Dear Colleague,
Programmes of Study and Learning Aims
The EFSA funding period is 1st August to 31st July and the funding received in schools is lagged student numbers and based on the information returned in the Autumn Census. Data is collected for both on and off roll students.
We would strongly advise the following checks are made as these are key areas of data collected in the Census and used in the funding formula: –
- Fully check each Programme of Study and student enrolment on programme instances from 1st August 2020 to Census Date 7th October 2021 (2 academic years, previous and current) School|School Structure|Programmes of Study
Each programme should have programme instances attached, an instance is a time period which a programme is delivered and should include: –
Planned dates make sure that the start and end date span the entire programme, two years if the programme is two years long. The planned end date must be on or before 31st July.
Core Aim Students following a vocational programme will need to have a Core Aim specified, we would recommend that this is done at student level rather than programme level. Students should only have one Core Aim.
Planned Learning Hours These are collected separately in each of the census returns. Add in the planned learning hours for the first year, the hours for the second year can be added later. Planned hours are calculated number of lessons per week x number of weeks.
Linked Qualification The QAN code is used by the EFSA to identify the learning aim and retention, the QAN is automatically add via the Exam Award. In order to link the qualification, it will need to set up in the Qualification Offering in Exams.
You must set up a new instance for each cohort of students, eg BTEC L3 Hospitality and Catering is a two year qualification, so the instance is set up for a two year period, 2021-2023, when the current year 12 students move into year 13, then a new programme instance would need to be created for the new year 12 students 2022-2024.
Clicking into a programme instance you see:-
The programme instance details and the default values including planned learning hours per year
students who are enrolled in the instance
student enrolment status – Continuing, Transferred, Withdrawn
student programme aim type – this defaults to 16-19 Study Programme but can be changed to either T Level or T Level Transition as required.
Please note adding a course to a programme instance does not automatically enrol students into the programme instance. Only students enrolled in the programme instance will feature in the calculations used for funding.
When students have finished their programme then they must be marked as Completed. This can be done via Bulk Complete.
- Recording Work Experience
Work experience is funded and recorded differently depending on the type of study programme for example this can be:
- the core aim of a study programme, including traineeships where work experience is the core aim
- where it is within a vocational qualification that has learning in the workplace as an essential element
- where the work experience is an enrichment activity (forms part of EEP hours)
Where work experience is not part of the EEP or Planned Course hours you will need to add the programme Work Experience and then the programme instance and enrol the students
School | School Structure| Programmes of Study
For the qualification detail instead of adding an exams award you will need to add the appropriate QAN code:-
T Level Industry Placement ZWRKX003
Industry Placement, Capacity and Delivery Fund (CDF) ZWRKX002
16-19 study programme work experience ZWRKX001
You will need to add the Employer
School |Linked Organisations |Employers
You will need to add the employer reference number (ERN) Using the Employer Data Service (EDS) to find an Employer Registration Number (ERN) – ESFA help centre (education.gov.uk)
You will need to add the work placement to the student
This can be done from within the Employer Overview or from the Student Profile | Education & Employment History
- Check Planned Learning and EEP Hours. The National funding rate for a Band 5 student (540+ planned hours) is £4,188. Students|All Students|Bulk Update| Learning & EEP Hours
- Check Prior Attainment (GCSE Maths and English outcomes for all students included for dates above) Students|All Students|Bulk Update| Update GCSE Attainment for Funding
This information can be entered manually or via an import for the LRS.
Remember that students who do not meet the condition of funding, achieved level 4 need to be enrolled on to a programme instance for either GCSE English or Maths or other approved qualification. Failure to do this will result in a loss of funding for that student.
- Check all Y12 & Y13 Post Codes
Invalid or missing postcodes in student data can affect funding – part of the funding calculation is deprivation factor which is demographic.
- Students Repeating Year 13
These students should not have their current instance extended. A new one-year instance should be created for the repeat year.
Students repeating Year 13 should also be recorded as Repeating final year of 16-19 funded provision. Student |Student Funding
- Bursary.
Check that Students in receipt of the either the Discretionary Bursary or Vulnerable Bursary are recorded. Student |Student Funding
- Final Check of the EFSA Data
After submission, schools should check the “Blade Reports” on Collect to audit the data, these reports are your final check on the information that will determine your lagged funding allocation.
For further information and DfE guidance check out
Complete the school census – Guidance – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Funding guidance for young people 2021 to 2022 rates and formula – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Known Issue
Please note we have seen that the summary report is not picking up errors and queries. We have reporting this to Arbor as this also happens on our test data.
Kind regards
