Correspondence

EFA e-bulletin for academies: 26 January 2017

Published 26 January 2017

This correspondence was withdrawn on 23 December 2019

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date. The EFA e-bulletin has been replaced by ESFA Update.

1. Information: schools efficiency and financial health

We’ve published a further range of materials supporting schools financial health and efficiency. These include:

• a new schools buying strategy

• new workforce planning guidance for school leaders

• updated information on third-party financial training and support

• 3 new videos from practitioners who delivered presentations at last year’s academy financial health events

We’ve also published 2 further schools financial health case studies showing how academy trusts have achieved savings through governance reforms and revised staffing structures.

2. Information: views sought ahead of review into residential special education

Dame Christine Lenehan is seeking evidence to inform her review into the experiences and outcomes of children and young people in residential special schools and colleges. She’s interested in evidence from:

• people running or working in residential special schools or colleges

• children and young people who are attending/have attended residential special schools or colleges, and their parents/carers

• local authorities

• representative bodies from across the sector

• academics with an interest in this area

Further information on the Lenehan review is available on GOV.UK.

3. Information: academies accounts return update

Peter Lauener, Chief Executive of the Education Funding Agency (EFA), has written to accounting officers at all trusts completing the accounts return for the year to August 2016.

In his letter, Peter apologises for any problems trusts and auditors have experienced with the new online system, outlines the work being undertaken to fix these, and confirms that we have extended the deadline for trusts submitting their accounts return to Tuesday 28 February 2017.

If you still have questions about registering for and setting up the online form, please email formshelp@fasst.org.uk. If you have any other questions about the accounts return, please email academy.questions@education.gov.uk.

4. Information: 2017 to 2018 high needs place change notification process - outcomes

The outcomes from the 2017-2018 high needs place change notification process will be published on Tuesday 31 January.

This will list all institutions for which local authorities submitted a return to change high needs place numbers. The individual outcomes are determined in line with the principles set out in the ‘high needs place change notification: technical note 2017 to 2018’ and will inform the funded place numbers in further education colleges, commercial and charitable providers and academies.

Once published, enquiries relating to the outcomes of the place change notification process may be submitted via EFA’s enquiry form no later than Tuesday 14 February 2017. Institutions should first check proposed arrangements with their local authority before raising an enquiry about place numbers with EFA. Revisions to the published outcomes will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.

5. Information: school and early years finance regulations

We have laid the school and early years finance (England) regulations 2017. These regulations make provision for local authorities’ financial arrangements relating to the funding of schools and early years provision for the 2017 to 2018 financial year.

We’ve also published an explanatory memorandum. Changes to the previous regulations are set out in paragraphs 7.4 to 7.16 of the memorandum.

6. Information: Armed Forces Bereavement Scholarship Scheme (AFBSS)

The Armed Forces Bereavement Scholarship Scheme (AFBSS) has been expanded to make scholarships available for further education programmes of study below level 3. Further information is available on GOV.UK.