EFA e-bulletin for academies: 28 August 2014
Published 28 August 2014
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1. Action: EFA Information Exchange
Education Funding Agency (EFA) has now activated all accounts for the EFA Information Exchange.
To access it, all EFA-funded institutions need to use the Department for Education Secure Access Portal.
In July we sent an activation letter containing a PIN to your head of institution. We also emailed your designated advanced user with their user name. You need both to activate the account. The link will only work the first time you click it – so you need to make sure you have the PIN to hand at the same time.
The EFA Information Exchange includes the Document Exchange, which allows you to download and upload documents about your institution and a variety of online forms. In the autumn term we will be adding a calendar of important activities and deadlines, and a knowledge base to help you answer any questions you may have.
If you have any problems logging on, please contact our Secure Access support team. You can see more details on how to get support on GOV.UK.
2. Information: new academy trusts - budget forecast submission route
All academy trusts open at 31 March 2014 should by now have submitted their 2014 to 2015 budget forecasts. New trusts need to submit theirs within 6 weeks of their final funding letters. You will need to use the online form and are no longer able to submit an Excel spreadsheet via the Deloitte OnLine site.
EFA has made a workbook available so you can see what information we require in the online form. If you want to, you can use the workbook to prepare your forecast before you complete the online form. The workbook is for information only, and cannot be submitted to EFA.
3. Information: online video on the Academies Financial Handbook 2014
In the EFA 14 August e-bulletin, we announced publication of the Academies Financial Handbook 2014 which comes into effect on 1 September 2014.
We have now published an online video about the new handbook.
4. Information: revised payment profiles for academies and free schools
The revised payment profile for academies and free schools comes into effect from September 2014. EFA will profile payments into 12 equal instalments, providing more consistency across all state-funded schools and simplifying financial planning.
5. Information: risk protection arrangements (RPA) for academy trusts
The risk protection arrangement (RPA) for academy trusts will be effective from 1 September 2014. RPA is an alternative to insurance, where losses that arise are covered by UK government funds.
The membership rules setting out the full scope of the RPA have been updated to resolve issues including those relating to leased premises.
Academy trusts joining the RPA before 1 September will have their funding adjusted retrospectively from 1 November 2014. If you opted in on or before 1 July we will adjust your payments from 1 September 2014. Trusts are able to opt in using an online form.
6. Information: 2015 to 2016 academic year high needs funding process
EFA has now published further information on the high needs funding process for the 2015 to 2016 academic year.
As previously communicated, we will roll forward the published 2014 to 2015 academic year high needs place numbers as the basis for place funding allocations in the 2015 to 2016 academic year. These 2015 to 2016 place numbers have now been published on GOV.UK.
We recognise there might be a small number of exceptional cases where using these place numbers as the basis for the 2015 to 2016 academic year could fail to provide the place funding that institutions need. Local authorities can find specific guidance on the exceptional cases process, including key principles and process, within the high needs chapter of the schools revenue funding 2015 to 2016 operational guidance.
Institutions can find specific guidance within the high needs funding additional information document.
Unlike last year there will not be a formal process for academies and FE institutions to make exceptional cases directly to the EFA.
7. Reminder: Academies Capital Maintenance Fund (ACMF) monitoring forms
All ongoing ACMF projects must submit a monitoring form reporting progress via the application portal by Friday 19 September.