ESFA Update local authorities: 26 May 2021
Published 26 May 2021
Applies to England
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-update-26-may-2021/esfa-update-local-authorities-26-may-2021
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. Reminder: year-end forecast funding claim for 2020 to 2021
The year-end forecast funding claim window will open at 9am on Tuesday 8 June 2021.
We understand that this is a difficult time for everyone, and time and resources are under strain. However, we will require you to submit an accurate year-end claim as this will enable us to inform you of your indicative reconciliation figure prior to final claim submission in October 2021.
Please submit your year-end funding claim by 4pm on Friday 11 June 2021. The claim form will be available on Submit Learner Data.
You will need to submit a claim if you receive funds through:
- grant funded – ESFA adult education budget (AEB) (adult skills, community learning, 19 to 24 traineeships and COVID-19 skills offer)
- learner support for ESFA AEB procured (adult skills and 19 to 24 traineeships) – paid-on-profile
- 19 to 24 traineeships 2020 procurement - learner support – paid-on-profile
- grant funded - Advanced Learner Loans Bursary (ALLB)
- 16 to 19 education
Once you have submitted your claim you will also be able to view it on the Manage your education and skills funding](https://skillsfunding.service.gov.uk/).
If you have any queries, you can get help with ESFA services.
3. Information: third payment of the catch-up premium
The third and final payment of the catch-up premium will be delivered to local authorities on 28 May 2021 and Academies on 8 June 2021.
There has been an update to allocations for alternative provision.
Allocation details and conditions of grant are now available and further details on the catch-up premium guidance can be found on GOV.UK.
4. Information: the apprenticeship technical funding guide has been updated
We have published version 3 of the apprenticeships technical funding guide from August 2020.
This explains how funding will work for apprenticeships starting on or after 1 August 2020, including how we will calculate provider payments.
The updates from the previous guidance are some further clarifications particularly around apprenticeship starts from 1 April 2021, and updates around the hire an apprentice incentive on the apprenticeship service.
If you have any queries, please use the ESFA Help Centre to contact us.
5. Information: ESFA advanced learner loans funding and performance management rules 2021 to 2022
This week we will publish version 2 of the ESFA advanced learner loans funding and performance management rules 2021 to 2022.
The main change from version 1, published in March 2021, is the inclusion of the performance management rules for 2021 to 2022.
The rules apply to all providers of education and training holding a loan facility condition and loans bursary fund agreement with ESFA.
6. Information: local authority high needs funding: 2021 to 2022 operational guide survey
We would like to gather feedback and comments on the content and format of the current high needs funding: 2021 to 2022 operational guide. This information will help to inform and shape future publications of the guide.
If you would like to comment, access the survey and submit your responses by 11 June 2021.
The survey should take approximately 10 minutes, depending on responses.
If you have any questions, please contact us via email at CRM.QUERIES@education.gov.uk.
Many thanks in advance for your participation and contributions.
Please note, this is not a mandatory exercise and feedback is entirely optional.
7. Information: webinars for RPA members
As part of our risk management support, we’re hosting webinars on 2 subjects in June. Please select the best date for you to read more information and register.
7.1 Crisis management
Covers how a crisis can impact your organisation and how to respond during a crisis event.
7.2 Regulatory mock trial
This training event covers court proceedings following a health and safety incident in a school.
8. Information: Approved frameworks webinars
DfE’s Schools Commercial Team is hosting a series of webinars with suppliers throughout June with useful information and guidance on the DfE approved frameworks. Each event has multiple dates.
- Education Mutual staff absence - designed to provide an alternative to commercial staff absence providers.
- YPO Energy - how to access this framework for purchasing energy.
- Staff absence insurance -povided by Crescent Purchasing Consortium and Schools Advisory Service.
- Supply teachers and agency workers - help with organising supply teachers and agency staff.
- YPO network & telecoms - approved framework for networks and telecoms purchasing in schools.
9. Information: new regulations on school sessions for academic year 2021 to 2022
We have laid regulations to reduce the minimum number of sessions schools are required to meet in the academic year 2021 to 2022 and enable everyone to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen on 3 June 2022.
Many schools will be on their half term breaks in the week commencing 31 May 2022, but where the additional bank holiday falls in term time, schools and local authorities should observe the Bank Holidays on Thursday 2 and Friday 3 June and may therefore need to prepare and make any amendments to their published term dates for the academic year 2021 to 2022.
We have also laid regulations to allows schools in England to hold the extra INSET day on 4 January 2021 which was to help teachers train and prepare for coronavirus testing in schools. The amendment to regulations will mean that schools will not be at risk of breaching their statutory duty.
10. Information: Behaviour Hubs programme open for applications
Schools should be safe, disciplined, and positive environments, where teachers can teach, and pupils can learn – free from disruption. The Behaviour Hubs programme aims to support school leaders by providing expert help to improve their school’s behaviour cultures.
This is a one-year programme (MATs will be on the programme for two years) which will partner a school or MAT with a local Lead School or MAT that has an exemplary school behaviour culture and experience in supporting others to improve, who will provide one-to-one support and mentoring while they develop new approaches to manage pupil behaviour. This is further enhanced by training from expert Behaviour Advisers, hub networking events to share best practice, open days to observe good systems in practice, and high-quality resources.
Recruitment for the next cohort of supported schools and MATs is currently underway, and schools rated ‘requires improvement’ by Ofsted are eligible to apply. New cohorts of schools are added termly, and applications made by 11 June will be considered for support starting this September.
Please forward this opportunity to RI schools who may benefit from the programme.
For more information about the programme and funding, see the brochure or visit the behaviour hubs to apply. Schools can also join a webinar at 9.30am on 8 June.
11. Information: Ofqual guidance for centres and students on the awarding process this year
To support centres and students through the awarding process this year Ofqual has recently published:
- Guidance for centres: The awarding of vocational and technical and other general qualifications in summer 2021
- Student guide to awarding: summer 2021
11.1 Guidance for centres
This guidance provides centres with clear guidance on a range of topics related to awarding this year, including:
- the role of internal and external quality assurance processes in ensuring results are consistent and fair
- retaining evidence of teacher assessed grades
- the process for appeals
- additional assessment opportunities
We have also included a section on cyber security, calling on awarding organisations and centres to be aware of and manage risks appropriately.
11.2 Student guide to awarding summer 2021
We have also made available guidance for students taking general qualifications and vocational and technical qualifications, which outlines the arrangements for awarding this summer and signposts additional sources of information.
We appreciate how hard everyone is working during these challenging times to ensure that as many students as possible can receive their results and progress on to the next stage of their education or employment.