Correspondence

ESFA Update academies: 16 August 2023

Published 16 August 2023

Applies to England

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1. Information: teachers pay additional grant (TPAG) 2023 to 2024 for special schools and alternative provision (AP) schools

We have published allocations for the TPAG for special and AP schools for 2023 to 2024. Allocations are calculated at local authority level, and local authorities are required to pass on 100% of the TPAG funding to their eligible specialist settings (outlined in the conditions of grant.)

Local authorities will be funded at £260 per place. We apply an area cost adjustment (ACA) to the funding rate because of geographical variation in labour costs. We have used the same ACAs as for the high needs national funding formula for 2023 to 2024.

Local authorities should seek to confirm the allocations for individual special schools and AP schools swiftly to provide institutions with the earliest possible certainty over their budgets. Payments to local authorities will be made in October 2023.

Local authorities will receive a second allocation of special schools and AP schools TPAG funding in March 2024. This will provide funding at £260 per place for the number of additional places opened between the July announcement and March 2024.

2. Information: Academy Finance Professionals (AFP) Power Hours and upcoming events

The AFP team would like to thank you for your continued support with Power Hours and for your valuable feedback.

2023 has been a packed year so far with sessions on:

  • Condition Improvement Fund
  • Digital Platform
  • Pensions
  • VMFI (View My Financial Insights) Tool
  • HMRC VAT
  • Budget Forecast Return
  • Counter Fraud
  • Academy Trust Handbook
  • Related Party Transactions

You can view recordings of the 2023 sessions in the AFP video library.

We welcome your thoughts on future AFP sessions. Please complete this short survey to help shape the programme of Power Hours for 2024.

And still to come in 2023:

  • 15 September - The Automation Tool
  • October - Land and Buildings
  • December - Accounts Returns

In addition to the Power Hours, we will also be hosting a virtual networking event on 9 November. This event will be led by sector finance professionals and give the opportunity to share ideas and good practice, make new contacts and network with peers.

On the 30 November we will hold our national conference, including headline speakers David Withey, ESFA Chief Executive Officer, and Tom Goldman, Head of Funding Policy Unit. More details will be issued in September.

3. Your feedback: calling school business professionals who use financial management systems (FMS) software

Please help us by completing this questionnaire to help us understand your trust’s current policies, systems and processes, and potential needs if choosing new/upgraded FMS software.

This feedback will help us develop a matrix of FMS suppliers that will enable you to choose the FMS that best suits your requirements.

Please feed your results back by the end of August.

We are also seeking volunteers to provide feedback on the draft matrix that will be collated following this survey.

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