Correspondence

ESFA Update further education: 10 January 2024

Published 10 January 2024

Applies to England

1. Action: submit a 16 to 19 tuition fund in year spend report by 5pm on 26 January 2024

All  providers in receipt of 16 to 19 tuition fund for academic year 2023 to 2024 need to submit a 16 to 19 tuition fund in year spend report by 5pm on 26 January 2024.

The form is live and will close at 5pm on 26 January 2024. Guidance to help you access and complete the form has been published which can be found here 16 to 19 tuition fund in year spend report guidance January 2024.

It is important that you complete and submit your return as this is part of your funding requirements.

After the closing date for returns we will consider whether there is scope to increase some  allocations as we did in AY 2022 to 2023. If we do, only providers that have submitted a return and forecast spending 100% of their allocation will be eligible to receive additional funding.

If you are forecasting spending 100% of your tuition fund allocation and believe you could deliver more tutoring within this academic year if your allocation was increased, please indicate this on your form.

If you have any questions about the contents of this article, please contact us via the  ESFA help centre.

2. Action: submit 2023 to 2024 Advanced learner loans performance management point 2 by 5pm on 18 January 2024

The first time request form for an advanced learner loans contract is now available on GOV.UK. 

Completed request forms must be sent to [email protected] before 5pm on Thursday 18 January 2024.

For further information on the performance review of loans, please refer to the advanced learner loans funding rules: 2023 to 2024.

3. Action: check your provisional qualification achievement rates (QARs) (2022 to 2023) before data query window closure on 31 January 2024

Provisional qualification achievement rates have been released. View your education data. Here you will find:

• a QAR dashboard that uses your ILR data from the R14 return to show your rates
• a QAR data download to show your learner level information

On reviewing this provisional data, you will have until 5pm on Tuesday 31 January 2024 to inform us of any concerns about how we have implemented our published methodology.

Note: You cannot request fixes or adjustments to your 2022 to 2023 Individualised Learner Record (ILR) data.

3.1 Further support

If you have any queries, download and complete the query form from the QAR guidance page, referencing the data from the data downloads. Submit the completed form via our enquiry page, selecting the QAR ‘query type’.

4. Action: respond to the consultation on the Advanced British Standard qualification framework

On Thursday 14 December the Department for Education (DfE) launched a consultation to shape the development of the new Advanced British Standard (ABS) qualification framework for 16 to 19-year-olds.

The ABS will build upon the best elements of A levels and T Levels, forming a new single qualification framework. Students will study maths and English until age 18 and have the chance to study a broader range of subjects set within a new Baccalaureate style qualification framework.

We are seeking a wide range of views to help shape the design and implementation of the ABS qualification framework. Please respond to the consultation by 20 March 2024.

The ABS team are also hosting regional events on the consultation in-person and online over the coming weeks and would like to invite you to attend one of these events.

Please sign-up to an event and share the booking link within your networks.

5. Information: R04 release of data in the post-16 monitoring reports dashboard

We have published reports for the 2023 to 2024 funding year in the post-16 monitoring reports dashboard. 

There are high volumes of errors in reports:

• FRM06 - Continuing learners from last academic year who do not appear in this academic year’s ILR
• FRM27 - Continuing or completed learning aims that are now reported as withdrawn on or before 31 July of the previous funding year
• FRM29 - Students who complete or leave learning on or just after the qualifying period for funding
• FRM43 - 16 to 19 study programme students on regulated qualifications, with no planned learning hours
• FRM56 - 16 to 19 study programmes with planned learning hours but no regulated qualifications
• FRM69 - Proportion of planned EEP hours is greater than or equal to 50% of total planned hours and student is not identified as requiring additional learning support.

You must record timely withdrawals data and report continuing learners in this year’s ILR, even if you have now identified they left learning before 1 August (this could mean that you over-earned funding for these learners which needs to be repaid).

For 16 to 19 funding, please ensure your data for full-time students is accurate and that planned learning hours, and employment, enrichment, and pastoral hours are correct for the current teaching year.

If you are unfamiliar with the reports or dashboard, refer to the Financial Assurance: Monitoring post-16 funding for 2023 to 2024 guidance for instructions on what to do. If you require further assistance, you can submit an enquiry or visit the help centre.

6. Information: increase to Level 3 Early Years Educator Apprenticeship Funding Band  

The funding band for the Level 3 Early Years Educator apprenticeship will increase from £6,000 to £7,000 from April 2024.

This uplift has been made as part of the wider revision of the Early Years Educator apprenticeship standard, which has brought the standard in line with the new Level 3 Early Years Educator criteria.

The Level 3 Early Years Educator apprenticeship prepares learners to become Early Years Educators, enabling them to work with and care for children from birth to 5 years old. It is suitable for those who want to plan, organise and lead enriching learning activities as well as supervise others.

This uplift supports the department’s commitment to enable the Early Years workforce to deliver the transformative reforms to childcare announced by the Chancellor in the Spring 2023 budget.

7. Information: Apprenticeship webinars: supporting small and medium-sized enterprises

Help spread the word about the support available for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME’s).

The Department for Education has launched its latest series of apprenticeship webinars that support SMEs to deliver successful apprenticeships.

Employers will hear from other employers as they share their invaluable experiences, advice and guidance to support businesses on their apprenticeship journey.

Beginning in January, webinar topics include:

• Supporting your apprentice to achieve
• Preparing your apprentice for end-point assessment
• What comes after the apprenticeship? Celebration and progression
• Finding the right apprentice for your business

View our topics and registration page

Due to restrictions on numbers, these webinars are only for employers. But please share the information with any employers or employer groups you work with.

Recordings of the webinars will be uploaded to the DfE Sector Comms YouTube Channel.

8. Information: National Careers Service Showcase 17th January 2024

The National Careers Service provides high quality, impartial and free careers Information, Advice, and Guidance (IAG) for adults in England, helping them to make decisions on learning, training and work.  There is also helpline and webchat support for young people aged 13+, and support around the exam results period. 

Careers IAG underpins so many elements of the DfE’s skills agenda, and careers guidance professionals can help individuals to determine the best learning options to help them meet their goals.     
The team would like to invite you to join them on their virtual showcase on the 17th January 2pm – 4pm where you will learn more about the Service offer.

If you would like to join the showcase, please email   [email protected] to receive an invitation.

9. Information: new Skills for Life campaign – It all starts with skills  

The Department for Education have launched ‘It all starts with skills’, a new campaign using the government’s Skills for Life brand to inspire young people, adults and employers to make the most of their potential by engaging in government skills and technical education offers. 

The launch of both the campaign and website will support individuals to move seamlessly through their skills, training and career journey.

The multi-channel campaign highlights priority skills routes including apprenticeships, T Levels, Skills Bootcamps, Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs), Free Courses for Jobs, Multiply and essential skills (English, maths and digital), and support and advice from the National Careers Service.  

Previous campaigns, “Get the Jump”, “Unlock Your Potential” and “Join the Skills Revolution” will be replaced by this new single campaign. 

For more information search ‘Skills for Life’ or visit Skills for Careers.

The ‘It all starts with skills’ stakeholder toolkit contains information on how you can support the campaign.