Correspondence

EFA e-bulletin for academies: 5 May 2016

Published 5 May 2016

This correspondence was withdrawn on

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date. The EFA e-bulletin has been replaced by ESFA Update.

1. Reminder: March accounts return due 31 May 2016

This is a reminder that the deadline for submitting the March accounts return is 31 May 2016.

EFA requires academy trusts to submit a March 2016 accounts return by 31 May 2016 if:

  • they did not prepare audited financial statements as at 31 August 2015 and had open academies at 31 March 2016; or
  • they did prepare audited financial statements as at 31 August 2015 and they opened new academies between then and 31 March 2016

The return is available together with a guide to completing and submitting the return. There’s also a series of training videos and a recording of a question and answer webinar.

2. Information: traineeships – intention to deliver in 2016 to 2017

From 2016 to 2017 it will be possible to identify traineeships in the census. We are asking schools and academies to let us know if they intend to deliver traineeships and provide us with an estimate of how many they think they may deliver. We will take a non-reply as an indication that you have either not decided or do not intend to deliver traineeships in 2016 to 2017.

The estimates that are provided help government to measure whether we are continuing to make progress in growing the total number of traineeships year on year. Send us your estimate, including ‘Traineeships’ in the title of your message. Further information on traineeships is available on GOV.UK.

3. Reminder: Document Exchange file expiry

All files held in Document Exchange are automatically removed 13 months after they are uploaded. Please ensure you check EFA Information Exchange regularly to download and save any documents you need before they expire.

4. Information: new and updated energy for schools guidance

The Department for Education (DfE) is working with Crown Commercial Service (CCS) and academy stakeholder groups to provide schools and academies with a compliant route to the energy market. This will help schools achieve greater value for money when buying energy and avoid issues caused by the complexity and volatility of the energy market.

As part of this collaborative project, CCS has launched both new and updated energy for schools guidance to help schools when choosing their energy supplier for gas and electricity.