Correspondence

EFA e-bulletin for schools, colleges, local authorities and other 16 to 19 providers: 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This correspondence was withdrawn on 23 December 2019

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date. The EFA e-bulletin has been replaced by ESFA Update.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: individualised learner record R06 2016 to 2017

The individualised learner record (ILR) R06 data collection for the 2016 to 2017 academic year closes on 6 February 2017. We will use this return to calculate 2017 to 2018 funding allocations and in the reconciliation of 2016 to 2017 funding for charitable and commercial providers.

Both the Funding Information System (FIS) and the Hub provide EFA funding reports which enable you to check your data is accurate. In particular, we would encourage you to check how you are recording 19- to 25-year-old students with low cost support needs and 19- to 25-year-olds with high needs.

From 1 September 2016, young people aged 19 to 25 are only eligible for high needs funding in the 2016 to 2017 academic year (place funding and top up) where the young person is subject to an education and health care plan and this has been recorded in the ILR. The high needs student summary and detail reports, which are available on the FIS and the Hub will help you to check this.

Institutions will also find the EFA Provider Data Self-Assessment Toolkit reports

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4. Information: traineeship in year growth window 2016 to 2017

The traineeship in year growth (IYG) window was announced in December 2016 for providers with an EFA contract. The IYG window will open after the R06 data return closes on 6 February 2017. Providers will have until 24 February 2017 to submit a business case for growth through our online enquiry form.

For colleges and commercial and charitable providers (CCPs) we will look at the R06 data return to assess how much of your 2016 to 2017 allocation you have used to date. For other provider types, we will use other latest data available. Provider business cases should include supporting evidence of employer support for additional starts in year, together with evidence of student demand. All awards in this window are subject to overall affordability. We will assess business cases during March 2017 and inform providers in April 2017, with growth being paid from May 2017.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.