£96m for disadvantaged students catch-up fund - AoC responds

Today the government announced £96M for colleges, sixth forms and all 16-19 providers, to provide small group tutoring activity for disadvantaged 16-19 students whose studies have been disrupted. Responding to the announcement, Deputy Chief Executive, Julian Gravatt said: “The £96 million catch-up funding for disadvantaged 16 to 19-year-olds is a welcome step. We have argued all along that they deserve as much support to overcome the challenges thrown up by Covid-19 as every other age group, including their peers in schools. The ringfenced funding for disadvantaged 16-19 students will allow colleges to be flexible in their support programmes and enable them to reach those most in need. For example, 70% of students resitting English and maths are from disadvantaged backgrounds and will need tailored and concentrated support to ensure they can succeed next academic year, despite the disruption. Today’s announcement is a strong sign that the government recognises the unique role colleges play in getting the country’s young people back up to speed but, in future, it would be better to get these decisions out earlier. Most colleges have already set their budgets for 2020-1." You can read the full press release here.