ESFA Update further education: 23 February 2022
Published 23 February 2022
Applies to England
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1. Action: survey on financial management and governance processes for independent training providers (ITPs)
We are exploring the development of a framework to help ITPs to develop and/or enhance their financial management and governance processes. To assist us with this work, and to help us understand the scope of processes already in place across the sector, we would be grateful if ITPs would complete our anonymous survey.
By completing the survey, you will be contributing vital feedback that will help to inform and influence the direction of the framework.
The survey contains 37 questions (mostly multiple choice) and should take approximately 15 to 30 minutes to complete, depending on the level of comments you wish to provide.
Please only complete the survey if you meet both criteria below. You:
- are an ITP (that is, you are not an academy, college, or local authority), and
- received any post- 16 education funding from the ESFA or an MCA/GLA for the 2020/21 funding year.
In October 2021 we invited all ITPs to a series of workshops on financial management and governance processes, and attendees completed an initial survey. This new version is updated based on the feedback from those sessions, and we encourage all ITPs to provide feedback, even if you previously attended a workshop.
To ensure that the survey is representative of the sector, we request that only one response is submitted from your organisation.
The survey is completely anonymous and will be used to inform the development of the framework only. The deadline to complete the survey is 16 March 2022.
Many thanks for your assistance in advance.
2. Information: strengthening supported internships programme
The Department for Education (DfE) is considering its approach to procuring services to strengthen the Supported Internships Programme and has published a Prior Information Notice (PIN).
A pre-market engagement event will be held on Wednesday 9 March. Please refer to the PIN for more information and to register your interest in attending the pre-market engagement event. If you are aware of any other organisations who may be interested in this opportunity, please do alert them to the opportunity by forwarding them the link to the PIN.
Supported Internships (SIs) are a work-based study programme for 16 to 24 year olds with SEND who have an education health and care (EHC) plan, who want to move into employment and who need extra support to do so. SIs are designed to equip young people with the skills they need to secure and sustain employment through learning in the workplace.
3. Information: funding allocation statements for 2022 to 2023
We have now started issuing pre-16 and 16 to 19 allocation statements for school and academy sixth forms and for FE institutions, and are on track to issue them all by the end of March 2022.
Once your allocation statement is available you will receive a notification and can find it on Document Exchange in the ‘Documents received from ESFA’ section. Your allocation statement includes a breakdown of our calculation.
We have published the academy general annual grant allocation guidance and 16 to 19 allocation guidance to help you understand your statement.
4. Information: ESFA Funded National Skills Fund first-time requests
We will shortly be conducting an additional performance review for ESFA Funded National Skills Fund (NSF). At this review providers will have the opportunity to submit a first-time request for an ESFA Funded NSF allocation up to the value of £45,000 (grant providers only). If you have a devolved NSF contract, you can still request an ESFA Funded NSF contract for non-devolved learners.
Full details are available within the request form. The submission deadline is 5pm on 4 March 2022.
If you have any queries about this process, please contact your territorial team lead.