Correspondence

EFA e-bulletin for academies: 25 June 2015

Published 25 June 2015

This correspondence was withdrawn on 13 December 2019

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date. The EFA e-bulletin has been replaced by ESFA Update.

1. Action: budget forecast online form and guidance

Education Funding Agency (EFA) requires academy trusts open as at 31 March 2015 to submit their budget forecasts for the 2015 to 2016 academic year by 31 July 2015 using the online form.

For trusts opening between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2016, the deadline is either 6 weeks from receiving their funding letter or 31 July 2015, depending which is later.

We will make available a new version of the online form for the 2015 to 2016 academic year by 27 June 2015. We will also make guidance to complete the form available.

You can also access a video of the EFA’s webinar on the 2015 to 2016 budget forecast return, that was held live on 17 June.

You can view a series of video clips, which demonstrate the new online return and provide guidance on how to complete it.

If you have not yet sent us your academic year 2014 to 2015 budget forecast, you will need to complete the new 2015 to 2016 budget forecast return instead and send us your return by 31 July, as above.

2. Information: pupil premium and universal infant free school meals (UIFSM) July payments

We will pay pupil premium and UIFSM grant payments on 6 July. This is separate to your main general annual grant (GAG) payment, which will be credited to your account on 1 July 2015. We will issue a separate remittance showing the amounts for the pupil premium and UIFSM grants.

For those receiving UIFSM payments, we will note final 2014 to 2015 and provisional 2015 to 2016 payments as separate items on the remittance.

During the week starting 29 June, we will publish final UIFSM allocations for 2014 to 2015, provisional UIFSM allocations for 2015 to 2016 and final pupil premium allocations for 2015 to 2016.

3. Information: risk protection arrangement (RPA) renewals

If you have opted in to the RPA, we will automatically renew your membership for subsequent years.

We will remind you about the RPA when we issue your funding allocation each year. This will include information about how to opt out of the arrangement.

4. Information: core aims in study programmes

We have published information on core aims in study programmes on GOV.UK.

This includes the importance of core aims, how to identify the study programme core aim, how core aims are used for funding, and how to record core aims. We have provided links to advice on the individualised learner record (ILR) and school census and other useful sources of information.

5. Information: outcomes of business cases received relating to 16 to 19 allocations for 2015 to 2016

We have reviewed and confirmed outcomes of business cases received relating to 16 to 19 allocations for the 2015 to 2016 academic year. The window for sending business cases has now closed.

Where allocations have been updated following business cases, revised allocation statements have been uploaded to Information Exchange in the ‘Revenue Funding’ folder, under ‘2015/16’. If you have not received a response to your business case, please contact the academy enquiry service.

6. Information: changes to your EduBase account

From Monday 29 June 2015, your Secure Access login will also provide access to Edubase.

If you don’t have a Secure Access account, please contact the approver in your organisation.

Public access to Edubase is not affected by this change. Please see the FAQs on the EduBase website for further information.

7. Information: mental health training in schools pilot

Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are bidding to pilot mental health training in schools.

This follows the Department of Health’s Future in Mind report, which recommended having named points of contact in specialist mental health services (or CAMHS) and specific leads responsible for mental health in schools.

Schools taking part in the pilot scheme will receive £3,500. If you are interested in being a pilot school and would like to find out if your CCG is bidding to take part you can look up their contact details and see the expression of interest process.

8. Information: NASBM professional standards consultation

The National Association for School Business Management (NASBM) has launched a consultation on a set of professional standards to ensure optimal strategic leadership in schools.

The section covering leading support services and core: strategy, efficiency and governance is now open for review.

NASBM is keen to hear responses from school leaders including headteachers and governors as well as business managers.

The consultation will close on 3 July 2015.