EFA e-bulletin for academies: 17 December 2015
Published 17 December 2015
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/efa-e-bulletin-17-december-2015-issue-112/efa-e-bulletin-for-academies-17-december-2015
1. Final reminder: deadline to submit academy trusts’ audited accounts
This is a final reminder that the deadline to submit audited accounts is only 2 weeks away. This applies to academy trusts, including free schools, studio schools and university technical colleges incorporated on or before 28 February 2015.
The Education Funding Agency (EFA) e-bulletin on 10 December contains all the information you will need to help you meet the 31 December deadline, including the guidance on submitting your accounts and completing the cover sheet.
We understand a small number of academy trusts have received an error message when trying to upload their audited accounts via EFA Information Exchange. If you experience upload issues, please contact EFA using our enquiry form and we will work with you as a matter of urgency to resolve this.
If you have not yet submitted your accounts, please ensure that you have processes in place to meet the deadline.
2. Information: August accounts return webinar – video available
You will need to complete an August accounts return if your academy trust is preparing audited accounts as at 31 August 2015 and had academies open at 31 August 2015. You should submit your return via Document Exchange by 31 January 2016.
A video of our December webinar on the accounts return is now available. You can also view a series of short training videos about how to complete your return.
3. Information: schools revenue funding settlement 2016 to 2017
The Department for Education (DfE) has today announced to Parliament the schools revenue funding settlement for 2016 to 2017.
Alongside the announcement, we have published local authority allocations and supporting technical information for 2016 to 2017 for the dedicated schools grant (DSG) and the education services grant (ESG).
The DSG settlement for 2016 to 2017 includes:
- the DSG schools block allocated on the basis of the schools block units of funding 2016 to 2017 announced in July 2015
- a minimum funding guarantee of -1.5% per pupil remains in place for 2016 to 2017
- the DSG high needs block increased by £92.5 million above the 2015 to 2016 baseline
- the rates per child for the DSG early years block maintained at their 2015 to 2016 levels
The ESG settlement for 2016 to 2017 includes:
- the ESG retained duties rate maintained at £15 per pupil
- the ESG general funding rate reduced to £77 per pupil as a first step towards achieving the savings announced in the spending review
- continued protection to limit reductions in academy budgets as a result of changes to the ESG for 2016 to 2017
4. Information: pupil premium grant 2016 to 2017
We have published the pupil premium conditions of grant for 2016 to 2017. Per pupil rates for pupil premium in 2016 to 2017 will stay the same as 2015 to 2016.
The pupil premium awards continue in 2016 but will not involve cash prizes for schools. Details of the awards will be announced early in 2016.
5. Information: other grant funding for 2016 to 2017
The meal rate for universal infant free school meals (UIFSM) stays at £2.30 for the 2016 to 2017 academic year. Further details will be available in the new year.
The year 7 catch-up premium continues in 2016 to 2017. We will confirm the per pupil rate early in 2016.
Summer schools funding will not continue in 2016.
The primary PE and sport premium continues in 2016 to 2017. Further details will be announced in the new year.
6. Information: EFA Information Exchange - submitting documents and updating contact details
We’ve enhanced EFA Information Exchange to make it easier for you to submit documents and to help you update your contact details.
In Document Exchange, we have added a ‘document purpose’ drop-down list so that when you submit documents to the finance and payments folder it’s clearer what the document is for. This will help us process your returns more quickly and follow up with you sooner.
This is explained in the guidance for academy trusts and sixth-form colleges that are submitting their accounts by 31 December 2015. If you’ve already submitted your audited accounts, you don’t need to submit them again.
In My Contact Information, we’ve included text to help you navigate to guidance, and have added more information in Knowledge Centre about updating your contact details.
Please remember to inform the EFA of any changes to your contact details using My Contact Information. This is important for all institutions and a requirement for certain roles in academy trusts as defined in the Academies Financial Handbook.
7. Information: consultation on parents and childcare provider ‘rights to request’ wraparound and holiday childcare
The Department for Education (DfE) is seeking views on draft departmental advice on wraparound and holiday childcare.
The advice is for maintained schools, academies and free schools on how they should respond to parents’ and childcare provider requests for wraparound and/or holiday childcare. It also covers requests to use school facilities for wraparound and/or holiday childcare provision at times when the school is not using them.
The aim of the advice is to avoid imposing unnecessary burdens on schools while ensuring schools understand the basis on which they should be responding constructively to requests for wraparound childcare. The consultation is open until 29 February 2016. DfE intends for the ‘rights to request’ to be introduced in September 2016.