Plymouth Schools and Academies Access Bursary 2011/2012 (PSAAB)

What is the Access Bursary Fund?

The Access Bursary Fund (PSAAB) is a new scheme to help young people facing financial hardship to stay in full-time education. Plymouth Schools and Academies alongside Plymouth City Council have designed this scheme in response to the Government’s decision to close its Education Maintenance Allowance scheme and some other learner support funds. The funding for the scheme is provided by the Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA).

The scheme is made up of two parts:

• Guaranteed bursaries
• Discretionary bursaries

Guaranteed bursaries

Those most in need will be eligible for a bursary of £1,200 a year. This includes young people in care, care leavers, young people receiving income support, and disabled young people receiving both Employment Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance.

Discretionary bursaries

Other students who need financial support to help them to stay in education or training may also be able to claim a bursary to help with costs of transport, food, equipment or other course-related costs.

The fund will provide assistance to students whose access to, or completion of, education is inhibited by financial constraints or barriers. The bursary can be used for costs such as:

• Books and equipment
• Course costs such as field trips
• Accommodation and meals
• Clothing and uniforms

Who is eligible to apply for the Access Bursary Funding?

Students following courses funded by YPLA, or European Social Fund, full time or part-time courses, who are 16 years and over and satisfy one or more of the following criteria:

• Students aged at least 16 and under 19 years of age on 31 August 2011 who are:
  • in care
  • are leaving care
  • are in direct receipt of Income Support or are disabled and
  • in receipt of both Employment Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance
• Students aged at least 16 and under 19 years of age on 31 Aguust 2011 who claim free school meals.
• Students outside of the above categories facing barriers to continuing in Post-16 education due to severe financial hardship. Awards for these students are dependent on available funding and will be considered after awards for students in the first two groups are confirmed.

Who is not eligible for the Access Bursary Funding?

• Students under 16 years of age or over 19 years of age on 31 Agusut 2011
• Students who do not meet the YPLA residency qualifications

What will happen to young people who currently get EMA?

Transitional arrangements will help those who are part-way through their studies and are currently receiving EMA.

• The most vulnerable students currently receiving EMA (young people in care, care leavers and those on income support) will be eligible for the £1,200 bursary in place of their current EMA weekly payments.
• Students who successfully applied for EMA in 2009/2010 will continue to receive payments at the level set out in their EMA guarantee for each week they are in education or training, until the end of the 2011/2012 academic year.
• Students who successfully applied for the maximum weekly EMA payment of £30 in 2010/2011 will be eligible for £20 for each week they are in education or training, until the end of the 2011/2012 academic year.
• Students who started in Year 12 in September 2010 and who received either £20 or £10 a week EMA will no longer receive EMA but they can apply for a bursary from their school/academy.

YPLA will issue Notices of Entitlement (NoE) to those students who are eligible to continue to receive weekly payments under the transitional arrangements. The YPLA’s Learner Support Service will write to all students who will not be eligible to continue to receive weekly payments to confirm this to them and to advise that they may be able to receive support from the access bursary fund.

How do I apply/receive a bursary?

The PSAAB is a limited fund and the Schools/Academies in Plymouth will prioritise this funding against the categories below.

A simple application form will be available from the Head of Sixth-Form in September 2011. This needs to completed and returned by Friday 30 September 2011.

All applications will then be considered and decisions on the level of support confirmed. Payments will be made to students monthly in arrears by BACS however continued payments will be subject to attendance, behaviour and standards of work.

Category one

Students aged under 19 on 31 August 2011 and who fall into one of the following categories:

• are currently in care (as defined by social services)
• are leaving or have recently left care
• are in receipt of Income Support in their own name
• are disabled and in receipt of both Employment Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance.

Students in this category are guaranteed £1,200, subject to continued attendance, behaviour and standards of work.

Category two

Students aged under 19 on 31 August 2011 and who claim Free School Meals.

Eligible students in this group will be eligible for a Bursary award; however the level will be subject to availability of funds.

Category three

Once funds are committed to meet the applications within the above Categories, Schools and Academies will consider applications for emergency payments to support students facing severe financial hardship.

Students in this group may get be awarded a contribution towards essential course costs if funds permit. However it may not be possible to consider awards in this category until after 31 December 2011.

Support for 16 to 18 year olds from the Plymouth Further Education Colleges

City College Plymouth and Plymouth College of Art are keen to ensure financial assistance is made available to students facing hardship or barriers to learning. It is recognised that students may have diverse needs and we will therefore be managing allocated budgets independently of schools. Students can obtain the details from the college websites and will be sent information over the summer or upon request.

Guaranteed bursaries

Those most in need will be eligible for a bursary of £1,200 a year. This includes young people in care, care leavers, young people receiving income support, and disabled young people receiving both Employment Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance.

Discretionary grants

Available from City College Plymouth

• Mainstream bursary
• Help with course costs
• Help with transport costs
• Hardship and welfare support

Discretionary Grants

Available from Plymouth College of Art

• Mainstream bursary
• Help with trips and materials
• Help with transport costs

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