ESFA Update further education: 4 May 2022
Published 4 May 2022
Applies to England
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1. Action: the coronavirus (COVID-19) workforce fund claim form is now open
The COVID-19 workforce fund claim form is now open.
Eligible schools and colleges can now submit a claim for the cost of absences over a threshold experienced between Monday 22 November 2021 to Friday 8 April 2022.
We have published guidance on how to complete the claim form.
The deadline for submitting a claim is 11:59pm on Tuesday, 24 May.
Further information on the COVID-19 workforce fund is available in our guidance for schools and colleges.
2. Information: how to get involved with traineeships
Training providers are playing a vital role in successfully supporting more young people into employment, an apprenticeship or further study. We want people of all ages and backgrounds to have the opportunity to learn new skills and go on to have successful careers.
Traineeships are a great way of doing this and findings show that the majority of trainees get a job, take up an apprenticeship or go on to further study within a year of completing their programme.
Unfortunately, some young people are at an increased risk of remaining not in education, employment or training (NEET), often for a long time. Local authorities have a statutory duty to identify all 16- and 17-year-olds that are NEET in their area and support them into education and training. They can identify disadvantaged NEET young people with the potential to succeed at Traineeships and gain the skills and confidence they need to progress into successful employment. This might also include young people approaching their 18th birthday at risk of becoming long term unemployed.
If you are not already working with your local authority to recruit disadvantaged young people, we will be delighted to facilitate introductions to promote productive sustainable relationships that will both increase your recruitment and raise your profile as a successful traineeship provider. Please contact the DfE participation mailbox at participation.mailbox@education.gov.uk.
3. Information: expression of interest for the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP)
The department launched yesterday an expressions of interest process for employer representative bodies (ERBs) to put themselves forward to be designated to lead a Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) for a local area. Please find further information on GOV.UK.
The department is introducing LSIPs to give employers a stronger voice in shaping local skills provision, working closely with providers and engaging effectively with local leaders and other stakeholders. The aim is to forge a stronger and more dynamic partnership between employers and providers that will enable provision to be more responsive to skills needs of employers in local labour markets.
The national roll out of LSIPs will be underpinned by the duties on providers and the Secretary of State in the new Skills and Post-16 Education Act (2022). Providers including further education (FE) colleges (and designated institutions), Institutes for Technology, sixth form colleges, independent training providers and Higher Education Institutions will need to cooperate with the employer representative body developing and reviewing the LSIP. Once the LSIP is produced they will need to have due regard to it in developing provision.
Some providers will have worked with employer representative bodies to develop the trailblazer LSIPs. These are now being used in those trailblazer areas to underpin the priorities for the one-year Strategic Development Fund. In rolling out LSIPs nationally, we are learning from those trailblazers to ensure that the LSIPs really meet the needs of local areas.
4. Information: teacher misconduct - regulating the teaching profession
Following the consultation in Spring 2022, we have carefully considered all responses received and addressed them in the government response to the consultation which has now been published on GOV.UK. We intend to take all the proposals forward when the next legislative opportunity arises.