SFAT Circular 09 2015 - Reception Baseline Assessments

School Funding & Accounting Circular

iPostDocumentTitle/
Search Keyword(s): / Reception Baseline Assessments.
Subject: / Reception baseline assessment refunds from Education Funding Agency (EFA).
Circular No: / SFAT Circular 09/2015
IPostID-2-4303
Service Group: / Schools Funding and Accounting
Contact Details: / Tel: Somerset Direct (01823) 359984 - press ‘4’ for Finance
Fax: (01823) 356109
Email: ‘Somerset Direct - Education Finance’
from the internal address book
or
Date: / 18 December 2015
Updated:

Whilst Somerset County Council makes every effort to ensure accuracy of content, it cannot accept liability for claim, loss or damage howsoever arising from the reliance on or use of this information.

For Attention: Business Managers / Finance Officers / Head Teachers

We refer to the Guidance from Standards and Testing Agency and Department for Education dated 4 February 2015

The Department for Education (DfE) has introduced the reception baseline, a baseline assessment in reception year, to improve how they measure primary schools’ progress.

Schools who wished to use the reception baseline assessment from September 2015 had to sign up and pay for the assessments before the start of the academic year.

In 2022 the DfE will then use whichever measure shows the most progress: either your reception baseline to key stage 2 results, or your key stage 1 results to key stage 2 results.

From September 2016 primary schools will only be able to use reception baseline to key stage 2 results to measure progress. If you choose not to use the reception baseline, then from 2023 the DfE will only hold schools to account by pupils’ attainment at the end of key stage 2.

The DfE agreed to cover the basic cost of the reception baselines for local-authority-maintained schools, academies and free schools who use an approved provider and upon receipt of resultsthe refund for costswould be paid via the Education Funding Agency (EFA).

The Local Authority has now received refunds for the cost of the basic reception baseline assessments which were applied and paid for by local-authority-maintained schools. Theserefunds will be processed to the relative school accounts in month 9 as income against code 71000.

Academies and free schools will receive their refunds directly from the EFA.

If you have any queries please contact the Education Financial Services Helpline on (01823) 359984 .

Schools Funding and Accounting Team

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