ESFA Update local authorities: 10 March 2021
Published 10 March 2021
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2021
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-update-10-march-2021/esfa-update-local-authorities-10-march-2021
1. Latest information on coronavirus (COVID-19)
The Department for Education has published guidance about COVID-19 in educational settings for staff, parents and carers, pupils and students on GOV.UK.
There is also guidance on the apprenticeship service about COVID-19.
Please check GOV.UK regularly for updates.
2. Action: section 251 budget collection 2021 to 2022
The deadline for the submission of the section 251 budget 2021 to 2022 collection is 30 April 2021.
The Department for Education uses the data you submit for constructing benchmarking tables and publishing statistics that are of interest to schools forums.
We’ve published information about how to complete the section 251 budget 2021 to 2022 collection.
3. Reminder: request for historic data on place numbers and funding relating to 2017 to 2018
On Thursday 4 March, we contacted local authority finance colleagues to request historic data on place numbers and funding relating to 2017 to 2018 in connection with the high needs national funding formula consultation.
The deadline to submit your spreadsheet, either accepting the figures presented or making amendments, is Wednesday 24 March 2021.
4. Information: subcontracting returns following consultation response: deadlines confirmed with follow up document
On Thursday 4 March we published a follow up document to the subcontracting consultation response we published in June 2020. This publication sets out further detail of what we expect from providers in relation to each proposal, including the following requests to the agency:
- 16 to 19 provision only: requests to continue with existing “distance learning” arrangements in 2021 to 2022
- 16 to 19 provision only: requests to continue with “whole programme subcontracting” arrangements in 2021 to 2022
- excluding ESF provision and local authorities: cases made to the agency If providers do not think they can reduce their subcontracting
The document covers information that should be in the request, where this should be sent to, and confirms the deadline of 31 May 2021 for all the above requests.
Please contact the enquiry service if you have any enquiries.
5. Information: funding rates and formula guidance for 2021 to 2022
We have published the funding rates and formula guidance for academic year 2021 to 2022.
We have made the following updates:
- the introduction now includes arrangements related to coronavirus (COVID-19)
- retention: the funding methodology is temporarily using an average retention factor
- Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 2019: the funding methodology now uses the 2019 Index, rather than the one used in 2015
- exceptional in-year growth: we made minor additions to clarify the providers eligible for growth and to state that we have the power to recover growth awards
- formula protection funding: we no longer pay formula protection funding
6. Information: supporting disadvantaged pupils through tuition
The National Tutoring Programme has been supporting disadvantaged pupils across England since November 2020. Over 4,000 schools and 100,000 children are now enrolled with an approved NTP Tuition Partner and over 1,000 Academic Mentors are now working in schools.
With the reopening of schools to all pupils, NTP is looking forward to supporting more schools and pupils. Robbie Coleman, Director of the NTP Secretariat said:
The National Tutoring Programme was created to support teachers and pupils during an incredibly challenging year. As schools welcome pupils back into the classroom, our approved Tuition Partners are available to provide some extra help.
Get started with tuition in your school; search for Tuition Partners working in your area or sign up for a national webinar on Tuesday 23 March at 4pm to find out more.
7. Information: free period products for schools and colleges
With pupils back it the classroom, it’s important that schools and colleges can support learners so that no one is left behind because of their gender or background.
All schools and colleges can order a range of free period products for learners, including environmentally friendly and reusable products, and they can decide how to make these products available to learners.
Log on to the phs portal to order products and find practical support and guidance on the scheme on GOV.UK. If you have any questions, contact phs customer services on 01827 255500 or periodproducts@phs.co.uk.
8. Information: Managing the School Estate Summit, 24 March 2021
The Managing the School Estate Summit, is taking place online on 24 March 2021.
The interactive event will allow discussion around how we build, manage and maintain the school estate, with focus on the importance of strategic estate management and making the most of your resources.
The event is aimed at anyone involved in school estate management, from those who are new to the role to those who wish to extend and build their expertise. Places are free of charge to attend for those directly employed by a school or public sector body.
For more information, please visit the event website and book your place.