News story: Sound governance and internal control reflected in the Education and Skills Funding Agency’s (ESFA) first annual report

Since 1 April 2017, we have managed and distributed timely and accurately, just over £61 billion to fund all education and training for all 5 to 16 year-olds, and post-16 apprenticeships and skills in England.

We achieved this whilst implementing significant reforms in the sector, including:

• the biggest change to the school funding system for well over a decade, the National Funding Formula the formula will create a fairer system helping to create a world-class education system, which allows every child to achieve their potential, whatever their background

• launching the apprenticeship service, which has helped support 220,000 new apprentices into an apprenticeship and enabled 14,000 employers who have signed up so far, to take control of their apprenticeship funds through the service

• ensuring young people learn in an environment where they can fulfil their potential by funding and monitoring an increase of 1,096 academies and completing works at 55 schools through the Priority Schools Building Programme

• during this annual reporting year, opening 55 free schools under the Free Schools Capital Programme with a capacity of around 34,000 school children

• supporting the implementation of 31 college mergers, and the conversion of 18 sixth-form colleges to academy status this year

• allocating £56.6 million to 415 institutions/training providers to build capacity for the delivery of T Levels from 2020 including the crucial work experience placements

• through the European Social Fund (ESF) 2014 to 2020 programme supporting over 233,000 learners and in managing the programme achieving no funding errors in our 2017 to 2018 accounting year

• supporting the next generation of this country’s Olympic hopefuls, by funding £4.5 million to support 1,550 elite young sports people to receive support alongside their academic studies

The ESFA’s remit continues to expand and, we remain alert to the needs and expectations of the sector to ensure we are properly safeguarding public money, for which we are responsible.

ESFA annual report and accounts 2017 to 2018