Correspondence

ESFA Update further education: 15 November 2023

Updated 16 November 2023

Applies to England

1. Action: reporting unspent 16 to 19 Bursary Fund and free meals in further education funding

You must contact ESFA each year to report the amount of unspent 16 to 19 Bursary Funding and/or free meals in further education funding that you are holding outside of the one year carry forward rule.

For academic year 2023 to 2024, this means you need to inform us of the total amount of any unspent funds (that you haven’t previously reported to us) from any year up to and including the 2021 to 2022 academic year. We encourage you to do this as soon as you are aware, however you must tell us no later than 31 March each year. We will recover all unspent funds.

When you know you have funds to return, you should contact us using our online enquiry form. When you make contact, it is helpful if you specify the amount of funding being returned, whether it is bursary fund or free meals in further education and which year the funding is from. This is particularly important if funds for more than one year are involved.

We will send further reminders as the academic year continues.

2. Information: updated funding rules means apprentices aged 16 to 18 may not be subject to a recognition of prior learning (RPL) assessment

Following updates to the 2023 to 2024 funding rules, apprentices aged 16 to 18 do not require an RPL assessment, unless they have:

• previously enrolled in an apprenticeship; or other training that is aligned to IfATE’s occupational standards in the same sector (see rule 27.4 to 27.5); or 25.2.
• they have relevant prior work experience (see rule 24.1.2)

Read the updated funding rules for more information.

3. Information: new recognition of prior learning (RPL) changes on the 30 November 2023

On the 30 November 2023, new and updated RPL questions will be included when training providers add an apprentice on the Apprenticeship Service. This change will help providers calculate RPL price reductions more accurately. It will also mean that, over time, we can share more information about how providers are typically applying RPL.

Read our RPL guidance for more information. Further detail on the new questions and the options for adding apprentices in bulk have been sent to training providers.

4. Information: International Fraud Awareness Week

The 12th to 18th November is International Fraud Awareness Week.

The week-long campaign encourages business leaders and employees to proactively take steps to minimise the impact of fraud by promoting anti-fraud awareness and education.

In ESFA, we take our responsibility as guardians of public money seriously, having our Counter Fraud Strategy embedded throughout the agency.

Our strategy of ‘Prevent, Detect, Deter and Protect’ supports our key objectives; to minimise our fraud and error losses, maximise our prevention and detection and maximise our recoveries and redress.

The foundation of our strategy is to ‘Protect’, that is to protect ESFA, its assets, colleagues, the sector and ultimately the public purse, to give certainty, support and assurance that taxpayers money is used for its intended purpose. This means protecting every pound so that it is spent on education and skills, to have the greatest possible impact, ensuring all learners can realise their potential.

During the week, we encourage everyone to promote fraud awareness and have a conversation about the importance of countering fraud.

Information and resources can be found on the official International Fraud Awareness website.

For more information or if you would like the Counter Fraud Team to support you please contact: Counter.Fraud@education.gov.uk.

5. Information: new YouTube channel for Apprenticeship Service support

The Department for Education have centralised their YouTube content, meaning that all Apprenticeship Service support videos have now moved over to the Department for Education Sector Comms YouTube channel which covers all sector-based communications in England.

Please subscribe to the @DfESectorComms YouTube channel and watch our 3 playlists:

• Using the Apprenticeship Service
• Apprenticeship Service - webinar recordings
• Apprenticeship support videos

6. Information: apply for a free framed portrait of His Majesty The King

On 1 April 2023, the Cabinet Office issued a press release to announce a new scheme to allow public authorities across the UK to apply for a free, framed portrait of His Majesty the King to celebrate the new reign.

The Cabinet Office have now launched the voluntary government funded scheme.

Secondary schools, free schools, state funded special schools, non-maintained special schools and FE colleges are eligible for receiving a free portrait.  

The supplier organisation chosen to operate this scheme is Cubiquity Limited. Eligible settings can request their free portrait by using the supplier’s website. The deadline to request the free portrait is Friday 2 February 2024.

Please refer to the FAQ document for any specific questions about the portrait and the scheme itself.

Further details will be provided in due course for public bodies that do not fall within scope of the scheme but wish to purchase a portrait or any authorities who would like to purchase additional portraits.

Any queries relating to His Majesty The King’s portrait scheme should be directed to hmkportraitscheme@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. 

7. Your feedback: help us to improve information to students about Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) so they can get the skills employers need

We want students to make the best choices for their future. The Department for Education and our research partner, Kantar Public, would like your help to improve the information students receive about Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs). HTQs are a post-18 option for students, delivered at universities and colleges, that are job-focused and designed to provide the skills employers need.   

We want providers of Level 3 qualifications to take part in this exciting opportunity to find out what engages your students to make informed choices, and to help them make the best decision for their future. Taking part is easy and we will supply all the materials you will need.  

Express your interest by 30 November.