Earlier this year the EFA sent a letter to all academies outlining several changes to the way the allocations will be calculated, and they have published a series of online briefings and webinars to help academies understand how the EFA calculate your funding.
For the 2014 to 2015 academic year the EFA derive academy pupil numbers from either:
- the October 2013 school census return; or
- the academy’s own agreed estimate of pupil numbers.
Which method is dependent on which is stipulated as the basis of funding in each individual academy’s funding agreement. If your academy’s funding is based on pupil numbers then you should ensure you understand the Pupil Number Adjustment.
Pupil number adjustment (PNA)
PNA is a calculation carried out by EFA using schools census data, and applies to academies who receive their funding based on estimates of pupil numbers. It is necessary so that academies funded in this receive grant income which more accurately reflects the actual pupil numbers present during the year.
Nearly 450 academies are in scope for the PNA for the 2013 to 2014 academic year, and these academies should expect to receive notification from by EFA shortly if they have not made contact already.
Academies should ensure they are aware of and understand the implications of any threshold specified in their funding agreement. If the estimate of pupil numbers is within the tolerance of their threshold no PNA will be necessary, however if the estimate differed from the actual pupil numbers by more than the threshold, the PNA will result in either a funding increase or decrease, as appropriate.
The funding changes in 2013 have altered the method of calculation the PNA, and so the EFA have developed an Excel-based calculator to enable academies to work out any PNA in advance of any contact from the EFA. This should help academies with their financial planning.
