Correspondence

ESFA e-bulletin for academies: 28 September 2017

Published 29 September 2017

This correspondence was withdrawn on 23 December 2019

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date. The EFA e-bulletin has been replaced by ESFA Update.

Applies to England

1. Reminder: school admissions timetable

Admission authorities must have determined their admissions arrangements for entry in September 2019 by 28 February 2018.

As set out in the Schools Admission Code 2014, the timetable for consultation and determination of admission arrangements is that:

• consultation should take place between 1 October 2017 and 31 January 2018
• you must determine your admission arrangements by 28 February 2018
• you must send a copy of your determined admission arrangements to your local authority by 15 March 2018
• the deadline for objections to the Schools Adjudicator is 15 May 2018

Please note, you must consult when you change your admission arrangements or if you have not consulted within the past 7 years.

2. Information: academies accounts return/land and buildings collection tool

We’ve published guidance for using the IDAMS registration system used for the online forms for the academies accounts return and the land and buildings collection tool. The online forms will go live on 2 October 2017.

We’ve written to trust accounting officers and chief financial officers with information to help trusts to prepare for timely submission of both returns.

Most academy trusts registered to use the online system last year and we recommend that these trusts check their user details and passwords as soon as possible.

We’ve sent registration information to new trusts that haven’t yet used the system and recommend that these trusts register straight away and become familiar with how to set up the system for their returns.

We also encourage trusts to register for our series of webinars:

• 3 October, 2pm – Introduction to the land and buildings collection tool
• 19 October, 2pm – Land and buildings collection tool further guidance session
• 9 November, 2pm – Academies accounts returns (we encourage trusts’ local auditors to register for this session)

3. Information: high needs funding operational guide for 2018 to 2019 and updated schools funding operational guidance for 2018 to 2019

We’ve published the high needs operational guidance setting out arrangements for high needs funding in 2018 to 2019. This includes a summary of key dates, deadlines and what you need to do for 2018 to 2019.

We’ll publish more detail about the process for local authorities to request changes to place numbers in ESFA funded institutions shortly.

We’ve updated the schools operational guidance for 2018 to 2019 to reflect the government’s response to the second stage schools national funding formula consultation and high needs national funding formula consultation.

We’ve also published the national funding formula technical notes. Tables showing the step by step calculations for the schools block will be made available to each local authority and school via the COLLECT system next week.

4. Information: schools forum guidance

We’ve updated the schools forum operational and good practice guide to help local authorities, school leaders and governing bodies understand their schools forum obligations and duties.

We’ve also updated the schools forums powers and responsibilitieswhich provides a summary of the powers and responsibilities of schools forums.

5. Reminder: autumn school census

The census date for the 2017 autumn school census is Thursday 5 October with the deadline for approved submissions being Wednesday 1 November. The database will be closed to amendments from schools and local authorities on Wednesday 29 November.

All academies should have received a second ‘readiness bulletin’ on 19 September 2017. Please complete a service request form if you did not receive the bulletin.

A ‘beta’ release of the COLLECT system that allows schools to familiarise themselves with COLLECT in advance of census date will remain open until 4pm on Friday 29 September. The department would strongly recommend that, if possible, all schools take the chance to load a file output from their management information system (MIS) into COLLECT. This will allow schools to check that all the required data is being output correctly from their MIS into the autumn census return. If any validation errors or queries are generated against their data when loaded into COLLECT, schools will then be able to resolve them before the collection goes live. This will be especially important for any schools completing the autumn school census for the first time.

The school census guide for the 2017 to 2018 academic year has been updated and is available on the school census website, we’ve also published COLLECT user guides to assist colleagues.

If you have any queries about COLLECT or the school census, please use the data collection service request form.

6. Information: Condition Data Collection

As the Condition Data Collection (CDC) programme progresses, we are working to ensure all responsible bodies will be able to access their schools’ condition data through the online CDC Portal.

If you are a responsible body and do not yet have access to the CDC Portal, please email CDC.PortalSupport@education.gov.uk with the name of the person who will be responsible for the account and their contact details. We will then get in touch with this person directly to set up your responsible body’s account.

7. Information: customer engagement survey about 16 to 19 revenue funding allocations

Thank you to all those who have participated in our survey about how you receive and use our products that support the 16 to 19 revenue funding allocations. Your input has been very valuable.

You still have an opportunity to provide your input. This won’t take more than 15 minutes of your time to complete and we appreciate all responses.

The survey will close on Friday, 29 September.