ESFA Update local authorities: 28 July 2021
Published 28 July 2021
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2021
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-update-28-july-2021/esfa-update-local-authorities-28-july-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: last chance to access support to deliver T Levels in 2023 to 2024 academic year
Are you planning to deliver T Levels for the first time in 2023 to 2024 academic year?
Please register before 30 July 2021 to access support to help you prepare. This includes:
- support for implementation planning so that you are ready to deliver T Levels
- any support made available for the development of T Level Transition Programmes
- conversations with the T Level support team
- regular updates on the latest T Level news
- guidance on capital funding when this is available
- engagement in the development of the qualifications
- access to up-front funding for additional T Level delivery hours and industry placements
- access to networks of providers delivering T Levels and preparing to deliver T Levels
- access to the full range of T Level professional development resources and support
Providers not registered before this deadline will not receive this extra support to help them prepare to deliver T Levels for the first time in 2023 to 2024 academic year. Please see the registration guidance for more information.
3. Reminder: a consultation on plans to simplify funding for all adult skills training is now open
On Thursday 15 July 2021, the Department for Education made a series of announcements on boosting the nation’s skills, which included details on a consultation on plans to simplify funding for adult skills training.
The Skills for Jobs White Paper sets out our vision to transform further education. We want people to get the advanced technical and higher technical skills they need to get good jobs. Colleges’ place at the centre of their local communities and economies means that they are key to unlocking opportunities and to building back better.
This consultation delivers key commitments of the White Paper – it addresses the underlying system of complex funding for adult skills and limited focus on outcomes, through proposals to reform adult skills funding and the wider accountability system for colleges and other grant funded providers.
The consultation is for:
- further education providers
- independent training providers
- local government (including local authorities, Mayoral Combined Authorities /Greater London Authority)
- employers
- learners
- representative bodies
- other interested parties
The consultation closes on 7 October 2021.
4. Information: 19 to 24 traineeships allocations for the 2021 to 2022 funding year
We have now issued ESFA funded 19 to 24 traineeships (2020 procurement) for the 2021 to 2022 funding year.
We have issued your allocations through Manage your education and skills funding and have published updated 19+ allocations technical guidance for 2021 to 2022.
Please make sure you have set up one of the following roles on Manage your education and skills funding so that you can view your allocation statement:
- contract authoriser
- contract manager
- contract user
- data returns and claims authoriser
You can request a new role through the Identity and Access Management Service or by asking your organisation’s super user.
Contract authorisers and/or managers will have received an email confirming that your allocation statement is available to view.
5. Reminder: we need to know if early career teachers will be joining your schools in 2021
From September 2021, statutory induction is changing. The ‘NQT year’ will become a 2-year induction programme of high quality professional development and mentoring for early career teachers (ECTs).
These programmes are underpinned by the Early Career Framework (ECF). This sets out what all early career teachers should learn about, and learn how to do, during the first 2 years of their careers. Read full guidance on GOV.UK.
We need to know if schools maintained by your local education authority expect early career teachers to join them in 2021. We can then provide guidance on how to choose and set up programmes.
How schools can tell us this important information
Please ask schools to use our service to tell us if they do or do not expect early career teachers to join them in 2021.
6. Information: Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund
The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy have launched a second phase of the Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund. Further details can be found on Salix’s website, and on GOV.UK.
The scheme will open for applications on Wednesday 28 July and will remain open until all funding has been allocated. There will also be a second application window for schools only, in September.
In total up to £15m is available in this financial year to enable organisations to secure the expert skills required to develop Heat Decarbonisation Plans.
Please do make your own contacts and networks aware. Salix will also be organising webinars, details of which are on their website.