16-19 TUITION FUND STATEMENT

Big Creative Training statement on how it is using the 16-19 Tuition Fund from September 2021 – July 2022

The ESFA has made funding available to colleges to support students who have had their learning affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. The Tuition Fund is ring-fenced for schools, colleges and all other 16 to 19 providers to mitigate the disruption to learning arising from coronavirus.

The funding can be used to provide small group tuition for 16-19-year olds on a study programme above and beyond the programmes of education already planned. It is for students who:

  • have not achieved a grade 4 or 5 in English and/or maths
  • have a grade 4 or above in English and/or maths, are from an economically disadvantaged background and would need catch-up support. These are defined as students from the 27% most economically deprived areas of the country based on the index of multiple deprivation

The ESFA also note that institutions should have regard to the needs of students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), particularly where they have experienced additional disruption to learning because of their specific needs and disabilities. Institutions may choose to use this funding to support eligible learners with SEND to catch up on vocational and academic skills, and skills and learning that are important for their preparation for adulthood, subject to them meeting the eligibility for the fund.

Support is being prioritised where students will benefit most from small group tuition, and particular regard is being given to the requirements of disadvantaged students and students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

It is also noted that institutions should have regard for the individual needs of students, for example, providing tuition to assist high achieving disadvantaged students to reach their full potential, in addition to supporting other students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

BCT has committed to using the Tuition Fund that the ESFA has made available for its learners and that of its subcontractors.

ESFA guidance related to the Tuition Fund is available here.

Examples of some of the support that BCT will be offering depending on need are:

  • GCSE resit preparation
  • Functional skills assessment preparation
  • Additional Maths and English classes to ensure learners are on target
  • Support for SEND and High Needs Students
  • SEND support to catch up on vocational and academic skills and skills and learning that are import for preparation for adulthood
  • Vocational catch-up programmes for knowledge and practical skills development
  • Vocational sessions focussing on key skills, knowledge and behaviour development to assist high achieving disadvantaged students to reach their full potential
  • 1 to 1 study skills sessions to support academic progress.

Implementation

BCT will use the funding as follows:

  • Increasing the hours of some existing tutors and learning support staff.
  • Employing specialist staff to work with learners on specific programmes targeting employability skills
  • Small groups will contain no more than 5 learners (or 7 learners in exceptional circumstances), with the ambition of having lower numbers in each group.
  • Run 1 to 1 or small group sessions in addition to the existing timetabled hours, where appropriate and beneficial to the learner.
  • Run additional vocational skills development programmes in and and out of term time.
  • Support will be offered and provided based on the individual needs of each student.
  • Support sessions will be prioritised for the following students:
    • Those with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan
    • Those 16-18 year old learners with a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
    • Those who have a grade 4 or below in GCSE Maths and/or English
    • Those students most disadvantaged (from the 27% most economically deprived areas of the country based on the index of multiple deprivation)
    • Those classed as vulnerable or impacted most by the pandemic.

BCT commitment

BCT is committed to a no detriment approach to learners, to ensure no student is disadvantaged by the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. BCT will ensure that the tuition fund is used in accordance with the Government’s guidance on the 16 to 19 Tuition Fund by:

  • Producing this statement setting out how the fund will be used to support the most disadvantaged students.
  • Publishing this statement on the BCT website.
  • Recording the use of the fund, including references to individual students who receive support, the needs of those students, the number of hours of tuition delivered and retaining the evidence of the tuition provided.
  • Delivering the extra tuition and spend the allocated funds in the academic year 2021/22
  • Notifying the Education Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) of any underspend from the Fund for it to be reclaimed.