16 - 19 Bursary Policy

Who is eligible?

There are two types of bursary award: Vulnerable Groups and Discretionary. Students can only apply for one.

Vulnerable Groups Bursary:

For students who are:

Living in care
A care leaver
Receiving income support or universal credit in their own name and are financially supporting themselves.
Receiving Disability Living Allowance or personal independence payment in their own right as well as Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit in their own right .

Discretionary Bursary:

Discretionary bursary funds are targeted at disadvantaged students who face genuine financial barriers to attending sixth form; this is defined as having parents or carers who have a household income of up to £30,000 and/or are in receipt of one or more of the following benefits:

- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guarantee element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit

To ensure bursary funds are targeted at those most in need of support to overcome any barriers to participation they may face, the discretionary bursary is awarded at two different levels:

Level 2: Students eligible for FSM or a household income of up to £16,190.

Level 3: Students in households with up to £35k income.

Eligible costs include:

Canteen allowance for every day you are timetabled to be in college, if not already in receipt of free school meals.
Travel expenses
Curriculum-linked trips
Stationary and books
Subject-specific equipment/resources

Claims for any expenses outside of those listed above will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Payments will be made in lieu and will only be issued where an appropriate receipt has been provided. Claims may include items from the following list:

Equipment and uniform for those on work placement
DBS Checks [Students on Health and Social Care, Childcare and some Sports courses]
University Interviews and Open days. [Funding for travel to interviews and open days will be capped at £200 in total].
Travel to Job / Apprenticeship Interviews
UCAS application fee

Bursary funds cannot be used for accommodation, utility bills, mobile phone bills or any other household costs.

Equipment/resources will be purchased by the Academy on behalf of the student as far as possible to reduce the need for upfront payment. Any equipment/resources purchased will remain the property of the Academy and should be returned on the completion of the student’s Sixth Form studies. Any requests for refunds for items purchased directly by the student must be agreed by the sixth form in writing prior to purchase. These will only be paid into the bank account of the student.

To continue to receive a bursary the following conditions must be met:

Adherence to school rules and to maintain a satisfactory academic level in all subjects
Attendance at all registrations
Attendance to all lessons as timetabled
Attendance to all examinations
Adherence to the school’s absence procedures

Acceptable forms of evidence: Vulnerable Bursary

Acceptable forms of evidence: Discretionary Bursary

This video will guide you through the process of filling out the 16 to 19 Bursary application form. It includes step-by-step instructions and key information to ensure a smooth application process. It is crucial that the application is completed in the name of the student, even though parents or guardians may assist.

The video also highlights key sections of the form, such as confirming year group and school, agreeing to the bursary policy, providing personal and bank details, disclosing household information, and reporting household income.

Please have necessary documents ready, such as bank statements and evidence of benefits. Once completed, you can save and submit the form, and someone from the sixth form will be in touch if further information is needed or to provide details of your bursary award.

Bursary Guidance.mp4

The full terms and conditions of then16 - 19 Bursary can be found here.

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