Contact
14-19 Strategy and Commissioning Standards & School Effectiveness Robertson House Six Hills Way Stevenage Hertfordshire, SG1 2FQ
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Introduction to Funding

Responsibility for funding 16-19 education and training lies with the Young Peoples Learning Agency (YPLA) which funds school sixth forms, sixth form colleges, FE colleges, academies and independent training providers.  For sixth forms, the funding is routed via the local authority which offers the relevant support.  Funding for the other sectors is paid directly from the YPLA.  The 16-19 funding year is 1 August to 31 July.

For support contact:
Ivor Miskelly
Tel: 07717 558356
Email: ivor.miskelly@hertscc.gov.uk

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16-19 Bursary Fund

Requests for additional funds

• YPLA: 16-19 Bursary Fund - requests for additional funds (pdf file)
  This was published by the YPLA on the 17 August and is being sent by email to all providers in receipt of the 16-19 Bursary Fund for 2011/12, including those providers for which LAs have been requested to passport funds to. 
  
  The note confirms that the YPLA guarantees to make extra payments from the contingency fund to any provider who has more students in the defined vulnerable groups than they can afford to pay full bursaries from their original allocation.  The note also sets out the arrangements that the YPLA will operate where a college, school, academy, training provider or local authority requests funding, additional to the allocation that it received in June 2011 for the 16-19 Bursary Fund. Details of the arrangements for the requested data returns will be communicated shortly.  Please note that all data must be submitted by the 31 October 2011 and must be based on actual enrolments as at the 30 September 2011.

Also see:

• YPLA: Learner Support: 16-19 Bursary

Queries on the note and the 16-19 Bursary Fund should be sent
Email: 1619bursaryfund@ypla.gov.uk

Bursary Guidance

• YPLA: 16-19 Bursary Guidance document for the Fund (pdf file)
• YPLA: 16-19_Bursaries_Fund Questions & Answers (pdf file)
• Education: The new 16 to 19 Bursary Fund Factsheet (pdf file)

You can access further information here:

• YPLA: 16-19-bursary

• Education: Results of the Consultation

Education Select Committee's Report

The Education Select Committee has completed an inquiry looking at existing levels of participation by young people in education and training and preparations for the raising of the leaving learning age. 

• Parliament Publication: Participation by 16-19 year olds in education and training (July 2011)

The inquiry had asked for written evidence addressing the following points:

• What impact the Education Maintenance Allowance has had on the participation, attendance, achievement and welfare of young people and how effective will be the Discretionary Learner Support Fund in replacing it
• What preparations are necessary, for providers and local authorities, for the gradual raising of the participation age to 18 years and what is their current state of readiness
• What impact raising the participation age will have on areas such as academic achievement, access to vocational education and training, student attendance and behaviour, and alternative provision.

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YPLA Documents Updated

YPLA Funding Statement 2012/13 updated

The YPLA has published the 16-19 Funding Statement for the funding of education and training in England for the 2012-13 financial year. The Statement outlines indicative levels of funding to be invested in the 2012-13 financial year and the learner numbers and funding policies to be applied in the 2012/13 academic year by the YPLA.

• YPLA: 16-19 Funding Statement

YPLA Information Portal Guide new

The Guide provides information on how to use the YPLA Information Portal:

• YPLA Information_Portal_Guide (pdf file)

YPLA Annual Plan 2011/12

The new Annual Plan for 2011/12 which takes the YPLA up to its transformation into the Education Funding Agency (in April) and beyond.

• YPLA: Annual plan (pdf file)

Statutory Guidance: Funding Arrangements for 16-19 Education and Training updated

An explanation of how the 2011/12 YPLA funding has been arrived at and the role of LAs and providers;

• YPLA: Statutory Guidance: Funding Arrangements for 16-19 Education and Training

The 2011/12 YPLA Funding Guidance which provides relevant operational level information for providers can be found here:

• YPLA: Funding Guidance

Subject Weightings updated

Subject Weightings can be checked in this following document:

• YPLA: Weightings_by_LDCS_Subject_Classification (pdf file)

YPLA Hertfordshire briefing 28 January 2011

• Word 2003, 36kb/3 pages, 17/05/2011, ypla_briefing_qas.doc

Q & As from YPLA Hertfordshire briefing 28 January 2011

• PowerPoint 2003, 1.06mb/36 slides, 17/05/2011, ypla_herts_briefing_jan11.ppt

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Open Book Project New

The EFA Open Book project aims to help sixth forms understand how the 16-19 funding calculation works and also to demonstrate the role and impact of success rates. This is designed to increase the transparency of the 16-19 funding allocation process and help sixth forms to continue to improve the quality of their census returns. Schools are able to check the success rate data that the EFA holds and have the opportunity to submit a business case if errors are found. The presentation that was used at the regional briefing events can be found on the DfE website at this link:

• Children and Young People : Open Book guidance
  
  and there is a very useful You Tube video guide at:

• Children and Young People : Open Book 6thform-screencast
  

Essentially, the process for 2012 is the same as last year and everything that schools need is on the MI Portal. The deadline is close of play on 1 June and it was made very clear that any submissions after this will not be considered. Cases that request reductions in the success rate will also not be considered.

Submissions should be made by email to the address given on the MI Portal or, if that fails, exceptionally to:

EFA
Lime House
Mere Way
Ruddington
Notts
NG11 6JS

On the first link, there are also a couple of useful field guides, FAQs and a Prezi guide that is good for any staff new to this project and sixth form funding.

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Post 16 Curriculum Funding Review Service

A service designed to give you the opportunity to review your post 16 curriculum with experienced professionals.

• Are you responsible for implementing the post 16 curriculum in your school
• Are you looking for focused advice and guidance from experienced
  professionals

If the answer is YES to either of the above why not make use of the funding
review service?

The review will last about 2 hours and can be held at a location of your choice. You will work with Kay Leach, 14-19 Senior Adviser, Ivor Miskelly, 16-19 Schools Planning & Commissioning Manager and senior staff responsible for the post 16 curriculum. We will concentrate on your current funding position and the funding implications of any proposed changes, meeting your school’s individual 6th form needs.

Benefits of using the Funding Review Service:

• An opportunity to enhance your post 16 curriculum
• Improved understanding of how your curriculum provision impacts funding
• Help you to ensure that the full funding entitlement is claimed
• Assist you in fully utilising the funding allocation to the benefit of your students

Price £350

For further details and to book a consultation, please contact:
Kay Leach
Email: kay.leach@hertscc.gov.uk

Ivor Miskelly
Email: ivor.miskelly@hertscc.gov.uk

Tel: 01438 843597

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Useful 16-19 websites

The following websites may be of interest:

• YPLA
  This is the government agency responsible for the funding of 16-19 education in FE colleges, school sixth forms and academies.  Policy documents and funding guidance are available on the website.
• Learning Aim Database
  If you need to check the funded guided learning hours (glh) and dates for validity dates for a qualification, choose LAD Search from the menu and enter the Qualification Accreditation Number (QAN).  Scroll down to the  16-18 LR section and the number of glh can be found under the SLN heading.
• Provider Gateway
  Use this link to gain access to YPLA data. Note: restricted access only.
  
• The Register of Regulated Qualifications
  This site was formerly the National Database of Accredited Qualifications and can be used to check the validity of a qualification.
• YPLA: Funding new
  Follow this YPLA link to access all information about funding

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