Correspondence

EFA e-bulletin for schools, colleges, local authorities and other 16 to 19 providers: 14 July 2016

Published 14 July 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This correspondence was withdrawn on 20 December 2019

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date. The EFA e-bulletin has been replaced by ESFA Update.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: launch of post-16 skills plan and report of the independent panel on technical education

The report by the independent panel on technical education, chaired by Lord Sainsbury, has been published on GOV.UK. Alongside the report, the government published its post-16 skills plan which responds to the panel’s recommendations and sets out our overarching framework for the skills system.

Together, they are the most radical reforms to post-16 education since A levels were introduced. The skills plan presents a vision of a radically simplified system. Students will be presented with the clear choice of a high quality technical option at age 16, alongside the already highly regarded academic option. Building on the apprenticeship reforms, the technical option will provide students with a clear line of sight from education into skilled employment.

Further details on how the reforms will be implemented will be provided in the autumn.

2. Information: post-16 sub-contracting guidance

We have published the sub-contracting controls guidance for 2016 to 2017 on GOV.UK. The guidance for 2016 to 2017 gives notice of 2 significant new restrictions.

The first applies to maintained schools and academies that have whole programme sub-contracting arrangements (both local and at a distance).

The second applies to colleges sub-contracting provision wholly or substantially to a special school for provision for 19 to 25 high needs students (HNS). Any institutions with sub-contracted provision are advised to ensure that they review the guidance and take the required actions.

3. Information: finance record template 2015 to 2016

Skills Funding Agency (SFA) and Education Funding Agency (EFA) have updated the finance record template for the 2015 to 2016 academic year.

All colleges must submit their completed finance record by 31 December 2016 using EFA Information Exchange. We will issue further guidance later in the year.

4. Information: schools financial health and efficiency

We’ve expanded our range of materials covering schools financial health and efficiency to support schools to make the most of the funding they receive. New materials include:

• a financial health checks structure and a directory of suppliers to help schools to identify external advice available to help them operate more efficiently
• new case studies and videos showing examples of effective financial management practice
• cloud computing guidance to help schools understand some of the key considerations when moving ICT to cloud based service provision

Good financial health is essential to delivering educational excellence. At the same time, budget pressures mean there is a greater need than ever for schools to ensure their budgets deliver the best value for money.

We encourage school leaders, business managers and boards to make use of the tools and support that is available.

5. Information: consultation on insolvency regime for further education and sixth-form colleges

A consultation on the proposals to introduce an insolvency regime for the further education and sixth-form college sector has now been launched on GOV.UK. The consultation is open until Friday 5 August 2016.

6. Information: The Charity Commission consultation

The Charity Commission (the commission), the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, has launched a 12 week public consultation.

The consultation is about its proposed approach to exercising the new power to issue an official warning to charities when it considers that there has been a breach of trust or duty, or other misconduct or mismanagement in the charity. This power will supplement the commission’s existing powers for dealing with wrongdoing in charities.