Bursary Information
1. Background
Academies receive allocations for a 16-18 Bursary fund, under arrangements set out by the Secretary of State under section 14 of the Education Act 2002. The allocation is received through GAG Funding which is devolved through the EFA. The government provides funding to close the gap in attainment between those from poorer and more affluent backgrounds and to ensure every young person participates in and benefits from a place in 16–18 education and training.
1.1 Guaranteed Full Bursary
Bursaries of £1,200 to all young people in the nominated vulnerable group (i.e. in care, care leavers, those in receipt of income support (in their own name). Please see 3.1.
1.2 Discretionary Bursary
This bursary award is targeted towards young people facing financial barriers to participation, such as the costs of transport, books, equipment, school trips etc. This bursary is awarded by the school, in line with the guidance in 3.2 below.
2. Communication
Full details of the 16-18 Bursary Fund will be made available to all Post 16 and prospective Post 16 students via the school website, Post 16 assemblies, tutors and notice board.
3. Eligibility
To be eligible to receive a bursary the young person must be over 16 on 1st September and under 19 on 31st August in the academic year in which they start their programme of study.
Young people must satisfy the residency criteria as defined in the EFA Funding guidance available on the EFA website. They must be participating in provision that is subject to inspection by a public body that assures quality (Ofsted) and is funded by the EFA or via a local authority. Funded or co-financed by the European Social Fund; or otherwise publicly funded leading to a qualification (up to level 3) that is accredited by Ofqual, the Skills Funding Agency or the Young People’s Learning Agency.
Bursaries will not be paid to young people on higher education courses, young people on waged Apprenticeships or any learning or training undertaken while a wage is being drawn or young people in prison or a young offender institution or who have been released on a temporary licence.
3.1 Vulnerable Young People
Defined vulnerable groups are: young people (16-18) who are looked after (in care); care leavers; young people in receipt of income support (or Universal Credit) in their own name; and disabled young people in receipt of both Employment Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance (or Personal Independence Payments). In 2014/15 funding for students in defined vulnerable groups will be held centrally. Applications must be made direct to the academy in accordance with 4.1 so that an application can be made to draw down funding.
The academy remains responsible for identifying and evidencing young people who are eligible for a vulnerable student bursary payment.
3.2 Discretionary Bursary
A discretionary bursary may be awarded to young people who meet the following criteria:
- Pupil premium and Free School Meal pupils
The academy hold the right to review cases on an individual basis and eligibility does not necessarily guarantee you will receive assistance from the Bursary Fund.
4. Assessment and payment of bursaries
4.1 Vulnerable Young People
Payments for vulnerable young people will be paid 3 times throughout the year – a payment of £400 once every term, totally £1,200. Students will be informed by email when they should expect to receive this.
4.2 Discretionary Bursary
Eligibility within the Post 16 cohort will be assessed within the first two weeks of term. Those students eligible for the discretionary bursary will receive an apportioned amount, enabling them to purchase any necessary equipment for participation in Post 16. The amounts allocated will be dependent on the number of student’s eligible.
Following receipt of this bursary, students will be expected to submit receipts evidencing the equipment they have purchased; non submittal of receipts or receipts for purchases which the academy feels are not relevant to the students education may hinder further claims they may make in terms 2 and 3.
In the following 2 terms, students will need to submit claim forms, with the relevant receipts, if they need help with the cost of any further purchases they have had to make in relation to their education. These claims however will be subject to the qualifying conditions as set out in 6 below and will again be apportioned depending on the amount of claims received.
Any monetary payment must be paid by BACS payment direct to the young person’s bank account and will be paid 3 times throughout the year – once every term.
5. Process for Application
In terms 2 and 3, students will need to make a claim for an award of bursary; application forms will be available from the Post 16 administrator.
Completed applications should be passed back to the Post 16 administrator.
Guidance on deadlines can be found in 5.1 below.
Details of all successful applications will be passed to the Finance department, together with the level and conditions of the bursary awarded.
5.1 Deadlines
Deadlines for application submissions will be specified by the Finance department.
Term 1 - deadline for claim - Friday 23rd October 2020
Term 2 – deadline for claim – Friday 12th February 2021
Term 3 – deadline for claim – Friday 28th May 2021
If there are any issues or problems that occur after these deadlines then students need to speak to the Miss Kempt
6. Qualifying Conditions
In terms 2 and 3, payments of bursary will be subject to the young person having complied with the following conditions:
- Qualifying period – satisfy a qualifying period of study i.e. at least 6 weeks
- Attendance – No unauthorised absence, overall attendance 94% or doctor’s certificate
- Behaviour – No cause for concern and an attitude grade of A2 or above
- Appearance – No cause for concern with regards to uniform i.e. no more than 3 warnings
- Punctuality – No more than 3 late marks in 6 weeks
- Deadlines – adhere to all deadlines for homework and coursework
The discretionary allowance may be withdrawn if these criteria are not met.
7. Successful applications
Applicants will be notified in writing (email) whether their application has been successful, together with the level of award. If a young person feels aggrieved about how their application has been handled or if they wish to appeal the decision, they should first speak to the Head of Post 16 who will pass the query onto the relevant person.
8. Retained Contingency
The School will retain a contingency to cover the cost of bursaries awarded throughout the academic year due to changes in the financial or domestic circumstances of individual students.
16-19 Tuition Fund
The 16-19 tuition fund provides one-off funding. This is intended to mitigate against the disruption of learning caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The purpose of this statement is to set out how Oasis Academy Isle of Sheppey will use its 16 to 19 tuition fund allocation to support students who have been academically disadvantaged due to coronavirus (COVID-19).
The funding provided to Oasis Academy Isle of Sheppey is to be used to support students who have not yet achieved a level 4 in GCSE English Language and / or GCSE Maths, as outlined in the guidance set out by the DFE.
The academy serves the swale catchment area which includes several wards in the top 10% of depravation within the country. The area deprivation criteria, as set out in the DFE guidance, enables the Academy to use the funding to support all Post 16 students on other courses where their learning has been disrupted.
Oasis Academy Isle of Sheppey is using the funding to utilise an external tutor company to work with targeted groups of students. The students identified are those who have not yet passed their Maths and English GCSE Grade 4.
Students that have been identified will be provided with:
- Small group or one to one support for GCSE English Language resit
- Small group or one to one support for GCSE Maths resit
The impact of this support will be measured by how many of the resit cohort achieve their Grade 4 this academic year.