Guidance

Financial assurance: monitoring post-16 funding for 2023 to 2024

Updated 31 July 2024

Applies to England

Summary of changes

We have made the following changes for the 2023 to 2024 funding year:

New reports

FRM06 – Continuing learners from last academic year who do not appear in this academic year’s ILR.

We have reinstated this report to support data quality and financial assurance. It links to FRM27 - Continuing or completed learning aims that are now reported as withdrawn on or before 31 July of the previous funding year.

Reports we no longer publish

FRM21 – Loans learning not being reported by the Student Loans Company

FRM42 – Work experience over 300 hours not recorded as core aim

FRM49 - T Level programmes not recorded against an approved T Level funding band

Introduction and purpose of this document

We monitor the data reported to us as part of our assurance work. We monitor data from the Individualised Learner Record (ILR), School Census (SC), and other sources such as the Earnings Adjustment Statement (EAS) and the Student Loans Company (SLC).

This desktop review of how the funding system and funding rules operates has the following aims:

• to assure us that the provision we buy meets our published funding rules
• to identify possible errors in the funding claimed for post-16 delivery that require further investigation
• to inform our standard business processes for assurance, audit, end-of-year payment and reconciliation
• to support you to improve the overall quality of the data reported
• to support the development of policy (existing and new policy development)
• to ensure benefits are realised and policy reaches its intended target group
• to provide you with certainty in your funding, enabling you to plan effectively

This document lists the areas that we are monitoring during the 2023 to 2024 funding year (1 August 2023 to 31 July 2024) and provides guidance on how to correct data quality or funding errors. It is for colleges, training providers and other providers who have a funding agreement with us. Specifically, it is aimed at those staff who submit data to us and those who review data quality.

You must read this document along with any other documents referred to and take the necessary action to ensure data returns and funding claims are correct. Failure to take the necessary action may impact your year-end funding for 2023 to 2024. These documents include:

• ILR funding returns
• ILR Specification
• Provider Support Manual
• Complete the school census
• Funding regulations for post-16 provision
• 16 to 19 study programmes: guidance
• Record your T Level data correctly
• T Level industry placements: delivery guidance
• T Levels funding guide
• Funding guidance for young people rates and formula
• Adult education budget (AEB) funding rules
• ESFA Funded Adult Education Budget Funding Rates and Formula
• Advanced learner loans funding rules
• Apprenticeship funding rules
• Apprenticeship technical funding guide
• Traineeship information for training providers

For learners who started before 1 August 2023, please refer to the documents that applied on the learner’s first day in learning.

There is no set review date for this document, however, we will act on feedback to ensure reports are fit for purpose and consider if any new data or policy priorities should be included.

Understanding our terminology

• The term ‘we’ refers to the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and colleagues in the wider Department for Education (DfE).
• When we refer to ‘you’ or ‘providers’, this includes colleges, higher education institutions, training organisations, local authorities, schools, academies, and employers that receive funding from us to deliver education and training.
• When we refer to ‘learners’, this includes students.
• The term ‘post-16 delivery’ includes 16 to 19 study programmes, T Levels, traineeships, apprenticeships, adult education budget, support funding, community learning, and advanced learner loans.

Using the post-16 monitoring reports dashboard

We will share the data we analyse with you through the monthly post-16 monitoring reports dashboard. Usually, the first dashboard each year will be from December (R04). We expect you to use the dashboard as part of your routine data quality and submission cycles to proactively review the data and evidence you hold, ensuring they reflect each other and are correct for the relevant funding rules.

You may submit data earlier than R04 and we will try to publish the dashboard at R03 as we did last year. This will support you to identify any errors early and to correct them at R04 which is the data used to calculate your next year’s funding allocation. If your data is incorrect at R04 you may receive a reduced allocation for next year. This highlights the importance of submitting correct data as soon as possible, accessing the dashboard to review any reports triggered by your data, and making amendments in a timely manner.

The dashboard contains data which will help you to identify and understand the highlighted issue(s) including core aims, reported hours, details of qualifications previously achieved by the learner, and SLC data from the Learning Provider Portal. We have also provided guidance in the ‘Report Information’ tab for every report, including the relevant rules and specific action you need to take to correct any errors.

All records have funding associated with them so that you are aware of the potential funding impact if you have not corrected errors by year-end. This funding varies depending on the relevant methodology and includes the following:

• Aim level year-to-date earnings for AEB provision
• Learner level funding for 16 to 19 provision
• Aim level SLC payments data for advanced learner loans
• Levy / non-levy payments data for apprenticeships

While the ‘Landing Page’ provides a headline summary of your data for the selected return, the ‘Summary Information’ tab shows the individual reports your data has triggered and compares this with your last data submission. It also contains tables that break this data down by subcontractor and funding stream to help you prioritise areas of concern and address specific issues. The ‘Report Information’ tab lists the reports, by number, gives a description, and provides guidance as to any actions you are required to take, reflecting the information published in this document. The ‘Known Issues’ tab shows any in-year changes or fixes we are applying to the data in the dashboard: it contains information on any identified issues, how it affects your data, and when we expect to fix the issue.

We will continue to use the same report numbering convention across years for consistency and to avoid confusion. If we remove any reports from the plan, any new ones added will have a new unique number.

Accessing the dashboard

To access the post-16 monitoring dashboard, you will need to log into View your education data. You will need an IDAMS account with the ‘view your education data – post-16 monitoring’ user role and associated with a UKPRN to access the dashboard securely. From 21 August 2023 your IDAMS roles will be known as sub-services in DfE Sign-in and will look different. To understand these role changes to sub-services, visit Help with role changes in Manage your education and skills funding (MYESF).

Your organisation’s super user will be able to grant you the correct user role. Once successfully logged in, you will have the option to select ‘Data quality and assurance’, following which you should see a link to the ‘Post-16 monitoring reports dashboard’ (along with any other dashboards you have access to) and you click on ‘Dashboard’.

Filters

The default setting for the dashboard is to show data for all funding streams we investigate following the most recent data return for the current year. We designed the dashboard with filters to allow access to data for previous years and periods within the same space. You are also able to filter data by a specific funding stream.

Any filters you have applied will be carried over to any other tabs you view within the post-16 monitoring dashboard. You can reset any filters you have applied by clicking the ‘back arrow’. If you apply any filters before exiting the dashboard, these will reset the next time you log in.

Viewing and exporting data

To view learning aims and learner level data click on the ‘View all data’ button on the landing page. The ‘Summarised Data’ page displays the data in a table and has filters allowing you to select all reports and funding streams, or specific ones, depending on how you want to review and manage your data within your organisation. Once you have made your selection, follow these steps to download the data from the table onto your computer:

1. Hover your mouse over the table – several icons will appear at the top right-hand-side immediately above the table.
2. Hover your mouse over the ellipsis (3 dots) – a text box saying ‘more options’ will appear – click the 3 dots to display a menu.
3. Select the ‘export data’ option.
4. A pop-up saying ‘Which data do you want to export?’ will open. Select ‘Data with current layout’ (a more pivot table friendly option) or ‘Summarised data’.
5. Once you’ve selected an option click the ‘Export’ button to download the data as an Excel spreadsheet onto your computer (a message box will indicate when the data is being exported and when this has completed).

Once you have located the downloaded file in the relevant directory on your computer you can begin reviewing the data. Depending on which export option you selected (point 4 above) a line of text at either the top or bottom of the worksheet will indicate which filters you applied, for example, academic year, reporting month or funding stream. You can apply this logic to other tables in the dashboard, such as those on the ‘Summary Information’ tab if you wish to export the data for use in other reports.

In most cases the names of the data columns match the fields in the ILR and SC specifications and will show the data you submitted in the selected data return. Where you have not submitted any data in a field, these cells may contain a relevant placeholder value such as ‘-1’ or will appear blank, indicating a NULL value.

We assign each row in every report a ‘query ID’ to support your analysis and help any discussions you may need to have with us. Giving us this query ID when making an enquiry helps us to review the data you are specifically interested in and provide the right guidance to resolve any issues you may be experiencing.

Publication dates

The landing page of the dashboard, under ‘Data availability’, indicates when we will refresh the data each month.

We use the data as follows:

• December (ILR R04) data release
• January (ILR R05)
• February (ILR R06) review point, used for contacting providers
• March (ILR R07)
• April (ILR R08)
• May (ILR R09)
• June (ILR R10) review point, used for contacting providers
• July (ILR R11)
• August (ILR R12) review point, used for contacting providers
• September (ILR R13)
• November (ILR R14) used for calculating recoveries and reconciliation

How we will use data

We will use the data you submit to assure ourselves that the education and training we fund meets relevant funding rules and key policy objectives. Conducting this in-year helps us to identify emerging issues, proactively responding to risks, and feeding into future rules and policy development. It also increases data quality, which informs other in-year processes and gives us greater confidence in our decision making.

Failure to submit accurate data can have a negative impact on funding claims and achievement rates which could be treated as a breach of your funding agreement with us. If we believe you have submitted data in error, or that you have not submitted it in a timely way, we will contact you and either ask you to provide further evidence to support the data or require you to correct it within a specified period.

You must respond within this period, either by correcting data as requested or by providing the required evidence. If you fail to respond appropriately to any request or subsequent request, we will act according to the terms of your funding agreement with us to ensure that your data and funding is accurate and complies with the relevant funding rules.

For some reports we will recover funding if you have data errors following the close of the R14 ILR data submission window. We will review any funding claims you submit and may contact you to undertake further assurance and calculate any error value before we complete other processes, such as issuing reconciliation statements. For provision funded through a grant, this value will be recorded as an adjustment against your reconciliation statement. Provisional error values will be used for your year-end funding claim to alert you to any potential impact on your final position at R14. For provision funded through a contract, we will offset this value against future delivery.

If you have been subject to repeated action or a funding recovery, this will raise your risk profile with us and increase the likelihood of your organisation’s selection for audit.

Various assurance and provider facing teams across the DfE, including counter fraud and investigations, review the post-16 monitoring report dashboard internally and may use this to inform any regular management conversations with you, in addition to using it to inform their future activity.

FRM01 - Learners repeating a previously achieved learning aim

Changes from previous funding year

None

Funding streams reviewed

• AEB
• 19 to 24 traineeships
• Apprenticeships

Relevant guidance

Adult education budget - we will not fund a learner to repeat the same regulated qualification where they have previously achieved it. The exceptions are for any GCSE where the learner has not achieved grade C, or 4, or higher.

Apprenticeships - you must account for prior learning and experience when negotiating a price with the employer. You must reduce the content, duration, and price, where the individual has prior learning necessary to achieve the apprenticeship. Funds must not be used to pay for skills already attained by the apprentice.

What you need to do (providers)

Correct data, learner is ineligible.

For apprenticeships (excluding English and maths), the negotiated price must reflect the prior learning identified. You must be able to demonstrate that enough learning is still required to meet the required minimum duration.

For any other learning aims, you must recode the aims with Funding model code 99 or follow provider support manual guidance on correcting data errors after hard close of the previous year (aims with an incorrect funding model).

What we will do

If there are errors outstanding in this report at R14, we will recover any funding overclaim.

FRM06 – Continuing learners from last academic year who do not appear in this academic year’s ILR

Changes from previous funding year

We have reinstated this report to support data quality and financial assurance. It links to FRM27 - Continuing or completed learning aims that are now reported as withdrawn on or before 31 July of the previous funding year.

Funding streams reviewed

• 16 to 18 traineeships
• 19 to 24 traineeships
• 16 to 19 study programmes
• Advanced Learner Loans
• Apprenticeships
• AEB
• T Levels

Relevant guidance

Any aims reported as continuing in the final return (R14) for the previous year, that are not reported in the current year, will be treated as withdrawn in the qualification achievement rates (QARs).

Details about migrating data between years can be found in Appendix B of the ILR specification, including details about changes that may affect learners continuing or on a break in learning from the previous year. Migration is the process by which ILR data is converted from one academic year to the next.

The data you record on the ILR must accurately reflect the journey for the learner and what has happened. Inaccurate information must never be entered even where it is perceived that this would result in a more equitable claim for funding or accurate record of performance.

You should ensure that the completion status is updated for learners throughout the year. Failure to do this may negatively impact on student reporting in retention measures in 16 to 18 performance tables.

If you correct any learning aims with an end date before 1st August this academic year, you may subsequently trigger FRM27, indicating that there may be a funding overclaim that needs to be repaid.

What you need to do (providers)

Correct data.

You must report all learning aims, even if the actual end date is in the previous funding year.

Your current year’s ILR must include any learning aims which were reported as continuing (Completion Status = 1) in the previous year’s final ILR return. Any learning aims reported as continuing in the final return for the previous year that are not reported in the current year’s ILR will be treated as withdrawn in the QARs.

If you need to correct data errors affecting aims reported in the previous year, follow provider support manual guidance on correcting data errors after hard close of the previous year.

What we will do

Request evidence, determine action.

FRM13 - Learners undertaking English and/or maths within an apprenticeship when they have already achieved level 1 or above

Changes from previous funding year

None

Funding streams reviewed

• Apprenticeships

Relevant guidance

We will fund an apprentice to achieve up to an approved level 2 qualification in English and maths where they do not already hold a suitable equivalent qualification.

Where the apprentice already holds approved level 1 qualifications: Apprentices must start, continue to study, and take the assessments for a level 2 English and/or maths (functional skills level 2 or GCSE). This requirement must be fulfilled before the apprentice takes the end-point assessment.

What you need to do (providers)

Correct data, learner is ineligible.

You must recode the aims with Funding model code 99 or follow the provider support manual guidance on correcting data errors after hard close of the previous year (aims with an incorrect funding model).

What we will do

If there are errors outstanding in this report at R14, we will recover any funding overclaim.

FRM16 - Learners who have achieved a full level 2 qualification (or higher) and are fully funded for a further level 2 entitlement aim

Changes from previous funding year

None

Funding streams reviewed

• AEB

Relevant guidance

If a learner aged 19 to 23 has achieved a level 2 qualification that was at the time they started, or still is, classed as a full level 2, then any subsequent level 2 qualifications will be co-funded, including where the learner has achieved any qualification higher than level 2.

The only exception is where the learner is unemployed or funded through the low wage pilot and the relevant codes are correctly recorded in the ILR.

What you need to do (providers)

Correct data, learner is ineligible.

You must recode the aims with Funding model code 99 or follow provider support manual guidance on correcting data errors after hard close of the previous year (aims with an incorrect funding model).

What we will do

If there are errors outstanding in this report at R14, we will recover any funding overclaim.

FRM17 - Learners who have achieved a full level 3 qualification (or higher) and are subsequently fully or co-funded for a further level 3 entitlement or adult offer aim

Changes from previous funding year

None

Funding streams reviewed

• AEB

Relevant guidance

If a learner aged 19 to 23 has achieved a level 3 qualification that was at the time they started, or still is, classed as a full level 3, and wants to enrol on any subsequent level 3 qualification, of any size, they will have to either apply for an advanced learner loan or pay for their own learning, including where the learner has achieved any qualification higher than level 3.

The only exception is for unemployed or low wage learners as part of the level 3 free courses for jobs offer.

What you need to do (providers)

Correct data, learner is ineligible.

You must recode the aims with Funding model code 99 or follow provider support manual guidance on correcting data errors after hard close of the previous year (aims with an incorrect funding model).

What we will do

If there are errors outstanding in this report at R14, we will recover any funding overclaim.

FRM19 - Traineeships where the learner has already achieved an apprenticeship or a level 4 qualification and above

Changes from previous funding year

None

Funding streams reviewed

• 16 to 18 traineeships

• 19 to 24 traineeships

Relevant guidance

A traineeship is for young people who have little or no work experience but are motivated to work and become qualified up to level 3.

What you need to do (providers)

Correct data, learner is ineligible.

You must recode the aims with Funding model code 99 or follow provider support manual guidance on correcting data errors after hard close of the previous year (aims with an incorrect funding model).

What we will do

If there are errors outstanding in this report at R14, we will recover any funding overclaim.

FRM20 - Loans learning not being recorded in ILR

Changes from previous funding year

None

Funding streams reviewed

• Advanced learner loans

Relevant guidance

You must accurately complete all ILR fields for loans-funded learners and make ILR returns as required in the ILR specification and the provider support manual. Where your data does not support the funding that you have received from SLC or claimed from the loan’s bursary, we will take action to get this corrected and could recover funds or require you to make repayments to the SLC.

What you need to do (providers)

Review evidence, correct as necessary.

If the learner has passed the initial liability point for provision funded through an approved loan, you must ensure that you have recorded the aim with Funding model code 99 and the advanced learner loans indicator. You must not record a source of funding for this provision.

What we will do

Request evidence, determine action.

FRM27 - Continuing or completed learning aims that are now reported as withdrawn on or before 31 July of the previous funding year

Changes from previous funding year

None, but this now links to FRM06 – Continuing learners from last academic year who do not appear in this academic year’s ILR

Funding streams reviewed

• 19 to 24 traineeships
• advanced learner loans
• apprenticeships
• AEB

Relevant guidance

If a learner is continuing learning at the final R14 collection at the end of the year, but you record in the subsequent ILR year that they should have left in the previous ILR year, you may have earned funding that you need to pay back.

Provider support manual - The data you record on the ILR must accurately reflect the journey for the learner and what has happened. Inaccurate information must never be entered even where it is perceived that this would result in a more equitable claim for funding or accurate record of performance.

Adult education budget- The ILR must accurately reflect the learning and support (where applicable) you have identified, planned, and delivered to eligible individuals. You must not report inaccurate information that would result in an overstatement of the funding claimed.

Apprenticeships - When a change of circumstance results in over-payment of funds from an employer’s apprenticeship account or government-employer co-investment, any over-payment must be repaid by you.

Advanced learner loans - You must accurately complete all ILR fields for loans-funded learners and make ILR returns as required in the ILR specification and the provider support manual. Where your data does not support the funding, you have received from SLC or claimed from the loan’s bursary, we will take action to get this corrected and could recover funds or require you to make repayments to SLC.

What you need to do (providers)

The purpose of the report is to give notice of potential clawback for any overclaim resulting from late reporting of the data. Please note that if you correct any learning aims with an end date on or before 31 July of the previous funding year, for example, to resolve FRM06 errors, there may be a funding overclaim that needs to be repaid.

You can calculate and repay the overclaim in-year, through the EAS, recording a negative figure in the ‘authorised claims’ adjustment type. You do not need our permission to use this adjustment type to pay back funding. However, please let us know the details behind the adjustments you are repaying funding for by emailing [email protected]. Adult education budget (AEB): funding rates and formula 2023 to 2024 provides further guidance on this – see ‘Recording late data in the ILR’.

What we will do

If there are errors outstanding in this report at R14, we will recover any funding overclaim.

FRM28 – Planned hours for students who start in-year and complete or leave learning within their initial 6-week period

Changes from previous funding year

None

Funding streams reviewed

• 16 to 18 traineeships
• 16 to 19 study programmes
• T Levels

Relevant guidance

This report identifies students who start in-year and complete or leave programmes within 6 weeks of their start date. If the programme content changes within the first 6 weeks of the programme, you must update the planned hours.

For students who complete or leave learning within the first 6 weeks of their programme, you must revise the planned hours to the planned hours for the student’s actual period of attendance.

When a student withdraws from the whole of their programme at one provider and enrols at another provider within the same funding year, the first provider will receive funding (if the student has completed the programme qualification period), adjusted by the retention factor.

What you need to do (providers)

Review evidence, correct as necessary.

When a student withdraws from one or more aims within the first 6 weeks of a programme, you must update the planned hours for all such aims from the total. This rule applies regardless of the original length of the study programme or the funding band of the student. If excluding the hours already delivered within the first 6 weeks would make a material difference to the student’s funding band, you can include the hours already delivered in the planned hours.

What we will do

Request evidence, determine action.

FRM29 - Students who complete or leave learning on or just after the qualifying period for funding

Changes from previous funding year

None

Funding streams reviewed

• 16 to 18 traineeships
• 16 to 19 study programmes
• T Levels

Relevant guidance

Providers must have evidence that individual students were undertaking the specified study programme during the learning period for which funding and retention is being recorded.

What you need to do (providers)

Review evidence, correct as necessary.

You must ensure that the learning actual end date accurately reflects the evidence you hold.

What we will do

Request evidence, determine action.

FRM30 - Students with more than 40 planned hours a week

Changes from previous funding year

None

Funding streams reviewed

• 16 to 18 traineeships
• 16 to 19 study programmes
• T Levels

Relevant guidance

Planned hours must take place in line with the institution’s normal working pattern.

The number of hours a student may study should not be greater than the legal maximum of 40 hours per week and both the study programme’s planned hours and planned dates will need to reflect this.

If the student is on a 16 to 19 study programme that spans more than one funding year, the planned hours recorded in the data return must be set at the start of each funding year to only reflect the planned hours for the funding year.

If the student is on a T Level programme, the total planned hours (covering the whole planned 2-year duration) must be recorded in the data return at the start of their programme. The total hours must be reported in both years 1 and 2 to retain the correct funding band.

What you need to do (providers)

Review evidence, correct as necessary.

You must ensure that the planned hours entered on data returns are realistic and deliverable to each individual student and are supported by auditable evidence that the eligible activity offered to students is timetabled and exists.

You must adjust the planned learning hours to ensure that the student is not studying more than the legal maximum of 40 hours per week and both the study programme’s planned hours and dates reflect this.

If the student is on a study programme that spans more than one funding year, the planned hours recorded in the data return must be set at the start of each funding year to only reflect the planned hours for the funding year.

If the student is on a T Level programme that should span 2 funding years, the total planned hours must be reported in both years 1 and 2 to retain the correct funding band.

What we will do

Request evidence, determine action.

FRM37 – Apprenticeship off-the-job training (OTJT) hours below the minimum

Changes from previous funding year

None

Funding streams reviewed

• Apprenticeships

Relevant guidance

The FRM37 report will reflect the latest published calculation guidance Department for Education (publishing.service.gov.uk). Please ensure you have read this guidance before summitting your data returns.

Apprenticeships started on or after 1 August 2022: To be eligible for government funding at least 20% of the apprentice’s normal working hours, capped at 30 hours per week (for funding purposes only), over the planned duration of the apprenticeship practical period, must be spent on OTJT. For apprentices working 30 hours or more per week, this is an average of 6 hours of OTJT per week (that is 20% of 30 hours) over the planned duration.

Apprenticeships started before 1 August 2022: To be eligible for government funding at least 20% of the apprentice’s normal working hours, over the planned duration of the apprenticeship practical period, must be spent on OTJT.

For all apprentices: The minimum requirement for a part-time apprentice is 20% of their normal working hours over an extended duration.

English and maths training, up to and including level 2, does not count towards the minimum 20% OTJT requirement; where required this must be delivered in addition to the minimum requirement.

What you need to do (providers)

Review evidence, correct as necessary.

From 1 August 2022, to be eligible for government funding at least 20% of the apprentice’s normal working hours, capped at 30 hours per week (for funding purposes only), over the planned duration of the apprenticeship practical period, must be spent on OTJT. This means that the minimum requirement, for apprentices working 30 hours or more per week is an average of 6 hours of OTJT per week (that is 20% of 30 hours) over the planned duration.

What we will do

Request evidence, determine action.

FRM38 – Learners undertaking English and/or maths within AEB when they have already achieved their legal entitlement

Changes from previous funding year

None

Funding streams reviewed

• AEB

Relevant guidance

We will fully fund individuals, including those who are employed, aged 19 or older, who have not previously attained a GCSE grade 4 (C), or higher, in English and maths, as part of their legal entitlement on the day they start the following qualifications:

• GCSE English language or maths
• Functional Skills English or maths from Entry to level 2
• Stepping-stone qualifications (including components, where applicable) in English or maths approved by DfE

If a learner has already achieved their GCSE English and/or maths at grade 4 (C), or higher, they have met their entitlement in that subject and are ineligible for further funding.

What you need to do (providers)

Correct data, learner is ineligible.

You must recode the aims with Funding model code 99 or follow provider support manual guidance on correcting data errors after hard close of the previous year (aims with an incorrect funding model).

What we will do

If there are errors outstanding in this report at R14, we will recover any funding overclaim.

FRM43 – 16 to 19 study programme students on qualifications with no planned learning hours

Changes from previous funding year

None

Funding streams reviewed

• 16 to 19 study programmes

Relevant guidance

Every student on a qualification must have Planned learning hours (PLH) recorded. The PLH must be finalised and confirmed as correct within the funding qualifying period and by the end of this period the PLH must reflect the timetabled activity the student is planning to undertake for the duration of the funding year.

If the student is on a study programme that spans more than one funding year, the planned hours recorded in the data return must be set at the start of each funding year to only reflect the planned hours for the funding year.

If the student is on a T Level programme that should span 2 funding years, the total planned hours must be reported in both years 1 and 2 to retain the correct funding band.

What you need to do (providers)

Check that you have correctly recorded planned learning hours for any qualifications being delivered.

For 16 to 19 funded students, the planned learning hours field should be completed with the total planned timetabled hours spent on qualifications. These qualifications must be approved for teaching to 16- to 19-year-olds on the ESFA list of qualifications approved for funding 14 to 19, or any alternative list which may be published by DfE in the future. The qualifications must also be listed as valid for 16 to 19 funding in Find a learning aim. Providers must ensure that the planned hours entered on data returns are realistic and deliverable to each individual student and are supported by auditable evidence that the eligible activity offered to students is timetabled.

What we will do

Request evidence, determine action.

FRM56 – 16 to 19 study programmes with planned learning hours but no regulated qualifications

Changes from previous funding year

None

Funding streams reviewed

• 16 to 19 study programmes

Relevant guidance

All 16 to 19 study programmes should be designed to provide students with a structured and challenging learning programme that supports their development and progression in line with their career plans.

Timetabled hours for non-qualification learning aims should be recorded in the Planned employability, enrichment, and pastoral hours field. ESFA expects non-qualification activity to be a coherent part of study programmes which support the delivery of nationally recognised qualifications for all students.

What you need to do (providers)

Review evidence, correct as necessary.

Students for whom a technical or applied qualification is the most appropriate route to their career goal are expected to study at least one substantial qualification but if you are not delivering any qualification hours in the current funding year, the planned learning hours field should be reported as 0.

Non-qualification learning aims should be recorded in the Planned employability, enrichment, and pastoral hours field, along with any other non-qualification activity that makes up the learner’s study programme.

For non-qualification activity to be eligible for funding, institutions must be able to evidence that they have incurred a cost in delivering the activity that is proportionate to the amount of funding attracted by the recording of the hours for non-qualification activity. Remember, no qualification, no planned learning hours.

What we will do

Request evidence, determine action.

FRM65 – T Level industry placements below the minimum hours for the specialism

Changes from previous funding year

None

Funding streams reviewed

• T Levels

Relevant guidance

This report identifies T Level programmes in their second academic year where the planned industry placement hours are below the specialism minimum. It shows the aims that are in year 2 and the total industry placement hours for the programme. Please refer to the T Level industry placements: delivery guidance.

Every student must complete a substantial industry placement as part of their T Level programme. The duration must be for a minimum of 315 hours which can include up to 35 hours of work taster activities, if relevant to all the occupational specialisms within the T Level. These hours can be counted in addition to the (up to 2) other employer(s) providing the bulk of the placements. The only exception currently is the Early Years Educator occupational specialism, within the Education and Childcare T Level, that must be for a minimum of 750 hours. There is no upper limit to the number of hours.

Please refer to the guidance ‘Record your T Level data correctly’ .

What you need to do (providers)

Review evidence, correct as necessary.

Record the planned industry placement hours (315 or 750) for the 2-year programme in the ZWRKX003 learning aim field on the ILR and the start and end dates for the placement. Do not record an actual figure or annual hours. This can be recorded in year 1 or 2 of the programme. A single placement can be split across a maximum of 2 employers.

In exceptional circumstances where you are unable to secure placements of 750 hours for T Level students who started on the Early Years Educator Occupational Specialism in September of 2020 or 2021, we have reduced the minimum placement hours to 415 hours to recognise the exceptional circumstances of the pandemic. This temporary flexibility ended in July 2023.

The industry placement learning aims must have a corresponding work placement entity record (or records if there are multiple episodes) returned which provides more detail about the industry placement via the Manage T Level results portal.

What we will do

Request evidence, determine action.

FRM69 – Proportion of planned Employment, Enrichment and Pastoral (EEP) hours is greater than or equal to 50% of total planned hours and student is not identified as requiring additional learning support

Changes from previous funding year

None

Funding streams reviewed

• 16 to 18 traineeships
• 16 to 19 study programmes

Relevant guidance

This report does not include students who have been identified as requiring additional learning support through an EHC plan, SEN, high needs top-up, or self-declared LLDD and health problems.

All 16 to 19 study programmes should be designed to provide students with a structured and challenging learning programme that supports their development and progression in line with their career plans. Students for whom a technical or applied qualification is the most appropriate route to their career goal are expected to study at least one substantial qualification. We expect non-qualification activity to be a coherent part of study programmes which support the delivery of nationally recognised qualifications for all students.

Additional funding audit attention will be given where the amount of EEP activity being funded makes up more than half the study programme funding.

What you need to do (providers)

Check that you have correctly recorded planned learning hours (PLH) for any qualifications being delivered and recorded 0 PLH for non-qualification aims.

For non-qualification activity to be eligible for funding, institutions must be able to evidence that they have incurred a cost in delivering the activity that is proportionate to the amount of funding attracted by the recording of the hours for non-qualification activity. You must also be able to demonstrate how non-qualification activity improves either progression to further levels of study or entry into employment and be able to record evidence of good educational reason for individual students recruited to programmes which do not provide progression. All such students should only make up a small percentage of the total student cohort.

What we will do

We will review the data in these reports regularly as part of our commitment to supporting high quality provision. We will contact providers, from R04, if we identify clear patterns of inaccurate data. We may ask you to provide evidence of how you calculated and delivered the work experience; planned learning; and/or EEP hours and could require you to take further action in-year to ensure you submit accurate data. We may ask you to provide evidence of how the content of the learner’s programme demonstrates progression.

FRM71 – Planned hours for continuing students who complete or leave learning within 6 weeks of 6 September

Changes from previous funding year

None

Funding streams reviewed

• 16 to 18 traineeships
• 16 to 19 study programmes
• T Levels

Relevant guidance

This report identifies students continuing a study programme after the summer break who complete or leave within 6 weeks of the 6th September. Institutions must work out the planned learning hours (PLH) for a student’s study programme when they are first enrolled. If the student is on a study programme that spans more than one funding year, the PLH recorded in the data return must be set at the start of each funding year.

For students who continue a study programme after the summer break, institutions must update the PLH if they withdraw from any (or all) learning aims within the first 6 weeks of actual attendance.

What you need to do (providers)

Review evidence, correct as necessary.

When a student withdraws from one or more aims within the first 6 weeks of a programme, you must update the planned hours for such aims from the total. This rule applies regardless of the original length of the study programme or the funding band of the student, unless excluding the hours already delivered within the first 6 weeks would make a material difference to the student’s funding band. In those cases, you can include the hours already delivered in the planned hours.

What we will do

Request evidence, determine action.

Other areas that we are monitoring internally

We will not publish an external report for these areas. We will monitor these internally to support the development of future systems and policy, and to identify specific scenarios which may be covered by an external report in the future. We may contact you to better understand data, and if we identify any behaviour that indicates a potential funding risk.

Multiple funding streams

Potential data management issues to assure funding against fraudulent behaviour.

Duplicate learning aims being delivered at 2 or more providers to ensure quality of delivery and identify funding overclaims.

Learners who are also funded elsewhere to ensure eligibility and value for money.

Changes to key data fields between years to identify funding overclaims.

16 to 19 study programmes

Students studying a level lower than previously achieved to ensure eligibility and value for money.

Students completing / leaving learning within 6 weeks of a funding qualifying period, to ensure data accuracy and identify funding overclaims.

Condition of funding status regarding English and maths study to ensure eligibility.

T Levels

T Level programmes not recorded against an approved T Level funding band to ensure quality of delivery and identify funding underclaims which may impact on future allocations.

Adult education budget

Learners attending work placements who should also be completing an eligible learning aim, either prior to the placement or a short time afterwards (work placements are the integration of this element from the Traineeships programme). The work placement, work preparation and flexible element should be completed between a minimum of 6 weeks and a maximum of 12 months.

Prior attainment and progression relating to the level 3 free courses for jobs offer, to ensure data accuracy and eligibility for funding.

Advanced learner loans

Data quality, to ensure data reported in the ILR and via the SLC is consistent and learners are not over-exposed to debt. This includes monitoring withdrawals and other learner changes that should be reported in a timely manner to the SLC.

Apprenticeships

Learners not achieving English and/or maths prior to completing their programme, to ensure data accuracy and quality of delivery.

Community Learning, Advanced Learner Loans Bursary, Learning Support, Learner Support, and Prince’s Trust

We will review your funding claims, ILR and EAS returns at key return dates in the funding year to ensure cost effective programmes are being delivered to learners, and data is recorded correctly.

We will specifically identify where support funding has been claimed but either there are no learners recorded in the ILR, the average cost per head is high, or claims have consistently increased.

We may contact you to request you review your submitted claims and rectify any data issues identified or request further evidence to support your funding claim.