Industry placements: capacity and delivery fund (CDF) for providers delivering in 2020 to 2021 academic year

Information for 16 to 19 providers delivering CDF industry placement(s) for academic year 2020 to 2021.

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Purpose

The purpose of this information is to detail the arrangements for delivering industry placements through the CDF in 2020 to 2021 academic year for those providers in receipt of a CDF allocation in 2020 to 2021 academic year.

Key updates

New delivery models for industry placements

For delivery in 2020 to 2021 academic year, we have updated some of the core principles that apply to T Level industry placements and introduced new models for the way industry placements can be delivered in the Construction and Engineering & Manufacturing routes, to reflect modern practices. These changes also apply to CDF industry placements and more information can be found in the industry placements delivery guidance on GOV.UK. Providers are expected to comply with this guidance for placements delivered in the 2020 to 2021 academic year onwards.

Delivering CDF industry placements over 2 academic years

The impact of COVID-19 on providers and employers along with the data taken from previous monitoring form returns identified that delivering industry placements within one academic year would be challenging. We have therefore updated our policy in this area. For delivery from 2020 to 2021 academic year, providers are able to deliver industry placements across 2 academic years where the student is on a 2 year programme. The expectation is that all placements should commence in the first year of a student’s study programme (and during the CDF year funded), with a minimum of 50% of all of a provider’s placements being successfully completed by the end of the 2020 to 2021 academic year. The remainder of industry placements would need to be successfully completed by the end of 2021 to 2022 academic year but they still form part of the 2020 to 2021 academic year target and cannot count towards delivery targets set for the 2021 to 2022 academic year. Further information on this can be found on GOV.UK

Revised minimum delivery target now 25%

We stated in the previous guidance that we would increase the minimum delivery for 2020 to 2021 academic year to 30% of a provider’s total qualifying students. However, having taken onboard the feedback received from providers about the challenges of meeting the set delivery target as well as the impact following COVID-19 on providers and employers, we have taken the decision to reduce the delivery target for 2020 to 2021 academic year delivery from 30% to 25%.

Industry placement delivery

Industry placements need to include genuine and meaningful on-the-job experience where the student is able to experience the full range of realities of working, such as time keeping, commuting and interacting with colleagues face to face. Industry placements must be undertaken in a physical workplace environment and therefore placements are not currently permitted to be done remotely or virtually. We recognise however that employers and industry placement delivery may be affected by COVID-19. We will assess the impact of this and will continue to monitor this in the autumn.

Providers that have previously opted out in 2019 to 2020 academic year that would like to opt back in due to the revised requirements

If you are a provider that opted out of delivering industry placements for 2020 to 2021 academic year and would now like to receive CDF to deliver in 2020 to 2021 academic year, please contact ESFA Enquiries no later than 4 September 2020.

Background

CDF is now in its third year of delivery. CDF is provided to facilitate the build-up of capacity and capability to deliver substantial industry placements. The number of industry placements successfully delivered in the previous 2 academic years is encouraging. Following on from this, we do expect that the number of successful industry placements will increase year on year in readiness for T Level roll out. Funding for CDF was included in allocation statements for 2020 to 2021 academic year, as were the number of funded students and the minimum number of placements to be delivered.

Recognising the challenges of delivery during the period of COVID-19 and beyond, we have reduced the delivery target from the 30% of qualifying student previously published to 25% and allowed placements to be delivered across 2 academic years. We will continue to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on the ability of providers to deliver placements throughout the academic year. If a provider does not meet the minimum number of placements and demonstrate that funding is being spent appropriately, we may seek to recover funds and may take this into consideration when considering future CDF allocations.

2020 to 2021 academic year monitoring form requirements for providers that delivered from 2019 to 2020

During the 2020 to 2021 academic year, monitoring forms will be required to be submitted as a condition of funding. These provide us with information on the progress being made in building capacity and capability to deliver high quality, substantial industry placements as we scale up the delivery of T Levels. They also provide assurance that the funding is being used for the purpose intended and they also support the planning of future CDF funding allocations.

In April 2020, we wrote to all providers that delivered industry placements in 2019 to 2020 academic year outlining the decision not to require the final monitoring form return for June 2020 due to COVID-19. In this letter, providers were advised that they will not be penalised for missing specific CDF industry placement targets for the 2019 to 2020 academic year. It was agreed that funding would not be clawed back if providers could demonstrate how the funding has and will continue to support work on industry placement delivery. We wanted to make sure that during the COVID-19 period, providers were able to maximise activity that would support the development of placements and prepare them to deliver placements in 2020 to 2021 academic year. Activities we said we would expect to continue during the COVID-19 period included:

• continuing to build relationships with employers and developing engagement strategies for different industries
• preparing students for placements (such as through virtual training for work programmes)
• ensuring alignment between curriculum planning and industry placement provision
• developing matching processes for when students can go on placements again

In the December 2020 monitoring form, we will ask providers to show evidence of their work to do this. We will claw back funding under the usual arrangements should providers fail to demonstrate they have continued to support the development of industry placements in their monitoring form.

Questions and information required and the guidance provided to assist with completing the monitoring form.

Where information supplied in December returns is not sufficient, providers may need to submit a further monitoring form return asking for financial information by 1 March 2021. This financial return will ask for information about how CDF funding has been utilised. We will use information from your December 2020 monitoring form as well as ILR/census data submitted in Autumn 2020 to determine which provider would need to complete a financial monitoring return by 1 March 2020.

The monitoring forms are a compulsory return and if you do not complete the returns by 1 December 2020 and 11 June 2021, then you will be in breach of your funding agreement and your CDF allocation is at risk. Your allocation will also be at risk if you are asked to complete a financial monitoring return and fail to submit this by 1 March 2021.

2020 to 2021 academic year monitoring form requirements for providers that are delivering for the first time in 2020 to 2021 academic year

By opting in and completing an implementation plan to deliver industry placements in 2020 to 2021 academic year, providers agreed to complete full monitoring forms by 1 December 2020 and 11 June 2021. These are required as a condition of funding. These provide us with information on the progress being made in building capacity and capability to deliver high quality, substantial industry placements as we scale up the delivery of T Levels. They also provide assurance that the funding is being used for the purpose intended and they also support the planning of future CDF funding allocations.

Questions and information required and the guidance provided to assist with completing the monitoring form.

Guidance on completing the monitoring form

PDF, 154KB, 22 pages

Where information provided in December is insufficient providers may need to submit a further monitoring form return asking for financial information by 1 March 2021.

The monitoring forms are a compulsory return and if you do not complete these returns by 1 December 2020 and 11 June 2021, then you will be in breach of the funding agreement and your CDF allocation is at risk. Your allocation will also be at risk if you are asked to complete a financial monitoring form and fail to submit by 1 March 2021.

DfE Sign-in account and access to the monitoring form

To access the monitoring form, you must sign into your DfE Sign-in account. We strongly advise you to check that your DfE Sign-in details are valid and that you have the appropriate permissions to access DfE Sign-in in advance of the deadline of the first monitoring form due by 1 December 2020.

If you do not currently have an account, then you will need to create a DfE Sign-in account. Once you have an account, then the service ‘Online Collection Service’ and role ‘Industry Placements CDF Monitoring’ will need to be added to your account by a DfE Sign-in Approver at your organisation. Once you have access to the monitoring form, then on the DfE Sign-in page, enter your email address and password. This will take you to the Services page where you will need to choose ‘Industry Placements CDF Monitoring’.

Once you have access to the DfE Sign-in account, you will then be directed to the December 2020 monitoring form. Open the monitoring form and complete the relevant sections. There is a save and return function if you would like to revisit your responses before you submit. Once you have answered the questions in the monitoring form, please submit your responses. You will then be sent an email confirmation with a pdf attachment containing your monitoring form responses. You can also sign back in at any time to view your responses by logging on to your DfE Sign-in account.

If you fail to submit your monitoring form by the 1 December 2020 or 11 June 2021 deadlines, this may result in your CDF allocation being withdrawn for the 2020 to 2021 academic year and you will put at risk receiving any further CDF in the 2021 to 2022 academic year.

Qualifying providers

Providers funded by the ESFA for 16 to 19 study programmes with qualifying students as defined below were eligible to apply for CDF. This inclusive approach allows almost all providers currently offering vocational programmes that could evolve into one of the technical education routes to receive an allocation. CDF allocations made for 2020 to 2021 academic year were based on the number of qualifying students enrolled with each provider in 2018 to 2019 academic year.

To qualify for funding providers needed to have an Ofsted overall effectiveness grading of “Requires Improvement” or better. We based the Level of funding for each provider on the number of qualifying full-time students, at a rate of £250 per student enrolled on eligible programmes.

Providers should be clear that access to the CDF in the current year does not imply future eligibility to deliver or receive funding for the development or delivery of T Levels. We will monitor delivery of industry placements in 2020 to 2021 academic year via the monitoring forms.

Qualifying students

To calculate CDF allocations for 2020 to 2021 academic year we used actual year-end 2018 to 2019 academic year data to calculate qualifying student numbers and delivery targets.

A list of qualification types used to identify qualifying students is set out below. It should be noted that general vocational qualifications were included in calculating eligible student numbers but applied general qualifications (AGQs) were not. However, some AGQs will be regarded as counting towards the minimum delivery target in 2020 to 2021 academic year, they were excluded for the purpose of allocations.

Further information on qualifications that count towards your 2020 to 2021 academic year target including the selected AGQs can be found in the section titled qualifications that count towards the CDF target for the 2020 to 2021 academic year onwards

A list of AGQs excluded for the purpose of allocations can be found below:

List of excluded applied general qualifications

PDF, 123KB, 5 pages

The above criteria in no way indicates which qualifications will be subject to defunding in the future.

We expect to calculate the 2021 to 2022 academic year eligible students using the latest general vocational qualifications list and excluding AGQs, applied to 2020 to 2021 academic year end year data, but will keep this under review. We will also continue to prioritise Level 3 industry placements and decrease the proportion of Level 2 industry placements that will count towards the target in 2021 to 2022 academic year as we move towards focusing on the development of placements for T Levels. We are likely to fund Level 2 placements at a lower rate in 2021 to 2022 academic year.

General vocational qualification types at Levels 2 and 3 included in identification of qualifying students

The qualification types included in identifying qualifying students are listed below:

• Advanced Diploma
• Associate Diploma
• Award
• Certificate
• Certificate of Competence
• Diploma
• Diploma (14 to 19)
• Edexcel First Diploma (new syllabus)
• Edexcel First Extended Certificate (2012 onwards)
• Edexcel National Award
• Edexcel National Certificate (new syllabus)
• Edexcel National Diploma (new syllabus)
• First Certificate
• Introductory Certificate
• National Certificate
• National Diploma
• National Extended Diploma
• National Vocational Qualifications
• Principal Learning within Diploma (14 to 19)
• Professional Diploma

Qualifications that count towards the CDF target for the 2020 to 2021 academic year onwards

For 2020 to 2021 academic year, the proportion of qualifying students for whom we are requiring an industry placement to be provided compared to 2019 to 2020 academic year has been revised. We previously stated that the delivery target for 2020 to 2021 academic year would increase from 20% to 30% of your qualifying students. However, given the post-COVID-19 challenges, this target has now been set to 25% instead of 30%.

From 2020 to 2021 academic year onwards, we are keen to ensure that CDF facilitates capacity building in the right areas as we roll out T Levels. Therefore, providers will be expected to arrange industry placements for students studying relevant qualifications only (see Qualifying students’ section above) to count towards the 25% delivery target.

Sector subject areas for general vocational qualifications

Qualifying students on qualifications that count towards the delivery target from the Sector Subject Areas below will count towards the minimum delivery target:

These are the applied general qualifications (AGQs) that fall within the sector subject areas which are excluded for the purposes of identifying qualifying students but can be counted towards the 25% delivery target. These are all at level 3.

Applied general qualifications that fall within the sector subject areas

PDF, 121KB, 2 pages

How to determine if a qualification counts towards the delivery target

In order to determine if a learning aim or qualification undertaken counts towards the 25% delivery target, providers can refer to the Learning Aims Reference Service (LARS). By searching for the learning aim or qualification within LARS a provider will be able to confirm the sector subject area (SSA) the learning aim or qualification is attributed to. A provider can then reference this to the list of SSAs included within the CDF guidance to ensure the learning aim or qualification can be counted towards the CDF target.

The SSAs listed in the guidance include all the general vocational qualifications at both level 2 and level 3 and the AGQs at level 3 that count towards the CDF delivery targets. 

As T Levels are confirmed as being Level 3 programmes, we are prioritising Level 3 students in 2020 to 2021 academic year. Therefore, for delivery in 2020 to 2021 academic year, providers will be required to deliver at least 20% more Level 3 placements compared to their baseline split between Level 2 and Level 3 qualifying students.

By prioritising Level 3 students, the calculation increases the number of placements that need to be delivered for students on a Level 3 programme, however the overall delivery target set for the 2020 to 2021 academic year will remain at 25%.

For example, where a provider has 1,093 qualifying students (number of Level 2 students is 616 and the number of Level 3 students is 477).

• they will need to deliver placements to 25% of their qualifying students, so 274 placements*
• without the 20% uplift the minimum number of placements for Level 3 students would be 477 x 25% = 120
• the minimum number of placements for Level 3 students including the 20% uplift is 120 x 1.2 = 144
• the overall target remains at 274, so the Level 2 students’ placements maximum is (274- 144 (Level 3 students minimum) = 130

*Figures for the above example have been rounded up

Providers were sent a letter on 17 July 2020 detailing the number of industry placements that confirmed the split between Level 2 and Level 3 placements to be delivered in the 2020 to 2021 academic year. This was calculated by looking at the proportion of qualifying students that were on Level 3 study programmes in 2019 to 2020 academic year, applying the proportion to the minimum number of placements required in 2020 to 2021 academic year and increasing the Level 3 delivery by 20%.

We will continue to prioritise Level 3 placements in the 2021 to 2022 academic year as T Levels are rolled out and this is likely to include increasing the proportion of Level 3 delivery required compared to Level 2 delivery, alongside reducing the funding rate for the Level 2 placements. This will support the building of T Level-appropriate placements.

We will be monitoring delivery of industry placements in the 2020 to 2021 academic year via the ILR and school census return. Therefore, it is imperative that the recording of industry placements is accurate. Further information on how to record industry placements in the ILR and school census can be found in the recording substantial industry placements and how this data will be used section.

Opting in for an allocation in 2021 to 2022

We expect that providers that received a CDF allocation in 2020 to 2021 academic year will also take advantage of CDF funding for 2021 to 2022 academic year (confirmation of funding subject to the Autumn Spending Review). The monitoring forms will be designed to let the DfE know your intention to deliver industry placements in 2021 to 2022 academic year by choosing whether to opt in or out of CDF in 2021 to 2022 academic year.

By “opting in” for CDF in 2021 to 2022 academic year providers will be agreeing to:

• utilise the funding available to build capability and capacity for delivery of high-quality industry placements
• deliver high quality industry placements from the 2021 to 2022 academic year, as set out in the industry placements delivery guidance on GOV.UK
• deliver and complete a set number of high-quality industry placements in 2021 to 2022 academic year. The delivery target for 2021 to 2022 academic year has yet to be confirmed, but once we are clear on the full impact of COVID-19, we will update this guidance
• continue to prioritise the delivery of industry placements for Level 3 students as we move towards T Levels and increase the proportion of Level 3 delivery compared to Level 2
• complete 2 monitoring returns on 1 December 2021, and 10 June 2022, with an additional financial monitoring form return on 1 March 2022 if requested to do so.
• conduct student satisfaction surveys
• record all high-quality substantial industry placements fully in the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) or school census at each data return point

By “opting out” through the monitoring forms, providers will be indicating to the ESFA that providers do not wish to receive funding for 2021 to 2022 academic year.

Supporting students financially

Information relating to supporting students financially can be found on GOV.UK.

Recording substantial industry placements and how this data will be used

A requirement for receiving a CDF allocation is that you record all industry placements fully in the individualised learner record (ILR) or school census at each data return point. Providers have been notified of the minimum number of industry placement they must deliver for students on either a Level 2 or a Level 3 programme for delivery in the 2020 to 2021 academic year. Only qualifications in the relevant SSAs or from the eligible AGQ list will count towards the target. We will be reviewing the data to cross refer the number of placements providers have recorded in the ILR or school census against the data provided in monitoring forms. Providers must ensure that each industry placement is recorded correctly, showing the start and end date, and the number of planned hours.

The learning aim reference number on the ILR and the school census specifically for recording CDF industry placements is ZWRKX002.

CDF industry placements must take place on top of the existing study programme hours and CDF funding is allocated in addition to mainstream funding for qualifying students. Therefore, industry placement hours must not be included in the planned hours recorded for the study programme.

It is also important to note that, where hours are currently spent on work experience that is an existing and compulsory part of the qualification hours in a study programme, these work experience hours cannot be counted towards the industry placement hours delivered through CDF because providers are already being funded for these through mainstream funding. For the placement to be counted, students would need to do the required industry placement hours (minimum of 315) on top of any hours for the existing work experience that are recorded as planned ‘qualification hours’ on the ILR and school census.

Those students that were on an industry placement in the 2019 to 2020 academic year that are yet to be completed can continue the aims recorded in 2019 to 2020 academic year into 2020 to 2021 academic year, however providers are not able to record any new students on the old aim.

Providers that have been selected to deliver T Levels from 2020 to 2021 must undertake a substantial industry placement, but these cannot be counted in the CDF target.

T Level industry placements must be recorded using the learning aim reference number ZWRKX003.

This learning aim reference is specifically for T Level industry placement activity and that code must not be used for CDF industry placements. The guidance for how T Levels will be funded in 2020 to 2021 academic year is currently being updated and we expect to upload the revised guidance towards the end of August 2020. Further information about this guidance can be found on GOV.UK.

A recorded webinar will be available from September 2020 on how to complete the ILR or school census return. We will notify providers via the ESFA update when the webinar is available to view.

Annual funding agreements/contracts for services with providers

Clauses in our annual funding agreements/contracts for services with providers, include conditions relating to CDF funding:

• where a provider does not meet the minimum number of placements, the ESFA may seek to recover funds, and/or may take this into consideration when considering future CDF allocations
• where a provider is assessed to be financial health inadequate, or the provider / education and training provided is judged by Ofsted to be inadequate, the ESFA may withhold any remaining profiled allocations, and may take such assessments into consideration when considering future CDF allocations
• where the provider does not submit the monitoring returns by the dates published, the ESFA may withdraw the 2020 to 2021 academic year CDF allocation and recover funding paid

These clauses may vary by provider type; therefore, it is advisable that providers become familiar with these new clauses in their Funding Agreements.

Please contact the Education and Skills Funding Agency for all enquiries.

Key dates for 2020 to 2021 monitoring and 2021 to 2022 allocations for providers with a CDF allocation for 2020 to 2021

Published 17 July 2020
Last updated 5 November 2020 + show all updates

1. 5 November 2020

   Further information provided on qualifications that count towards the CDF target for the 2020 to 2021 academic year.

2. 15 October 2020

   Guidance on the completion of the December monitoring form added to page.

3. 17 July 2020

   First published.

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