Correspondence

EFA e-bulletin for academies: 4 June 2015

Published 4 June 2015

This correspondence was withdrawn on 13 December 2019

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date. The EFA e-bulletin has been replaced by ESFA Update.

1. Action: budget forecast webinar

Register now for the budget forecast return webinar that Education Funding Agency (EFA) is holding at 3pm on 17 June. You can submit questions before and during this live session.

2. Reminder: land and buildings valuation forms

New academies must submit the land and buildings valuation form within 6 weeks of opening.

Guidance is available on how EFA prepares land and buildings valuations and how academy trusts can use these valuations in preparing their accounts.

3. Information: academies accounts direction 2014 to 2015

We are currently completing the Academy Accounts Direction for the year ending 31 August 2015. We expect to publish this later in June and would like to apologise that this is later than our published schedule.

There will be 2 Accounts Directions to reflect transition to the new Charities SORP (Statement Of Recommended Practice) 2015. We are grateful for the support of colleagues in academy trusts who have helped us with the transition to the new SORP.

4. Information: operating effective leasing arrangements

Academies must follow departmental guidance when entering into leasing arrangements including those for multi-functional devices (MFDs) and photocopiers.

We also urge you to compare leasing costs with buying when identifying your needs and to read the small print of any lease contract carefully.

We have published advice on MFDs and photocopiers in Effective Buying for your School’ including hints and tips for MFD buying.

We recommend that you consider deals available from the Crown Commercial Service for education or other public sector buying organisations such as Pro5 and the Crescent Purchasing Consortium.

You must get approval from EFA before entering into any finance leases because this method of repayment is classified as borrowing in the Academies Financial Handbook.

You should also get advice from your professional financial adviser or local authority if you are in any doubt about whether a lease involves an element of borrowing.

5. Information: mapping of engagement programmes for young people

We have updated the document mapping engagement programmes that are currently available to support the participation of young people in England. The document was first published in July 2014.

6. Information: 16 to 19 Bursary Fund for 2015 to 2016

We’ve published advice for the 2015 to 2016 academic year to help institutions understand how to administer the bursary fund to support disadvantaged 16- to 19-year-old students with their participation costs.

There are no policy changes to the bursary fund for the 2015 to 2016 academic year. However, please note that as we no longer carry out a voluntary management information (MI) collection, we encourage institutions to record all vulnerable and discretionary awards on the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) or school census.

7. Information: new Student Bursary Support Service

Guidance is available to help education institutions and childcare providers understand the changes to the process to submit claims for vulnerable students from the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund and to support Care to Learn applications.

Accounts have been set-up on the Student Bursary Support Service portal. Further information and demonstration videos are also available to prepare institutions with using the new system which was launched on 26 May.

8. Information: changes to the Residential Support Scheme for 2015 to 2016

The way the Residential Support Scheme (RSS) is administered has changed for the 2015 to 2016 academic year, as previously communicated to institutions.

It is important that institutions familiarise themselves with the RSS guide to ensure students are being advised about how to apply.

Guides for the Residential Support Scheme and the Residential Bursary Fund are available on GOV.UK.

Updated information about the application and administration of Care to Learn in the 2015 to 2016 academic year is also available.

9. Information: EFA Information Exchange videos

We’ve published 2 short videos on the Department for Education’s YouTube channel introducing and explaining how to access our transactional website EFA Information Exchange, and giving a guide to its functionality. You can view these videos below.

9.1 How to access EFA Information Exchange

How to access EFA Information Exchange

9.2 Guide to EFA Information Exchange functionality

EFA Information Exchange functionality

10. Reminder: summer school census 2015 returns

The deadline for returning approved submissions for the summer school census is Wednesday 17 June 2015. The database will be closed to schools and local authorities on Wednesday 8 July 2015.

We have published a video which provides information about the school census, how the data is used, and how to access and use COLLECT. Although aimed at academies and free schools, the content is relevant to maintained schools who make returns directly in COLLECT.

We will produce further guidance videos before the autumn census.

11. Information: opting in early for Progress 8

The deadline for opting in a year early to the Progress 8 performance measure is 5pm on 30 June 2015. Headteachers can opt in or check their school’s opt-in status via the tables checking website.

Information about Progress 8 together with terms and conditions for opting in from 2015 are available on GOV.UK.

12. Information: NASBM professional standards consultation

The National Association for School Business Management (NASBM) has launched a consultation on a set of professional standards to ensure optimal strategic leadership in schools, starting with the finance standards.

NASBM is keen to hear responses from school leaders including headteachers and governors as well as business managers by 26 June.