Bursaries

If you are aged between 16 and 19 years and think you might struggle with the costs for full-time education, you may be eligible to receive a bursary.

16 – 19 Bursary Fund

What are the 16-19 bursaries?

•  If you are aged between 16 and 19 years and think you might struggle with the costs for full-time education, you may be eligible to receive a bursary.
• Bursaries are payments that are made to you by Onslow St Audrey’s School to help you stay in education.
• If you had free school meals in Year 11 it is likely that you will be entitled to this student bursary.

How much can you be paid?

Vulnerable Bursary

Students who are most in need could receive a bursary of up to £1,200 a year. This is called the Vulnerable Bursary

This group includes:

• Students who are in care.
• Students who are care leavers.
• Student receiving Income Support, or Universal Credit because they are financially supporting themselves or financially supporting themselves and someone who is dependent on them and living with them such as a child or partner
• Students receiving Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments in their own right as well as Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit in their own right

The school can pay a bursary to a vulnerable group student of more than £1,200 if they assess they need extra help to remain in education. Any payments over £1,200 must be paid from their discretionary bursary allocation or from their own funds. Equally, the school may decide that although a young person may be eligible for a bursary because they are in one or more of the defined vulnerable groups, they do not have any actual financial need and so do not need support from the scheme.

Discretionary Bursary

Students facing genuine financial difficulties, and who do not met the criteria for a Vulnerable Bursary, may be awarded smaller, regular payments. This is called the Discretionary Bursary.

• These payments are called the ‘discretionary bursary’.
• We currently award students up to £15 per week from this fund. The school reserves the right to award a higher or lower amount based on the individual financial need of the student
• The amount we can pay depends on the student’s level of need, and on how many students in total are claiming.
• The school also decides the conditions that students have to meet to receive the bursary.
• The conditions will be linked to good behaviour, good attendance and other criteria.
• The discretionary bursary will be assessed against household income and benefits received. A list of evidence required is detailed in the application form and in the application procedures.
• Household income or benefits should not exceed £20,000 to be considered for the Discretionary Bursary.
• The Headteacher has the discretion to award discretionary payments where eligibility criteria is not met.

Eligibility for Bursaries

Eligibility for the £1,200 ‘In Need’ Bursary

If you think you are eligible to receive this bursary, you need to make an application to the school. You will need to provide evidence to show that you meet at least one of the criteria listed above.

In addition, you must:

• Be under 19 years old on 31st August in this academic year. Students aged 19 or over are only eligible to receive a discretionary bursary if they are continuing on a study programme they began when aged 16 – 18 or have an Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
• Be a full-time UK resident.
• Be following an eligible course (the school will confirm this for you).

 Eligibility for the Discretionary Bursary

 Students will be eligible to apply for the discretionary bursary if they meet the following criteria:

• You previously qualified for free school meals.
• You achieve a minimum of 95% attendance.
• You meet the terms of the 6^th Form learning agreement- i.e- your behaviour, punctuality and uniform are all of a good standard.
• You are under 19 years old on 31st August in this academic year. Students aged 19 or over are only eligible to receive aq discretionary bursary if they are continuing on a study programme they began when aged 16 – 18 or have an Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
• You are a full-time UK resident.
• You are following an eligible course (the school will confirm this for you).

In exceptional circumstances, awards may be made to other students at the discretion of the Headteacher.

Payment of Bursaries

• The bursary will be paid on a monthly basis
• The payment is triggered by the Head of Sixth Form monitoring your attendance and agreeing that you are complying with your learning agreement.
• If there is an immediate need (for example, you need to buy school books or clothes urgently), then you can apply for some of your bursary to be paid in advance.
• Any money that is paid to you early will be deducted from the payment made at the end of term.
• Bursaries will be paid by bank transfer.
• They can ONLY be made into an account held by the student.
• NO payments can be made into the accounts of parents/ guardians.

Application Procedure

Please complete the bursary application form, which is available to download below or from Year Manager.

Original documentation is required as proof of eligibility.  The following documentation will be accepted:

 

Applications should be returned to the Sixth Form Year Manager.  We will try to let all applicants know if they have been awarded a bursary as soon as possible. Back dated bursaries are not allowed, so pleased apply as early as you can to receive as much as you may be entitled to.

Further information on the 16-19 Bursary can be obtained from:

Head of Sixth Form

This policy will be reviewed annually following the guidance published by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).

16 - 19 Bursary Policy