Guidance

EFA e-bulletin for schools, colleges and other 16 to 19 providers: 28 August 2014

Published 28 August 2014

This guidance was withdrawn on

This is an old edition of the EFA e-bulletin, so has been archived. Please view our most recent e-bulletins and web pages for up-to-date information.

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/efa-e-bulletin-28-august-2014/efa-e-bulletin-for-schools-colleges-and-other-16-to-19-providers-28-august-2014

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: 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.

3. Information: recording high needs students in the 2013 to 2014 ILR - R13 data returns

EFA has published a technical guidance note on how high needs students (HNS) should be recorded in the Individualised Learner Record (ILR).

As stated in the 2013 to 2014 ILR specification, the Learning Support indicator (code ALS1) in the Learner Funding and Monitoring fields should only be used where a local authority has paid element 3 ‘top-up’ funding for an EFA funded student whose agreed support costs are greater than £6,000.

We encourage all institutions that return data through the ILR to review their recording of high needs students before the close of R13 on 16 September. Institutions with questions about this should email their EFA territory.

4. Contacts

All 16 to 19 providers can get in touch with EFA through the relevant territorial inbox, unless a different email address is specified in an article:

16 to 19 providers - northern territory

For local authorities, schools, colleges and other (non-academy) providers in north west, north east and Yorkshire and the Humber with queries for the Education Funding Agency

16 to 19 providers - central and south west territory

For local authorities, schools, colleges and other (non-academy) providers in south west, west midlands and east midlands with queries for the Education Funding Agency

16 to 19 providers - southern territory

For local authorities, schools, colleges and other (non-academy) providers in south east, east of England and London with queries for the Education Funding Agency

Academies should contact the Academy Enquiries Service:

EFA questions

For schools, local authorities, other education institutions and providers, accountants, auditors and other professional advisers with queries for the Education Funding Agency

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