Sixth Form Bursary

The Goffs Academy is provided with funds by the ESFA (Education and Skills Funding Agency) specifically for the provision of bursaries (financial support) to 16 – 19 year olds continuing their education at the Academy.

Bursaries will be made available to help students overcome financial barriers that might prevent their participation in education at the Academy.

Priority will be given to applications from students who, without extra finance, would find it difficult to continue with post-16 education. Requests will need to describe the reason support is required. For Discretionary Bursaries, attempts to access all other available funding sources should be made prior to application.

Eligibility for Bursary Awards in 2022-23

To be eligible to receive a bursary for the academic year 2022/23, the student must be aged under 19 on 31st August 2021.  Where a student turns 19 during the 2022/23 academic year, they can continue to be supported to the end of that academic year, or to end of their course, whichever is the sooner.

Students must satisfy the residency criteria as stated in the ESFA funding regulations for post-16 provision for the 2022 to 2023 academic year, (available on the Government website www.gov.uk/1619-bursary-fund; you will usually meet this criteria if you have been at school in the UK up to this point,) and must be undertaking a full time course at Goffs, funded by the ESFA.

The following groups of students are eligible to apply:

  • Vulnerable students
  • Students eligible for free school meals at any point in the previous 6 years, or who become eligible during the academic year 2022/23
  • Students facing financial hardship

Goffs Academy will consider any allowances or other sources of financial support received by students when deciding whether to award a bursary.

Bursaries Available for 2022-23

Bursary 1 – Up to £1,200 Guaranteed Bursary for Vulnerable Students

Available to vulnerable students as defined by the ESFA – see below.

The most vulnerable students will be eligible for a guaranteed bursary of up to £1,200. This group covers students who:

  • are in care
  • care leavers (those students who have previously been in the care of the local authority, this may apply to you if you have been adopted, even if that was some time ago)
  • receive Income Support, or Universal Credit because they are financially supporting themselves, or financially supporting themselves and someone who is dependent on them and living with them, such as a child or partner
  • receive Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments in their own right, as well as Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit in their own right                                               

Appropriate evidence confirming eligibility for a bursary will be required, for example:

A copy of the benefits paperwork to which the student is entitled:

  • either Income Support (or Universal Credit) OR
  • Employment and Support Allowance (or Universal Credit) AND Disability Living Allowance / Personal Independence Payments
  • Written confirmation of the student’s current or previous looked-after status from the Local Authority which looks after them or provides their leaving care services

Actual amounts awarded will be based on an assessment of need.

Bursary 2 – Up to £750 Discretionary Bursary

Available to students:

  • entitled to free school meals at any point in the previous 6 years, or
  • who become eligible during the academic year September 2022 to August 2023, or
  • who meet the qualifying criteria but choose not to apply for free school meals (subject to funds being available)

Parents of students do not have to pay for school lunches if they receive any of the following:

  • Income Support 

Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
  • Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income (as assessed by HM Revenue & Customs) that does not exceed £16,190
  • Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
  • Universal Credit - your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)

Students who receive any of the qualifying benefits listed above in their own right are also eligible to receive free school meals.

Students who become eligible for free school meals during the year, or who provide evidence of meeting the criteria even if they choose not to apply for free school meals, will also be eligible to apply for the bursary from the date on which they became eligible (subject to funds being available).

Students receiving the bursary 1 will not be eligible to apply in addition for any other bursary.

Goffs Academy is able to obtain proof of eligibility for free school meals from the relevant Local Authority. For students who received free school meals from a different provider (other than Hertfordshire) at any point in the previous 6 years or is applying for a bursary under the above criteria without applying for free school meals, appropriate evidence confirming eligibility will be required. For example:

  • Tax Credit Award Notice (TC602), relating to 6 April 2021 to 5 April 2022 and/or
  • TC602 relating to 6 April 2021 to 5 April 2022. A copy of all pages is required to determine eligibility.

Students whose parent(s) are in receipt of Working Tax Credit do not qualify for free school meals.

Goffs Acdemy may also seek evidence of any unearned income (shares/investments, savings, rental income,) and will take this into account when assessing applications.

Goffs Academy will also consider other exceptional circumstances when assessing applications, for example if the student is providing care to a sick or disabled relative.

Actual amounts awarded will be based on an assessment of need.

Bursary 3 – Discretionary Hardship Additional Support Bursaries

Available for students whose total gross family income is below the threshold of £25,000, and who are not receiving bursaries under 1 or 2 above. Goffs may also take account of the number of dependants in the household. Each application will be considered on an individual basis, and discretionary awards made, subject to funding being available, and to a maximum per student of £750 in any academic year.  

All applications will be assessed on an individual basis, and any allowances or other sources of financial support received by the student will be considered.

Goffs Academy may seek evidence of any unearned income (shares/investments, savings, rental income) and will take this into account when assessing applications.

Goffs Academy will consider other exceptional circumstances when assessing applications, for example if the student is providing care to a sick or disabled relative.

Appropriate evidence confirming income will be required. For example:

  • Income Support or Income Based Employment and Support Allowance – most recent benefits letter from HM Revenue & Customs detailing the amount of benefit received
  • Tax Credits – Tax Credit Award Notification from HM Revenue & Customs for the tax year April 6th 2021 to April 5th 2022, detailing your household income and your Tax Credit entitlement
  • Salaries and wages – P60, Month 12 or week 53 pay slip; and P9D or P11D if in receipt of benefits or payments in kind; and P45 if employed by more than one employer in the tax year 2021-22
  • Self-Employment Income – a SA302 form; or Tax Credit Award Notification; or accountants letter on headed paper
  • Taxable social security benefits – a statement of paid benefits from Job Centre Plus or Social Security Office
  • Universal Credit Award notices

Actual amounts awarded will be based on an assessment of need.

Bursary Conditions

Students who are awarded a bursary will be expected to meet the following conditions relating to attendance, behaviour and completion of work and courses:

  • 100% attendance (excluding authorised absences)
  • No behaviour or conduct issues 
  • Responding positively to course criteria - completing modules in line with expectations
  • Completion of the full examination year in question

Applications for Bursaries

Students should obtain a 16-19 Bursary Application Form from Mrs Hardwick in the Sixth Form Office. Completed applications for bursaries should be returned to Mrs Harris, Assistant Principal, Sixth Form, together with the relevant evidence, no later than Friday, 14th October 2022. Applications received after this date will only be considered if there are sufficient funds.

Applications will be reviewed by the Mrs Harris, Assistant Principal - Sixth Form and Mr Denchfield, the Trust Chief Financial Officer. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application as soon as reasonably possible, but no later than within 10 working days of receipt of a correctly completed application.

Application-Form-2022-23.pdf

R40-16-19-Bursary-Policy-Goffs-September-2022-2023.pdf

Payment of Bursaries

The bursaries outlined above are designed to provide financial assistance with school course-related costs, for example:

  • Transport to or from the school
  • Meals at the school
  • Materials - calculators, art equipment, stationary etc.
  • UCAS fee and travel to open days
  • Course-related protective clothing - sportswear, lab/art coats, safety goggles etc.
  • Trips, visits and sports activities directly relevant to a course of study
  • Uniform/dress code
  • Examination re-sit fees

Students who have successfully applied for a bursary should seek approval for expenditure PRIOR to the expenditure being incurred. Failure to do this may result in students incurring expense that is not then reimbursed by the school. Goffs may choose to procure any items required by students, directly, and “loan” them to students for the duration of their course of study. In such instances the items will remain the property of Goffs and should be returned to the school at the end of the course, for use by future students. Such purchases will be considered to form part of the bursary award.

The bursary funds will be paid on the submission of evidence of actual expenditure. In most cases this will be a receipt from the supplier, clearly showing the date, items purchased and cost.

Payments made in relation to examination re-sits will be made as follows:

  • 50% at the time the cost was incurred and
  • 50% after the exam has been taken

Any student who leaves Goffs before the end of the examination year will be required to repay any unspent bursary.

Goffs reserves the right to withdraw and seek repayment of any funding, if evidence is submitted indicating the bursary has been received under false pretences or is not being used for the purpose for which it was approved.

Any over payments will be reclaimed.

Appeals

All students have the right to appeal against any decision made in respect to a bursary award or non-award. Appeals must be made in writing and submitted within 10 working days of the decision.

Appeals regarding applications should be sent to the Principal, who will act as the first point of appeal. Should an applicant wish to appeal against the Principal’s decision, they should contact the Chair of Trustees, and it will be considered by the Appeals Panel of the Trust Board whose decision will be final.

Useful Links

Further information for Students, Parents and carers, which should be read in conjunction with this policy, is available on: https://www.gov.uk/1619-bursary-fund