authorities, and developments in technology.
As part of the review, employers are invited to complete a short survey that aims to gather information about the cost and time involved in administering the scheme.
6. Information: keeping children safe in education
The Department for Education is seeking views on revisions to the statutory safeguarding guidance keeping children safe in education.
The consultation closes on 16 February 2016.
7. Information: School and Early Years Finance (England) Regulations 2015
In December, DfE published the consultation response on the proposed changes to the School and Early Years Finance (England) Regulations 2015.
The 2015 regulations recently came into force.
8. Information: Teacher Reference Group vacancies
The Department for Education (DfE) is looking for excellent classroom teachers to join a Teacher Reference Group that will act as an advisory body for ministers and policy makers to make a lasting contribution to new and existing education policy in England.
If you have a classroom teacher in your school who might be interested in this opportunity, please refer them to the Teacher Reference Group vacancies page on GOV.UK.
The closing date is 22 January 2016.