The government is seeking a “small” number of colleges to pilot simplifications to funding, audit and reporting in the next academic year.
A one-year trial set to run in 2024/25 will aim to reduce complexities by removing “several” funding rules and “some” ringfences within adult and 16 to 19 funding streams, the Department for Education said today without providing exact detail.
Colleges involved in the pilot will also be allowed to deliver skills bootcamps without the need to bid for funding through procurements and those with existing skills bootcamps contracts may be able to access additional funding.
The pilot is part of the DfE’s wider reforms to simplify FE funding and accountability, which involves merging several adult skills budgets into a single skills fund in 2024/25.
