To produce our top level findings, we brought together our findings from:
- information gathering
- user research with external users
- content analysis
- workshops with internal operators,
- analysis of enquiries data
- previous research
Allocation information is published too late.
The timeline for allocation publications does not match up with the timeline for users budgeting activity. Users begin their budgets in February, and have them signed off between April and July. The General annual grant allocation is published at the end of February or beginning of March. All other funding allocations are published after this. This means users have to calculate estimates to put into their budgets. As a result, users lack certainty in their budgets, which prevents them from making informed strategic decisions. (User research, information gathering, content analysis, academies handbook)
Significant information about funding streams, including changes to rates and calculations and whether funding is continuing, is communicated too late.
Without accurate information, users cannot make accurate estimates for their budgets. Users also recognise that late information is due to late ministerial decisions. (User research)
The funding itself is very complicated, and users are confused by different aspects of different funding streams.
Each funding stream works completely differently, meaning users have to understand a lot of complexity. They are confused about different aspects of different funding streams. (User research, enquiries analysis)
Pupil premium is a big source of uncertainty.
Users are not informed of their full pupil premium allocation, as some sensitive information is redacted when it is published on GOV.UK. Users either try to work it out for themselves, or wait until they get paid to see what the missing amount is. (User research, information gathering, content analysis, enquiries data)
Users have to use multiple platforms to access information.
Users currently have to use 5 different platforms to access their ESFA funding information. They find the existing systems outdated and frustrating. Users expressed a need for all of their information to be on one platform. (User research, mapping)
Allocation information is in different formats.
General annual grant (GAG) and 16 to 19 allocation information is provided in a PDF statement format. For other funding streams, a spreadsheet is published showing allocations for all eligble providers, and users have to find themselves on the list. (User research, content analysis, previous research)
Users are uncertain about what payments they are getting.
Different levels of payment information are published for different funding streams. For GAG and 16 to 19 there is a payment schedule with specific dates and amounts. For other funding streams, information varies between fractions and references such as “x instalments”. This means users to have to do calculations of payment amounts themselves. Specific dates for payments are not always specified. Users expressed a desire for detailed payment information (specific amounts and specific dates) for all funding streams. (User research, content analysis, information gathering, enquiries analysis).
Some funding streams are academic year, some are financial year and there’s no consistency in the definitions of them.
The Academy handbook specifies that an academy financial year is 1 September to 31 August. This is the period users use for their budgets. Some allocations are made on this basis, and others are made on a “financial year” basis from April to March. This gives users a 5 month gap from March to September, which they have to estimate for. When guidance refers to a “financial year” without specifying dates, users are confused as to what period this covers. (Academies handbook, information gathering, user research)
GOV.UK guidance is an important source of information but users find it hard to find what they need.
Information is fragmented on different GOV.UK pages, and users find it hard to search and navigate on GOV.UK. They rely on Google searches to find what they need. Users often come across outdated information on GOV.UK. (User research, content analysis, enquiries analysis)
Users are proactive in seeking out information.
Users start looking for allocation information at the time they’d usually expect it. They don’t necessarily wait for email notifications from platforms or ESFA updates – although they also find these useful. (User research, enquiries analysis)
It's time-consuming for a trust to get allocation and payment information for all of their academies.
How finance tasks are distributed between staff in individual academies and at trust level varies in all academy trusts. There is no easy way for a user who works in a trust to access information for all of their academies. For example, where allocations are listed in a spreadsheet, there is no option to filter by trust. (User research, previous research)
Users have a desire to combine information about the non-GAG funding streams.
Everytime an allocation is published, users have to go into their budgets and update them accordingly, replacing their estimates with the actual figures. Users would like to receive all allocations at the same time, so they can complete their budgets more efficiently. (User research)
Users find long term budgeting and forecasting difficult, stressful and full of uncertainty.
Users are required to submit 3 to 5 year budgets and forecasts to ESFA, however they are given no information as to what assumptions to make about their funding. (User research)