16-19 Bursary Fund

The 16-19 Bursary fund is paid by the Education funding Agency (EFA) to schools and colleges so that they may provide financial help to students whose access to or completion of education might be inhibited by financial consideration.

The scheme comprises of two parts:

1. The vulnerable Bursary (£1200 per academic year)- for students in need of financial support
2. The Discretionary Bursary- for students in need of finance to help meet their specific costs to enable them to stay in education and complete their courses (e.g. transport, equipment, fieldwork costs)

Eligibility

• Students must be aged 16 and under 19 on the 31^st August at the start of the academic year in which he/she starts a programme of study.
• A student must be on a full time programme of study

Students who are eligible and meet the requirements for funding will receive payments in kind or have funds available through an assigned personal school account.

The Vulnerable Bursary (£1200)

Students can apply for the vulnerable bursary if they meet one of the following criteria:

• Students in care;
• Students lives independently having left Local Authority care;
• Student is in receipt of Income support;
• Student is disabled and in receipt of both Employment support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance (or incapacity benefit)

The Discretionary Bursary

• Students can apply for this grant to fund particular needs, for example:Books/ equipment/ materials/ specialist clothing
• Field trips and visits related to courses
• Travel expenses
• Food costs (e.g. cooked lunch) Students can apply for the discretionary Bursary if: 
• They are eligible for free school meals or if parents are claiming one of the following benefits
  1. Income support
  2. Child Tax credit
  3. Income based job seekers allowance
  4. Employment support Allowance (income related)
  5. Guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
  6. Support under part IV of the immigration and Asylum act 1999

Evidence will be needed to support any applications of the discretionary or vulnerable bursaries.

Students who are eligible for this funding will use the bursary to support directly with their participation in their education; payments can be in kind or monetary.

For example:

• Transport
• Books and equipment (text books, stationary)
• Additional course costs (trips, residential experiences, extra sessions at college)
• Work experience cost
• Meals
• Personal Protective equipment (PPE) where required
• Sport activities where these link directly to the course
• Computer hardware and software which supports the course being studied.

The funding is held by the school and any expenditure will support young person and their access to education whilst at Bradstow school. It is intended that the use of the 16-19 bursary is linked directly to a young person whilst they attend school.

For further information please refer to:

16-19 Bursary Policy.pdf

For further information about the 16-19 Bursary please contact Paul Gorham (Assistant Head of Upper School).