ESFA Update further education: 13 October 2021
Published 13 October 2021
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2021
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-update-13-october-2021/esfa-update-further-education-13-october-2021
1. Action: check apprentices are on the latest versions of standards
The latest update to the Apprenticeship Service enables you to check that apprentices are on the latest versions of their apprenticeship standards. This ensures they receive training and assessment in line with industry requirements and businesses can benefit from their up-to-date skills.
New apprentices - added to the Apprenticeship Service are now automatically assigned to the latest versions of their standards. In addition, if options are available, you or employers can now select your preferred options.
Existing apprentices - you or employers can now move existing apprentices onto the latest versions of their standards, in line with the funding rules. In addition, if options are available, you or employers can now select your preferred options.
To check which version of a standard an apprentice is on, or to move an existing apprentice onto the latest version, simply sign in to your account and select an apprentice from the ‘Manage your apprentices’ section. Find out more on GOV.UK.
2. Reminder: 16 to 18 traineeship delivery market entry opportunity
We are offering an opportunity for providers to apply to deliver 16 to 18 traineeships. The window is open from 29 September to 22 October 2021.
To apply for a new traineeship contract, you must meet the eligibility criteria, be an existing provider, and must submit a full and complete application, by 5pm on 22 October 2021 to be considered for a contract, and we will not accept any applications received after the deadline. We recommend you submit your application in advance to avoid any delay or failing to complete the application properly and in time.
If you’re eligible and would like to apply, please complete the 16 to 18 Market Entry request form.
3. Information: high needs funding: due diligence process for special post-16 providers
We have published the high needs funding: due diligence process for special post-16 providers guidance.
This guidance explains the process for special post-16 institutions that may lead to a funding arrangement with the Education Skills and Funding Agency (ESFA) for the 2022 to 2023 academic year.
To be eligible to receive ESFA funding, special post-16 institutions (SPI) are required to be included within their provider LA high needs place change workbook (required by 12 November 2021) and must be named on at least 10 Education Health and Care plans. Subject to meeting this requirement, the ESFA will undertake due diligence to ensure themselves that the SPI is eligible to receive ESFA funding.
Further information is available on GOV.UK.
4. Information: clarification to the subcontracting funding rules
We have updated the 16 to 19 annex of the subcontracting funding rules, to clarify that if no payments are made to a third party for the delivery of enrichment, employment and pastoral (EEP), this is not subcontracting. We have also added further clarifications related to the T Level Industry Placement Employer Incentive Payments.
5. Information: professional development opportunities for leaders, governors, and governance professionals
The Education and Training Foundation is funded by DfE to provide a range of training programmes, mentoring and coaching support for college CEOs, CFOs, Middle Managers, Chairs and Governance Professionals.
Delivered by partners such as the Oxford Said Business School and the Institute of Directors, the programmes aim to develop skills and confidence to enhance the value which leaders, governors and governance professionals add to their institution and its long-term resilience. As signalled in the Skills for jobs white paper, we strongly encourage people in those roles to take advantage of training and support, so do have a look now at what’s on offer.
6. Information: mental health support for colleges
We recognise that providers have worked harder than ever to support the mental health and wellbeing of learners in response to the impact of COVID-19. Following World Mental Health Day last week, we are highlighting some of the resources and funding available to colleges to support a whole college approach to mental health and wellbeing. These include:
- senior mental health leads training
- wellbeing for education recovery
- the link programme
- mental health support teams
- psychology first aid training
More information on these programmes is available, with additional resources collated on the education hub.
The College Collaboration Fund (CCF) has funded several projects focused specifically on mental health in colleges. We have collated resources from these projects, if you would like to find out more about the innovative approaches settings have taken.
7. Information: communications toolkit and student video resources to support your encouragement of COVID-19 testing with college students
We have worked with further education providers to identify successful strategies that have been used to increase participation in testing. These are outlined in a new toolkit ‘how to encourage pupils and students to test regularly’.
We have also recently published student video resources for colleges to use in assemblies and classrooms. These engaging resources feature Gold-medal Olympian Matt Richards, Dr Jenny Harries as well as fellow students, who all speak about why testing is important from a personal and clinical perspective.
Reporting test results is just as important as taking the test, as this allows us to understand the virus and take additional action when needed. Please remind staff and students to report all negative, positive and void results on NHS Test and Trace.
We encourage you to continue looking at your testing data on VYED. If you have any concerns about your testing data, please complete the online enquiry form.
8. Information: Information: Best practice guides webinar for End Point Assessment (EPA) for training providers and EPA Organisations (EPAOs) and employers
Join us for an exclusive webinar providing an overview of new EPA best practice guides. This webinar will provide an overview of our new EPA best practice guides for Training Providers, EPAOs and employers. These guides outline the roles and responsibilities regarding assessment throughout the whole apprenticeship journey.
Awareness of and preparation for the end-point assessment is part of the whole apprenticeship journey and should be introduced right at the start of the programme. This will help to ensure an apprentice gets the best out of their apprenticeship and successfully completes their training and end-point assessment.
The provider and EPA live webinar, will take place on 5 November 2021 at 2pm and the employer live webinar, will take place on 4 November 2021 at 11am, or you can watch it ‘on demand’.
9. Information: Condition Data Collection 2 (CDC2) update
From 2021 to 2026 the Department for Education is collecting data about the condition of school and FE college buildings. Surveying teams working on the CDC2 programme will be visiting every government funded school and FE college in England. The next round of visits has been confirmed for the period from February 2022 to January 2023 (tranches 3 and 4). The list of schools to be visited in these tranches, and the full provisional list of schools to be visited in future tranches, is now available to view and download from the CDC2 section of the GOV.UK website.
The schools listed will be contacted by a surveying organisation in due course to set up a preliminary virtual meeting, which will gather general building information, and a site visit to collect building condition data.
10. Information: extension of the incentive payment for hiring a new apprentice
On 4 October 2021, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP, announced a £500m expansion of government action, to tackle unemployment and support job seekers following the end of furlough. This included the extension of the popular incentive payment for hiring a new apprentice until the end January 2022. As of 29 September 2021, 35,220 employers have created 101,460 new apprenticeship opportunities for apprentices using the employer incentive, which was originally introduced as part of the Government’s Plan for Jobs in July 2020.
Employers will be able to apply for a payment of £3,000 for new apprentices of any age, who have an employment start date between 1 October 2021 and 31 January 2022. Operational details, including details of the application window, will follow shortly.
Claims for eligible apprentices, recruited between 1 April and 30 September 2021, remain unchanged; employers must submit their claim no later than 30 November 2021.
11. Information: opportunity to take part in COVID-19 Exam Support Service research
User Researchers at the ESFA are seeking volunteers to take part in a 30-minute research session for the COVID-19 Exam Support Service. Research sessions will take place the week commencing 18 October 2021. If you are responsible for organising exams in your organisation (e.g. exam manager) and are interested in taking part, please sign up to a session. A researcher will be in touch with more details.
12. Information: final funding claim for 2020 to 2021
The final funding claim window will open at 9am on Monday 25 October 2021.
Please submit your final funding claim by 5pm on Tuesday 2 November 2021. The claim form will be available on Submit Learner Data.
Your principal or a delegated authority must sign your claim digitally on Manage your education and skills funding by 5pm on Wednesday 3 November 2021.
- You will need to submit a claim if you receive funds through:
- grant funded – ESFA adult education budget (AEB) (adult skills, community learning, 19 to 24 traineeships and COVID-19 skills offer)
- learner support for ESFA AEB procured (adult skills and 19 to 24 traineeships) – paid-on-profile
- 19 to 24 traineeships 2020 procurement - learner support – paid-on- profile
- grant funded - advanced learner loans bursary (ALLB)
- 16 to 19 education
Once you have submitted your claim you will also be able to view it on the Manage your education and skills funding service within fifteen minutes.
If you have any queries, please contact us using the online enquiry form.