EFA e-bulletin for academies: 4 December 2014
Published 4 December 2014
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1. Action: new submission route for academies accounts returns
Education Funding Agency (EFA) has introduced a new way for academy trusts to submit their 2013 to 2014 accounts returns, which are due on 31 January 2015. Trusts need to submit these via the EFA Information Exchange, using the online guidance.
Trusts will no longer be able to submit these to us via Deloitte OnLine.
2. Information: Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) applications
If you’re planning to submit a Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) application later this month, we recommend you register to use the application website straight away.
Most academies registered on the Academies Capital Maintenance Fund (ACMF) portal will be able to use their ACMF user name and password. Academies that used the ACMF portal for the first time last year will have to register as a new user for their CIF application account.
All new users will need to register to create an account.
We recommend you register straight away to make sure you can complete the online application by the deadline of 19 December.
If you have any technical issues with the CIF online application, please complete the ‘Contact Us’ form on the application website so your query goes straight to the technical team. Please do not email the EFA enquiry service.
Detailed guidance for applicants, including links to our webinar and video Q&A, and the application website are available on GOV.UK.
3. Information: maths and English condition of funding
We’ve now published a factsheet on the maths and English condition of funding. We are asking schools and academies to supply early data.
3.1 Maths and English condition of funding factsheet
We’ve published a comprehensive factsheet on the maths and English condition of funding on GOV.UK.
The factsheet covers all aspects of the condition of funding for all institutions with 16- to 19-year-olds on study programmes. It covers which students need to study, what exemptions apply, and identifies qualifications that meet the condition of funding.
3.2 Maths and English: number of students who are exempt from studying
In January 2015 we will be asking schools and academies to notify us of the number of students who are exempt from studying maths and English qualifications, based on the student numbers returned in the 2014 to 2015 academic year autumn census.
We will be sending out a template for completion along with guidance and the criteria for students to qualify as exempt on 5 January, and asking for the data to be returned within 3 weeks.
3.3 16 to 19 maths and English GCSE status by student report
We would like to remind institutions about the new maths and English status report to quality assure the data used to support the condition of funding on maths and English.
The report shows the status of each individual student to illustrate whether or not they are currently meeting the condition of funding. It is available in the Funding Information System (FIS) and on the Hub once an ILR return has been processed. It can be viewed as a PDF report, or an Excel file enabling you to filter for particular status to ensure your coding in the key fields is correct for every student.
The report provides an early indication on the status of maths and English GCSE provision for each EFA funded student in your return.
4. Action: school workforce census - deadline for returns
For those academies still completing their school workforce census return, the deadline for submission is this Friday 5 December.
If you have any questions about the return, you can contact the data collection helpdesk using the service request form.
For queries about the Secure Access portal or to request an account please visit the help page.
5. Information: advice about spiritual, moral, cultural and social (SMSC) development including fundamental British values
The Department for Education has published supplementary advice to help independent schools, academies and free schools understand their obligations under the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 to strengthen the requirements on schools in relation to fundamental British values, with effect from 29 September 2014.
The advice should be read alongside the departmental advice published on 30 November 2013.