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Further Education

Answer

New 16 to 19 providers and maintained schools with sixth forms which become academies do not bid for their ongoing revenue funding. We have processes to enable new providers to enter the 16 to 19 market and for maintained schools to become academies. These providers then receive an allocation of revenue funding based on lagged student recruitment (for established providers) or expected recruitment (for new providers) in order to ensure value for money.New standalone 16 to 19 providers (as opposed to established providers adding a sixth form) are eligible for start-up funding. In these cases we carefully consider the funding needed in order to enable the provider to function properly on the day of opening.Schools becoming academies (with or without sixth forms) receive a grant of £25,000 if they are voluntarily converting, and more if they have a sponsor to help with improving standards as part of the move to academy status, but this is not 16 to 19 specific.In 2011-12 capital funding has been made available, through the Demographic Growth Capital Fund (DGCF), to support the provision of new 16 to 19 places in areas of demographic growth. To qualify for funding, local authorities/institutions needed to provide a cost effective, preferred option to provide new capacity supported by evidence that the extra capacity was needed. The DGCF will also be available in 2012-13. In addition, local authorities have been allocated capital funds for new pupil places in schools and academies, although this funding is likely to be targeted at creating primary places where there is greatest need across the country. Successful 16 to 19 free school applicants are granted capital funding following an assessment of their needs and value for money and those costs will be published once confirmed.In the 2010-11 and 2011-12 academic years there were no new providers of 16 to 19 education and training in Blackburn local authority. Funding details for new 16 to 19 provision in Blackburn local authority for 2012-13 have not yet been finalised and for 2013-14 onwards will not yet be known.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

99880; 542 c1005W

Session

2010-12

Subjects

Further education

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk