Student Bursary
Policy Aims/Statement
The 16-19 bursary fund is allocated to schools, aimed at students who would be unable to stay in education without financial help for items such as transport, books and equipment. This policy is available on the school website and awareness and promotion of the fund to the Sixth Form is by assemblies, presentations and bespoke interventions (Previous PP/FSM students or teacher/mentor recommendations).
Eligibility
To be eligible to receive a bursary a student must be aged under 19 on the 31st August in the academic year in which they start their programme of study and must satisfy the residency criteria in the EFA Funding guidance here.
100% attendance is expected from all students. Students must attend all timetabled registrations, assemblies and lessons. However, we do recognise that this is not always possible and students may have genuine, authorised reasons for absence. Genuine, authorised reasons for absence include:
• Medical appointments that cannot be arranged outside school hours
• One off caring responsibility for a close family member
• Religious holiday
• University open day or interview or career related interview
• Significant extracurricular activity – for example, drama, music, sport, volunteering
• Attendance at a funeral of a close family member
• A meeting where a student is representing the school – for example a governors’ meeting
Any unauthorised absence may result in bursary payments being withheld.
To continue to receive the bursary the student should follow the rules as laid out in the Positive Discipline Policy; failure to do so may result in bursary payments being withheld.
Level One: Vulnerable Student Bursary
This will be paid to applicants who are in care, care leavers, young people in receipt of Income Support/Universal Credit and disabled young people in receipt of both Disability Living Allowance/Personal Independence Payments and Employment Support Allowance. These payments are processed through the school, so we recommend an application at the earliest convenience. *Please note that to receive this level the criteria above MUST apply to the student and not parents or carers. *
Level Two: Discretionary Bursary
This will be paid to applicants who are in receipt of free school meals or who were in receipt of free school meals in Year 11. Students should apply for funds for specific educational purposes. Each claim will be reviewed for approval.
Level Three: Discretionary Bursary
Amount agreed based on need. This will be awarded to applicants whose family income is above the FSM threshold but where individual circumstances have been identified that suggests there is need. This funding is for students to enable them to participate in school activities which are linked directly to their programme of study and where the Assistant Headteacher agrees it is essential to their education.
Where the payment is ‘Up to’, then the amount offered will attempt to match the request made by the applicant, but please note that this will also depend on the level of need across the Sixth Form and the eligibility of the applicant.
If an existing applicant’s situation changes, then the applicant may reapply for the new level of funding as described in the 3 levels above.
Application Process
Students are encouraged to apply for a bursary as soon as possible after admission in September using the online claim form.
Bursary payments are paid on a monthly basis when costs are incurred by the student. Students must provide receipts via the Bursary Claim Form. Students can also identify items of need which the school can purchase on their behalf. Applications must be made by the student, and purchases are made by the school on behalf of the student. If a direct payment is needed this will be made directly to the student via BACS. The school will not consider applications from parents/carers, nor will payments be made to anyone other than the student in question.
Items which can be purchased through the bursary fund:
- Textbooks/Academic books (specified by department reading lists)
- Specialist subject equipment, for example graphical calculators for use in A-Level Mathematics
- Contribution to household wifi
- The Charter School branded sports equipment for use when representing the school in a range of sports.
- Essential Subjects Trips, for example Geography field trips to undertake study for coursework elements.
- Stationery (a small supply is held within the Sixth Form office for emergency purposes).
- Public Transport Travel costs to and from school (Where the use of Oyster is not permitted or accepted)
- Public Transport Travel costs to and from university open days/interviews and apprenticeship interviews
- additional school equipment as required and agreed with the subject teacher.
5% of the bursary fund may be used to pay for administration of the fund.
Payment
The school may use payment in kind or payments will be by BACS transfer. Some of the money to cover an individual’s curriculum related activities such as field trips may be held back at student request.
Appeals
Students are entitled to appeal against decisions made in relation to their application for a bursary or the withholding of payments. They should first raise their concerns with the Head of Sixth Form, and if this fails to resolve issues, they should make a written complaint to the Headteacher. If this fails to resolve the matter, students can take their appeals to the School’s Local Governing Body. A copy of the school’s complaints procedure is available from the Head of Sixth Form.
Fraud
Fraudulent claims for bursary allocations will be referred to the Police. Students found to be making fraudulent claims will be required to refund all payments received and may be asked to leave the school.