Post-16 funding within further education settings
Colleges receive core funding to support the delivery of education to students directly from the government. Where the support costs are over £6,000 colleges can make an application to the council for additional funding, also known as ‘top-up’ funding. We can also provide additional funding to a college for a learner up to the age of 18, when starting their course without an education, health and care plan (EHCP).
EHCPs don't apply to higher education, and if a young person continues in learning following achievement of a level 3, they'll move to higher education and the EHCP will cease.
Approved further education (FE) colleges, sixth form colleges, training providers and some specialist colleges (approved under section 41) receive central core funding to support the tuition costs for most resident learners who are under the age of 24, and are studying up to their first equivalent level 3 qualification. This is known as element 1 or core funding.
Non-council funding support for special and additional needs is available in FE colleges and sixth forms, and with training providers, for 16-18 year olds and adult learners:
- Learners without an EHCP 16 to 18 years: disadvantage funding - colleges choose how to use this funding to attract, retain and support disadvantaged learners and those with learning difficulties and disabilities
- Learners without an EHCP 19+ years: adult learning support budget - colleges can apply centrally for this funding to support individual learners' high-level SEND learning need
- For learners aged 16-19 or up to 25 years with an EHCP: the college can request additional SEN funding from the council to support learners with more complex needs with an EHCP. This is known as element 2 and 3
- Learners without an EHCP 16 to 18 years: in exceptional circumstances a college can request element 2 (place funding) and 3 (top-up funding) funding from the council for learners with more complex needs who don't have an EHCP. The college would need to provide evidence of need to the council
Funding summary for further education
- Core funding – element 1 – tuition funding
- Element 2 (place funding or SEN support) where support exceeds £6,000 per learner without an EHCP up to 18yrs, or with an EHCP
- Element 3 (top-up funding) support costs over £6,000 per learner with an EHCP
FE colleges (excludes specialist colleges)
- Disadvantage funding – to support disadvantaged learners and those with learning difficulties and disabilities with or without an EHCP
- Adult learning support – to support adults with SEND learning needs without an EHCP
Apprenticeships support is funded directly via the Apprenticeship Service
Access to Work is funding that settings can apply for to support their learners with an EHCP on a supported internship
It’s expected that support needs will reduce as the learner gains skills and progresses through their study programme. This will support learners to become as independent as possible and move on to adulthood opportunities including employment or higher education.