ESFA Update further education: 6 March 2019
Published 6 March 2019
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2019
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-update-6-march-2019/esfa-update-further-education-6-march-2019
1. Action: apprenticeship funding rules user research
We are currently working to make the apprenticeship funding rules clearer, easier to use, and to learn more about our users.
As part of this work we would like employers, employer-providers and training providers to participate in our research. We will add your insight to the user feedback we have already gathered.
If you would like to share your feedback, please complete our survey. It closes on Thursday 14 March 2019.
2. Reminder: advanced learner loans – updating contact manager information on the SLC portal
The Student Loans Company (SLC) have recently issued guidance to providers about how to update contact manager information.
If the contact is not correct, please update the primary contact details on the UK Register of Learning Providers, and send an email with the correct information to Loans.BUSINESSOPS@education.gov.uk and your ESFA territorial team manager.
For more information, please see the SLC bulletin.
3. Information: register of apprenticeship training providers re-applications
We will soon be sending out the fourth tranche of invitations to providers to re-apply to join the register of apprenticeship training providers (RoATP). Please remember to check that your contact details are up-to-date in Bravo, as this is where notifications will be sent. The notification will be attached to the PQQ through which you were first listed on the register.
We have been asked by some providers if they should apply before they have been invited. Every provider currently on the register will be invited to reapply this year, and will be given sufficient notice of their application window to allow time to fully consider and prepare their submission.
To make sure that we are able to respond to each application in a timely manner, we would be grateful if you would wait for your invitation before submitting an application. You can, however, go into Bravo and download the questions and guidance to prepare.
4. Information: draft adult education budget funding rules 2019 to 2020
This week we will publish the draft ESFA adult education budget (AEB) funding rules 2019 to 2020 on GOV.UK.
The rules apply to all providers of education and training who receive AEB funding from the ESFA.
We have made changes to this document due to devolution of adult education functions from 1 August 2019. Other changes we have made are set out in the summary of changes section.
This draft version is for consultation and we ask for your feedback and comments where we could make the requirements concise and clearer.
Please send any comments or feedback to AEBRules.FEEDBACK@education.gov.uk by Friday 5 April 2019.
5. Information: draft advanced learner loans 2019 to 2020
This week we will publish a draft version of the advanced learner loans funding rules on GOV.UK. These rules apply to all providers of education and training who hold a loans facility with us.
We will also publish the 2019 to 2020 advanced learner loans maximum loans amount. These cover all designated qualifications, where learners start between 1 August 2019 to 31 July 2020. There are no methodology changes from the 2018 to 2019 version of this guidance.
If you have any feedback on either of these documents, please contact the service desk via email at SDE.SERVICEDESK@education.gov.uk.
6. Information: apprenticeship service webinar – funding projection tool
The apprenticeship service will be holding the next in a series of webinars during National Apprenticeship Week.
Due to interest, we are running a second webinar covering the expiry of funds update to the funding projection tool. It is aimed at levy-paying employers and employer-providers.
The webinar will take place on Wednesday 13 March 2019 at 12 noon. Please book places via our Eventbrite page.
7. Information: consultation on allocations methodology for the 16 to 19 discretionary bursary fund
On 28 February 2019, the Department for Education launched a consultation outlining proposals to revise the allocations methodology for the 16 to 19 discretionary bursary fund.
This consultation will be of interest to any provider with a 16 to 19 discretionary bursary allocation.
You can submit your views on GOV.UK. The consultation closes on Thursday 23 May 2019.
If you have a query about the consultation, please email 1619DiscretionaryBursary.CONSULTATION@education.gov.uk.