Sixth Form Bursary

The government introduced the 16-19 Bursary scheme in September 2011. Its purpose is to provide financial support to help students to the overcome specific barriers to participation so they can remain in education.

Who is eligible to apply for a bursary at St Bernard’s High School?

To qualify you must: 

• Be aged 16 or over and under 19 at 31st August 2023 or if 19 continuing a study programme at the school that you started before you became 19 or have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
• Must meet the residency criteria in the ESFA funding regulations for post-16 provision, essentially be a legal resident in the UK or a registered asylum seeker (where only in-kind support can be provided)
• Be studying courses offered in the sixth form at the school and then either
  - Be a vulnerable student – one who is in care, a care leaver, one who is receiving income support in your own name or one who is receiving both employment support allowance and disability living allowance or receiving Universal Credit or
  - Be able to demonstrate financial need. This would take into the whole household income both earned and received in the form of benefits, the number of dependent children, the distance from home to school and whether the you have additional responsibilities i.e. be a young carer.
  

Types of bursary offered:

For Vulnerable students:

To be eligible as a vulnerable student you will be in care, or a care leaver and you will be able to support that by a communication from your local authority or you will be personally receiving income support or you will be personally receiving both employment support allowance and disability living allowance and be able to produce a current letter from the DWP to support this or you will be receiving universal credit.

Once identified the school will complete a funding claim and submit to the Department for Education. When processed the department will send the school the funding (£1,200pa) which the school will pass on to you by bank transfer/cheque by instalment in a mutually agreeable way. The recipient would then have the resources to cover normal day to day school costs including uniform, books and travel to and from school. Should therefore still be a shortfall the student would ned to approach the head of sixth form in the first instance.

Discretionary Bursaries:

The school will receive a small fund from the government with which it will seek to support students who can demonstrate that they have financial barriers to participate in the education being offered. The fund could consider helping with the cost of travel to and from school, buying essential books, equipment or specialist clothing, UCAS application, travel to university or job interviews and school trips.

The school will ask for proof of the whole household income in the form of current payslips, current benefit statements and extracts from current bank statements with the expectation that the family would be in receipt of some form of benefit but not necessarily so. This financial information would be expected to cover 3 months. The school will also look at individual family circumstances, which may affect the household income, including the number of other children, or young people living in the household and financial maintenance is being received or paid out as well as the distance from home to school and whether the young person has additional responsibilities.

Financial support may also be provided when an unexpected event hits a family.

Review of application

The School Business manager, supported by the Head of Sixth Form and the Assistant Head responsible for Pastoral Care, will review the application in the first instance.

Should you be unhappy at the outcome of this review a letter should be written, detailing why you believe it to be incorrect and addressed to the head teacher.

How are costs covered?

Generally, the school will make the purchase directly on your behalf or provide a voucher. Occasionally it will be necessary to make a reimbursement of costs incurred and in such cases the cost must be supported by the relevant receipt and reimbursement will normally be by cheque/bacs transfer made payable to the student personally.

Any Conditions?

Excellent conduct, attendance (98%) and punctuality are expected from all students in receipt of a Bursary.

Want to apply?

Applications are welcome from all eligible offer holders. Please email the Head of Sixth Form on smj@stbernards.southend.sch.uk