Consultation Hub

This site hosts consultations run by the Department for Education. Public participation is important to the development of our policies and guidance so please have your say.

Consultations that started before 21 January 2016 can be found at e-consultation

Open Consultations

See All Open Consultations

Closed Consultations

  • Reforms to unregulated provision for children in care and care leavers

    Children in care and care leavers are some of the most vulnerable children and young people in society. Every child and young person should have access to a stable and secure placement in accommodation that can meet their needs and, most importantly, keep them safe. We need to work together to... More

    Closed 3 June 2020

  • Regulating Independent Educational Institutions

    This consultation seeks views on a number of proposals for legislation. A commitment to consult on the first proposal was included in a statement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the School System, Lord Agnew, in March 2018. In summary, the proposals are: Expanding... More

    Closed 7 May 2020

  • Keeping children safe in education: proposed revisions 2020

    This consultation has been withdrawn permanently We want schools and colleges to be able to focus their efforts on responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore the 2020 Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) consultation which was suspended on 31 March 2020 has been withdrawn... More

    Closed 31 March 2020

  • Behaviour hubs lead school and MAT application

    In light of the latest public health measures and current pressures schools are facing, we have decided to introduce a second opportunity to apply to become a lead school or MAT for the behaviour hubs programme later in the year. Applications submitted in this current window (closing 30... More

    Closed 30 March 2020

  • Subcontracting post-16 education and training with Education and SKills Funding Agency (ESFA) funding

    We are seeking views from providers who have an interest in subcontracted delivery to inform our thinking about reforms to subcontracting arrangements. This consultation is now closed but providers can still submit a response to the consultation by emailing ... More

    Closed 17 March 2020

See All Closed Consultations

We Asked, You Said, We Did

Here are some of the issues we have consulted on and their outcomes. See all outcomes

We Asked

The consultation set out ten proposals for reforming the future arrangements for subcontracting of ESFA funded post 16 education and training. The proposals sought to reduce the overall volume of subcontracted delivery across the sector by eliminating provision that is poorly managed and delivered, and provision undertaken for the wrong reasons. It also sought to strengthen the ESFA’s oversight of subcontracted activity.

You Said

In general, respondents felt that some of the proposals, particularly where we have suggested obtaining prior agreement from the agency, would be excessively bureaucratic, both for providers and the agency. Many have pointed out where some of the proposals may be suitable for some funding streams but not for others.

We Did

We have reflected upon the responses and have made changes to our final approach taking account of the views expressed. We have, in some cases, decided to differentiate our approach by funding stream and to take account of particular structures/modes of delivery. Overall, we have tried to eliminate proposals that would be excessively bureaucratic and will build more of our oversight and assurance into the development of the Standard for the Management of Subcontracting (proposal 9).

We Asked

Do you agree with the proposed 10% increases to fees for 2020-21, and how will that affect you as a provider?

You Said

The fees should not be increased because doing so will put additional pressure on the budgets of providers.

We Did

The majority of providers are a long way from paying the full cost of the inspection and regulatory activity undertaken by Ofsted, which means that the taxpayer continues to subsidise the regulation of the majority of children’s social care providers. However, due to additional pressures on the sector caused by Covid-19, we have since decided to waive the collection of the uplift in fees for the financial year 2020-21.

We Asked

We asked for views about strengthening the arrangements for ring-fencing DSG so that it is clear that DSG deficits do not have to be met from local authorities’ general funds.

You Said

The majority of respondents agreed with the proposals but thought they needed further strengthening to achieve what was intended.

We Did

The department put the ring-fencing requirement into the School and Early Years Finance Regulations 2020 to give it statutory backing.  DSG deficits can no longer be paid off from general funds without requesting permission from the Secretary of State, and the DfE will work with authorities to enable them to pay off their deficits from within DSG funds.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-changing-the-dedicated-schools-grant