Correspondence

ESFA Update local authorities: 17 June 2020

Published 17 June 2020

This correspondence was withdrawn on

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date. Read the latest editions of ESFA Update for up to date news and information.

Applies to England

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.

Please check GOV.UK regularly for updates.

2. Information: T Levels – 2022 providers and criteria to deliver T Levels in 2023

We have announced the providers selected to deliver T Levels from September 2022.

We have also announced the criteria that providers wishing to deliver T Levels in 2023 must meet. This will open up delivery to significantly more providers as T Levels become more widely available as a technical education route.

We will confirm the process for providers to register their wish to take part in 2023 delivery in January 2021.

3. Information: version 1 of ESFA adult education budget (AEB) funding and performance management rules 2020 to 2021

We have published version 1 of the ESFA AEB funding and performance management rules 2020 to 2021. There are no updates to the section on subcontracting. We will review this section this once the government consultation response is published.

Thank you for your feedback on the draft we published in May. We have considered all the comments and we’ve listed any changes in the summary of changes section. Some of the main changes are:

  • addition of the performance management rules for 2020 to 2021
  • removal of a paragraph in the fees and charging section because we will be consulting on co-funding
  • a new section on funding rules for the digital entitlement. Essential digital skills qualifications will be the only qualifications funded under the digital entitlement in the 2020 to 2021 funding year and will be approved for funding as they are added to Ofqual’s Register of Regulated Qualifications and meet our approval principles

The rules apply to all providers of education and training who receive AEB funding from the ESFA. If you have any queries, please use our online enquiry form.

4. Information: Advanced Learner Loans – launch of the 2020 to 2021 application service

The 2020 to 2021 Advanced Learner Loans application service will open on Monday 15 June 2020 for learners who wish to start eligible qualifications from 1 August 2020 funded with a loan.

5. Information: new Advanced Learner Loans funding letter templates

We have updated the learning and funding information letters for 2020 to 2021. You must issue these to learners, including for offenders in custody, who are considering funding their qualification with a loan. We have also published guidance on how to complete the letters.