Correspondence

ESFA Update local authorities: 4 July 2018

Published 4 July 2018

This correspondence was withdrawn on

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date. Find the latest information from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) in the latest ESFA Update.

Applies to England

1. Action: local authority section 251 (s251) outturn data collection for 2017 to 2018

The s251 outturn data collection for 2017 to 2018 is now live. Local authorities are required to submit their outturn statements by Friday, 24 August.

We have published guidance on how to complete the outturn statement. This explains how local authorities should record their total dedicated schools grant (DSG) actual expenditure and any other non-statutory DSG actual expenditure.

Local authorities must submit their outturn statements using COLLECT via Secure Access. If you have any questions about this collection, please email us.

2. Reminder: consistent financial reporting (CFR) 2017 to 2018 submission

The deadline for completing your CFR 2017 to 2018 submission is Friday, 20 July.

You can access the CFR 2017 to 2018 blade via Secure Access. We have published guidance about how to complete your CFR 2017 to 2018 submission.

If you have any questions about the submission, please email us.

3. Information: 2017 to 2018 R10 reconciliation statements for independent learning providers

We have uploaded 2017 to 2018 individualised learner record R10 reconciliation statements for independent learning providers to the ESFA Information Exchange.

Your statement is available in the ‘Revenue Funding’ folder, under ‘AY 2017-18’. You can access the Document Exchange by logging into ESFA Information Exchange, and choosing the Document Exchange tab at the top of the page. For support and guidance about ESFA Information Exchange, please visit our support page.

If you have any questions about the 16 to 19 reconciliation process, please submit your query using the online enquiry form.

4. Information: 16 to 19 bursary fund

We have published an update to the institution guide for the 16 to 19 bursary fund for 2018 to 2019. The update includes:

  • advice about how institutions may wish to use Universal Credit award notices where students/families provide these as evidence of household income as part of applications for the discretionary bursary
  • a link to the key to success website which can be a useful way of identifying students who may potentially need help from the bursary fund but who may not ask for it
  • a reminder for institutions that making flat rate bursary fund payment does not address individual need, as the bursary is designed to do - information about discretionary bursaries has been expanded to set this out more clearly

5. Information: 16 to 19 advanced maths premium

We have updated our advanced maths premium factsheet to show:

  • how we will calculate baselines for new providers
  • the funding rate for funding qualifications of 235 guided learning hours or above, completed within one year
  • the qualifying period for students covered by the premium

We will contact institutions between 6 and 13 July to confirm their baseline data.

6. Information: section 96 and qualification queries - change of responsibility

We have updated the section 96 webpages on GOV.UK. As well as all the content from before, we have added an online search function, so you do not have to download the full qualification lists. The downloads will still be available.

Awarding organisations should send any queries to qualifications.ESFA@education.gov.uk. Institutions should send any queries to SDE.servicedesk@education.gov.uk.

7. Action: managing your school estate - have your say in what support you would like to receive

ESFA recently published guidance called good estate management for schools. This guidance is for anyone involved in managing or overseeing the school estate. We are now looking to build on this by offering more focused support on how to manage the estate.

To do this we want to hear from you about the challenges you face, what you would find beneficial, what would work and what would not. We are looking to hear from anyone who is responsible for the school estate, so please complete this short survey to help us deliver more support for the sector.

8. Information: information exchange and the skills funding service – opportunity to inform developments

Thank you to all of you who have already signed-up to join our feedback community. We want to talk to a broad mix of customers in different roles and organisation types. Your input helps us make user centred improvements and prioritise future developments.

Can you give us 45 minutes of your time to join us for a research session? We can do this over the phone, via web meeting, visit you at your place of work, or you can come to us at our Coventry location.

To sign up to share your views and experience, please complete our form. We will only invite you to research that is relevant to you:

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us at pds.mailbox@education.gov.uk.

9. Information: provide information about your banking and payments to DfE

We have published a new digital bank details capture form replacing a series of separate excel forms.

The new digital form replaces the:

  • EFA and SFA suppliers’ bank details form (BAN1 forms)
  • academy bank details form – for new and open academies
  • DfE suppliers’ bank details form
    • change of bank account details
    • change of address or other information

The digital form is for use by:

  • suppliers of goods and services
  • providers of education and training, e.g. academies, colleges and training organisations

The form allows these organisations to securely register and amend the banking and payment information held by DfE. The security controls operated to verify changes and protect public monies remain unchanged.

10. Information: ESFA customer commitment

Many thanks to everyone who helped with the development of our customer commitment. We have now published our customer commitment statement on GOV.UK.

The commitment will help us to continuously improve our services. It shows you, our customers, how you can expect to see us work. It also helps us to increase our understanding of your needs and challenges, keeping our work customer focused.