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BCT Tuition Fund 

16-19 TUITION FUND STATEMENT

Big Creative Training statement on how it is using the 16-19 Tuition Fund from September 2023 – July 2024

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 6 in GCSE English and/or GCSE maths at age 16 and would need catch-up support
  • students from the 27% most economically deprived areas of the country (based on the index of multiple deprivation) and would need catch-up support
  • students who are economically disadvantaged who meet the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund eligibility criteria and would need catch-up support to reach their full potential will be eligible, even where their prior attainment is high
  • students aged 19 to 24 who have an education, health, and care (EHC) plan are also eligible for support, subject to meeting the eligibility for the fund

The ESFA also note that: 

‘in addition to general activities supported by the fund, for eligible SEND students and those with EHC plans aged 19 to 24, you can also use the fund to provide pastoral support including mental health and wellbeing.

You should have regard to the needs of SEND students, particularly where they have experienced additional disruption to learning because of their specific needs and disabilities.

You 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.’

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
  • ARt therapy 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 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 2023/24
  • Notifying the Education Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) of any underspend from the Fund for it to be reclaimed.

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