16-19 Bursary Information

The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund is designed to help support young people facing barriers to continuing in Post 16 Education or training.

The 16-19 Bursary Fund is available to support students who have genuine financial difficulties that might prevent them continuing in education. To be eligible to receive a 16-19 Bursary the young person must be aged 16 or over and under 19 on 31 August in the year of application. Where a young person turns 19 during their programme of study, they can continue to be supported to the end of the academic year in which they turn 19, or to the end of the programme of study, whichever is sooner.

Students in one of the defined vulnerable groups can receive a Guaranteed Bursary via application to the Preparing for Adulthood champion. The school can provide further information on request.

Those experiencing financial disadvantages relating to course-related costs should be supported using the 16-19 Discretionary Bursary Fund. Claremont School receives an annual allocation from the 16-19 Discretionary Bursary Fund via the Education Funding Agency (EFA).  Once these funds have been awarded to eligible pupils there is no guarantee that further funding will be available to support learners during the academic year.

The 16 –19 Bursary Fund has two elements:

Category One: Guaranteed Bursary (Vulnerable Groups)

A Bursary of £1,200 a year can be awarded via Application to the Learner Support Service if a course lasts for 30 weeks (£40 per week if less than 30 weeks) to: 

• Young people in care, care leavers (in care for a minimum of 3 months since the age of 14).
• Young people who receive Universal Credit/Income Support in their own name.
• Young people who are disabled and receive Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or ESA and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in their own name.

Category Two: Discretionary Bursary

The school is able to use its discretion to make awards to students in ways that best suit their individual needs and circumstances. Bursary awards should be targeted towards those young people who face financial barriers to participation in education, such as the costs of transport, meals, books, equipment, extraordinary course fees and transition support services.

The school has agreed a set of priorities to identify students eligible to receive assistance through the discretionary bursary scheme in the following categories:

A. Students who are eligible to receive a free school meal.

B. Students facing financial barriers to participation in Post 16 educational        activities can receive support tailored to individual needs. Appropriate evidence would be required.

C. Students identified as high need using the Schools Vulnerable + Criteria.

D. Students who meet the criteria to be considered under Category 1 can receive a bursary up to the value of £1,200 via application to the Learner Support Service.

Students who meet the criteria to be considered under Category 2 (A-C) can be allocated discretionary funding to assist with the costs of:

1. Participation in Post 16 weekly activities (including extra-ordinary course costs)
2. Travel Costs associated with accessing learning
3. Course equipment and materials (including IT equipment)
4. Meals, Clothing
5. Transition Support Services

Any awards considered under Category 2 will be determined by the student’s individual circumstances.

Payments towards educational activity, materials and equipment will be made directly to the organiser / supplier.

Procedure for Application

To make an application, students/ parents/guardians should complete the Application Form and return this to School. Families are advised to clarify that they have the correct evidence before submitting their application forms as this may delay the appropriate amount of funding awarded to the student.

Once the Application Form is complete with the evidence of eligibility attached, these should be placed in an envelope marked ‘Private and Confidential’ for the attention of Moira Stephens.

The application will then be logged and checked.

All information supplied will be treated in the strictest of confidence throughout the process and all original documentation will be returned once the applications have been verified.

Families of students will be required to inform the school of changes in their financial circumstances.

Important Note: This is a year on year Government Funded Grant and award to students therefore relates only to current academic year and therefore need to be renewed annually.