Overview of Service
Ensure you are ESFA-ready
The ESFA (Education and Skills Funding Agency) expects all funded training providers to maintain records and review data reports in order to resolve any issues that may result in incorrect funding claims.
Having appropriate expertise to perform the compliance function is essential for all providers. PAL’s team can help to ensure that what has been claimed is valid and that any errors or systematic issues are identified. In addition, we can add value by highlighting any neglected opportunities to claim valid funding.
This short clip explains the importance of funding compliance.
How can we support you?
Mock ESFA-style Audits
An independent mock audit can highlight data issues and potential, systematic errors so that they can be addressed and rectified prior to an official ESFA audit.
Subcontracting Standard Audit
Training providers are responsible for ensuring that compliance with the ESFA Subcontracting Standard is audited by an independent body on a periodic basis.
Data Analysis
Regular scrutiny of data and understanding what the data means is essential in order to identify and address potential anomalies.
Processes and Procedure Review
Compliance issues can arise where processes, procedures and recording mechanisms are not robust, or are not sufficiently detailed to evidence the requirements of the funding rules.
Funding Rule Interpretation and Resources
Regularly changing funding rules can be difficult to negotiate without the appropriate knowledge and expertise. In addition, misinterpreting ESFA rules can cause costly funding issues that can severely hinder delivery.
What people say
I’d like to thank PAL for the audit report and our feedback. To read such a comprehensive and helpful document is really empowering.
We have just completed a full review of all our processes, implementing the recommendations; we have also put together a matrix of Ofsted and EFSA audit requirements so we can self-assess more regularly moving forward.
Director of Operations, Showcase Training
We found it very useful to have funding compliance support from PAL. It was a good time to do this to give us the confidence that the funding documents for the new starts/growth we are about to embark on will all be 100%.
Siamo Group
We were thrilled to be able to work with the team at PAL to develop our quality cycle. The PAL team shared their own experiences and provided us with valuable insights, which not only helped us to evaluate our effectiveness but also develop our confidence as a team.
Head of Curriculum and Quality Assurance, Antrec Ltd
Mock ESFA-style Audits
The ESFA have the power to sanction providers if they consistently fail to comply with funding rules. An independent mock audit can highlight data issues and potential, systematic errors so that they can be addressed and rectified prior to an official ESFA audit.
The PAL compliance team has vast experience of administering and managing ESFA audits and will apply the same methodology to a mock audit as the ESFA use.
Non-judgemental feedback is provided throughout, as well as recommendations on action to take to improve controls, prevent error recurrence and ensure any additional, unclaimed funding is highlighted.
Subcontracting Standard Audit
Any main provider or employer provider who subcontracts £100000 per year or more of ESFA funding must ensure that they have adequate controls in place for these arrangements, as detailed in the Subcontracting Standard.
The ESFA stipulates that these controls must be audited by an external organisation with appropriately qualified and experienced personnel.
PAL’s Audit and Compliance team provides this service to large and small providers using up to date knowledge of ESFA requirements and how they are applied.
Data Analysis
Regular scrutiny of data and understanding what the data tells us is essential in order to identify and address potential anomalies.
PAL’s compliance team support providers by using various tools and reports, analysing the reports and highlighting areas that might need further investigation.
This scrutiny can be targeted at areas of highest potential risk and, once again, can also identify where valid funding has not been claimed.
Processes and Procedure Review
Funding rules change regularly, meaning that training providers must update processes and procedures so that they’re fit for purpose. Compliance issues can arise where procedures are not robust, or are not sufficiently detailed to meet the evidence requirements of the funding rules.
PAL’s compliance team can undertake a full review of processes, procedures and recording mechanisms in order to highlight any areas that may need to be strengthened.
If needed, our team can support the design of new documentation and work-flows to ensure all evidence in scope of ESFA scrutiny provides a clear audit trail.
Please contact us to discuss your requirements – info@professionalassessment.co.uk
Funding Rule Interpretation and Resources
Funding rules should be clear and concise. However, the complexity of the rules and the regular updates they receive mean that it can be difficult to keep track. A simple misinterpretation can cause significant funding issues.
PAL’s compliance team can provide funding rule interpretation to complement the support from your ESFA relationship manager. This can be a short term input session or a longer-term retainer agreement where unused hours each month can be ‘banked’.
We have also produced a simple, cost-effective online resource that is kept up to date with the latest compliance information, updates, news and documents created by the team to support providers.
Please contact us to discuss your requirements – info@professionalassessment.co.uk
Get in touch
If you have any questions on Professional Assessment or would like to hear more about the process, please get in touch.
All queries will be responded to within three working days.
Call us on 0800 160 1899
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