Correspondence

ESFA Update further education: 26 April 2023

Published 26 April 2023

Applies to England

1. Reminder: college managing public money (MPM) return

During week commencing 27 March 2023, we contacted FE college principals in their capacity as accounting officers to ask them to complete a ‘College MPM return’, covering the period 29 November 2022 to 31 March 2023.

As previously explained, the return is needed because to provide assurance that FE colleges have complied with the new HMT Managing Public Money requirements, which apply from 29 November 2022, following the reclassification of the sector. The return will help provide assurance to our accounting officer and the National Audit Office on the regularity of funds provided to colleges, to be reported in ESFA’s accounts for the year ending 31 March 2023.

Colleges are reminded that they should complete the return and email it to ESFA by Friday 28 April 2023 using the address: PMO.Reclassification@education.gov.uk. It does not need to be audited. Any questions about the return should be submitted using the same email address.

After 28 April, we will contact colleges individually if any further information is required. We will also conduct some validation work on a sample of returns and contact colleges accordingly.

2. Information: college accounts direction

We have published the college accounts direction (CAD) for the year 2022 to 2023. The intended audience for this document is: FE colleges, sixth form colleges, and designated institutions established under the provisions of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. We will publish the Finance Record for the year 2022 to 2023 later this year, as appropriate.

We have also published the post-16 audit code of practice and regularity self-assessment questionnaire for the financial year 2022 to 2023. The intended audience for this document is a range of post-16 providers, and their respective auditors / reporting accountants, whether they are funded directly by ESFA or by one of the Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) or the Greater London Authority (GLA).

Changes have been made to the text that appeared in the 2021 to 2022 editions of these framework documents, largely the result of the announcement in November 2022, which resulted in the statutory FE sector in England being reclassified to central government.

3. Information: College Capital Loan Scheme is now open

The College Capital Loan Scheme is now open for applications. The guidance and application forms can be found on GOV.UK.

Eligible FE institutions can apply for a loan for capital projects that face a funding gap as a result of restrictions to commercial borrowing following the reclassification of the FE sector.

The deadline for applications is 31 May 2023. We aim to make loan offers for eligible DfE grant funded capital projects by the early summer, and self-funded capital projects from the autumn.

If you have any questions please contact your designated territorial team contact or email collegecapital.loans@education.gov.uk.

4. Information: student financial support for 2023 to 2024

We have published the care to learn guide for the 2023 to 2024 academic year.

We have increased the weekly maximum amount, from £160 per child per week to £180 per child per week and from £175 per child per week to £195 per child per week in London.

5. Information: Advanced Learner Loans – launch of the 2023 to 2024 application service

The 2023 to 2024 Advanced Learner Loans application service will be available from 30 May 2023 for learners who wish to start eligible qualifications from 1 August 2023 funded with a loan.

Updated Learning and Funding Information letters for 2023 to 2024 are available on GOV.UK.

6. Information: individualised learner record (ILR) funding returns guidance 2023 to 2024

We’ve published our guidance for 2023 to 2024.

This is to help funded institutions returning ILR data, make accurate returns.

We have set out some small changes from 2022 to 2023:

• clawback profile set out in Annex C
• annex D has been updated with some additional technical advice
• annex E has been updated with some additional technical advice in respect of institution self-checking of ILR data

7. Information: update on plans for the Local Skills Improvement Fund rollout

The Department for Education (DfE) ran an early market engagement event on 9 March 2023 for providers to feed into plans for the Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF) rollout. The LSIF is part of a long-term change programme, supporting investment in new facilities, provision, and teaching expertise to deliver on Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs).

Thank you to those providers who have engaged in the process to date, your views and comments have been useful in helping us shape how the LSIF will be delivered. DfE will provide further details on the launch of the EOI for the LSIF shortly.

Providers can find the Q&A through the Jaggaer procurement portal, and can continue to ask further questions online and then selecting: 6955_Local Skills Improvement Fund 2023 to 2025.

8. Information: update on the new approvals process and criteria for level 2 technical qualifications

DfE has published details of the approval process and criteria that level 2 technical qualifications will need to meet to be approved for public funding for teaching from September 2025 onwards.

DfE is reforming level 2 and below qualifications so that post-16 students (young people and adults) will benefit from clearer, high-quality choices with clear progression pathways, whether this be to higher levels of study or directly into skilled employment at level 2.

In this first cycle of reform at level 2, DfE will consider technical qualifications leading to employment in the following occupational routes:

• Construction and the Built Environment
• Education and Early Years
• Engineering and Manufacturing
• Health and Science

Further information can be found on GOV.UK.

9. Information: webinar on changes to Community Learning data collection from 2023 to 2024

We are improving data collection for Community Learning provision from 2023 to 2024 to better understand its purpose and nature through changes to the ILR and through new Learning Aim Class Codes.

Want to know more? Join our webinar on 11 May at 2pm. Please register online to attend.

10. Information: IfATE’s revisions status report for April 2023

The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) has published its latest revisions standards report.

The revisions status report:

• shows apprenticeships that are being revised
• provides a brief overview of the revisions planned for each apprenticeship
• states the stage that each revision has reached.

Read the report on the IfATE website.

11. Information: IfATE announcement on world class, simpler skills system

The new employer-led approvals system, which IfATE launched for level 3 technical qualifications in January 2023, is now being extended to level 2.

IfATE approval will only be given to level 2 qualifications that match up to employer-defined occupational standards. This is the same process already used for T Levels (level 3), Higher Technical Qualifications (level 4 and 5) and apprenticeships (level 2 to level 7). These standards set out the knowledge, skills and behaviours trainees need to learn to be competent in their jobs.

The first sectors under consideration at level 2 will be construction and the built environment, engineering and manufacturing, education and early years, and health and sciences. Awarding bodies will be able to submit qualifications for approval in November 2023.

For a qualification to be eligible, awarding bodies will need to prove there is genuine employer demand and that they have engaged with employers of all sizes in the qualification’s design.

Read more about this announcement on the Institute’s website.

12. Information: make an honour nomination

DfE are looking for people who have made life better for other people or been outstanding at what they do across the education and childcare sectors.  We want to recognise deserving people, of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life who are making a positive difference.

Ministers at DfE are particularly looking for nominations in:

• early years, further education, and children’s social care
• innovation in education
• nominations for outstanding achievement in hands on services to the community, for example, nursery assistants, lecturers, lab assistants, teachers, teaching assistants, nursery cooks, meal-time assistants, estates managers, caretakers, and crossing patrol officers

Anyone can nominate someone, and anyone can receive an award.  The nomination form and additional information are available online.

13. Information: The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III – capturing apprentices’ involvement in this historic day

Preparations for The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III are now in full swing.

DfE would like to capture this moment in history by recording how apprentices have contributed to the Royal Coronation. This could be in any capacity, in either the preparation or helping on the big day, for example, security, hospitality or manufacturing Royal Coronation memorabilia/souvenirs.

If you are an apprentice, or the training provider or employer of apprentices, that has contributed to the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, then please complete this very short survey to describe how you have been involved.