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Bursary Policy
Sir George Monoux
College
2015/2016
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction to Bursary
 Criteria
 Application and Assessment
 Evidencing Household Income
2. Appeals process
3. Bursary Management Structure at SGM
 Roles and Responsibilities
4. Payment Structure
 Vulnerable Payments
 Mainstream/Discretionary Payments
 19+ Payments
 Travel Assistance
 Lunch Allowance payments
 Exam Re-sits payments
 Emergency payments
5. Recording and Monitoring Payments
 A Step by Step Guide to Making Payments
6. Marketing and Promotion of the Bursary
7. Partnership
8. Appendices
1. Bursary Application Form
2. Declaration Form
3. Vulnerable Bursary Claim form and Guidance
4. Appeals Form
5. In Need Criteria
6. Lunch Allowance, Exam Re-sit, Emergency Cash Payment, Travel
Assistance (included on same form)
7. Waltham Forest Partnership
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Introduction to Bursary
The government has provided funding to schools, academies, FE colleges, sixthform colleges, training providers, independent specialist providers and local
authorities for ‘dis-advantaged’ students within their establishments. This is to help
with retention in that these students may not otherwise be able to successfully
complete their further education studies if financial assistance were not given.
Criteria
The Bursary Fund Award has 2 allocation entitlements
1. Vulnerable Bursary Award
2. Discretionary Bursary Award
Application and Assessment
At the commencement of each new term of the academic year 2015/2016 on roll
students will be able to apply for the 16-19 Bursary by completing an application
form that can be found and downloaded from the college intranet (Moodle) or on the
SGM college website under the tab “Student Finance” (see appendix 8.1).
At the beginning of the academic year 2015/2016 all returning students that have
previously received the bursary must fill out a declaration form (see appendix 8.2) to
confirm that their financial situation is still the same. If circumstances have changed
they will need to bring in relevant evidence and be re-assessed.
A deadline for new applications and declarations will be advertised on Moodle and
on the screens around the college. Tutors and teaching staff will be notified so that
students can be informed and reminded during tutorial sessions.
Students must first complete the application form and provide evidence of the
income they receive in their own right. If the criteria is met for the vulnerable bursary
the Student Bursary and Welfare Co-ordinator will then apply directly to the Learner
Support Service for each student. (See appendix 8.3)
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Evidencing Household Income
Students applying for the Bursary will be required to evidence their TOTAL
household income. This evidence should be attached to the applicants form and
have the applicants name and student ID written on the evidence form. Acceptable
proof is listed below:
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Parents current P60 (April 2015)
Parents annual accounting report (within current tax year) for those selfemployed or self-assessment form (within current tax year)
Parents employment contract for those in new employment post April 2015
Current Letter certifying receipt from the DWP of Income Support (post April
2015)
Current Letter certifying receipt from the DWP of Employment Support
Allowance (post April 2015)
Current Letter certifying receipt from the DWP of Job Seekers Allowance or
current bank statement (post April 2015)
Current Letter certifying receipt of Pension Credit (must be most recent
received letter from DWP)
Current Letter certifying receipt of Carers Allowance (post April 2015)
Current Letter certifying receipt of Disability Living Allowance (must be
most recent received letter from DWP)
Parents current Tax Credit Notification Letter (April 2015 to April 2016)
Once an application is received, the Student Bursary Co-ordinator and/or Student
Finance Officer will approve or decline the application on the basis of the evidence
provided. Students whose applications have been declined will be informed
immediately or receive a Moodle message informing them of the decision and the
reason.
Appeals
All students whose applications are declined are immediately informed of their right
to appeal the decision. Students will have seven days to submit an appeal letter,
from the date they have received notice of their declined Bursary application. They
should then state why they feel their application should receive approval and provide
further evidence if applicable (see appendix 8.4). The Director of Student Services
will have fourteen days from the date of receipt of an appeal to make a decision. The
student will then be sent a moodle message or informed directly regarding the
decision.
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Bursary Management Structure at SGM
Theo Ellis
Director of Student
Services
Anthea Roberts
Jessica Mace
Student Bursary and
Welfare Coordinator
Student Finance
Officer
Theodore Ellis:Consultation and Strategic Framework Development
Anthea Roberts:Manage/Administer and Implement Bursary Policies and Practices
Jessica Mace:Develop Administrative Processes for Recording and Monitoring Bursary
Payments – General Support to Student Bursary and Welfare Co-ordinator
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Payment Structure
The overall Bursary allocation for the year 2014/2015 will be divided into three pots
representative of the three college terms. This termly budget will then further be
subdivided as presented below.
(16-19 +
19plus)
Term 1
Term 2
Term3
16-19 mainstream
16-19 mainstream
16-19 mainstream
16-19 guaranteed
16-19 guaranteed
16-19 guaranteed
19+ mainstream
19+ mainstream
19+ mainstream
19+ guaranteed
19+ guaranteed
19+ guaranteed
16-19 mainstream ASP
16-19 mainstream ASP
16-19 mainstream ASP
19+ mainstream ASP
19+ mainstream ASP
Exam resits
Exam resits
Travel allowance
Travel allowance
Travel allowance
Lunch allowance
Lunch allowance
Lunch allowance
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19+ mainstream ASP
Exam resits
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An emergency fund will be split amongst the terms to assist students
assessed as facing exceptional hardship
Students assessed as in need of lunch and/or travel allowances will receive
funding from the relevant termly fund i.e. 16-19 mainstream, 19+ mainstream
Students assessed as requiring additional support payments (ASP) i.e. trips,
equipment will receive funding from the relevant termly fund
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Vulnerable Bursary
Bursary applications will be assessed on the basis of 16-19 Bursary Funding
guidelines. Students on a Vulnerable Bursary will be paid £400 per term. The criteria
for assessing student eligibility are as follows:
A Bursary of £1,200 per year will be paid to the following groups of
students:
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Young people in care (evidence is required)

Care Leavers (evidence is required)

Young people in receipt of Income Support (evidence is required)

Disabled young people in receipt of Employment Support Allowance and
Disability Living Allowance or Employment Support Allowance and Personal
Independent Payments (evidence is required)
Mainstream/Discretionary Bursary
A student can apply for a Discretionary Bursary Award if they:

Live in a household where total income (including employment/selfemployment and benefits) was below £20,000 for the tax year 2013/2014.
(evidence required)
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Students who are assessed as “In Need”, due to exceptional circumstances,
can be awarded with a discretionary payment at least until their personal
circumstances improve (see appendix 8.5)
Discretionary payments as the name suggests are awarded at the discretion of the
college.
19+ Payments
Students that turn 19 before the 31st August 2013 are entitled to a 19+ Bursary. The
frequency of payments is dependent on the budget and number of applications
received. Applications for the 19+ Bursary are assessed as the Discretionary
Bursary, and evidence of household income will need to be provided with the
application.
Travel Assistance
Learners who live outside of a 3 mile radius to the college and are finding it difficult
to manage the extra costs needed to journey in, can speak to the Student Bursary
and Welfare Co-ordinator for a support assessment to be carried out. The SBWC
can then decide to cover up to the full cost of a student’s college journey or a
percentage. This decision is based on evidence that the student’s attendance is
impacted by their lack of funds to support their journey in. (see appendix 8.6)
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Lunch Allowance
Students who do not fit the criteria for the free school meals but are ‘in need’ will be
assessed by the Student Bursary and Welfare Co-ordinator to determine whether or
not a lunch allowance would meet those needs. An allowance of £2.41 a day will be
paid from the bursary fund and used to purchase food in the college canteen. (see
appendix 8.6)
The catering team will run a detailed report detailing students daily spend to Finance
and a copy to the SBWC.
Exam Re-sits
The payment of Exam Re-sit fees are the responsibility of the student. The college is
not in a position to pay for or further subsidise Exam Re-sit fees. However, this
academic year, a portion of the Bursary Fund has been set aside to assist students
assessed as “In Need”. This means that these students could have up to 50% of the
cost of their exam re-sits met, and in exceptional circumstances, the full amount
could be claimed. Students will need to discuss their circumstances with the Student
Bursary and Welfare Coordinator, who will make a decision according to the need of
the student (see appendix 8.6).
Emergency Payments
In exceptional circumstances a student can be given an emergency payment of up to
£25, which can be authorised by the SBW or the Student Support Manager. In the
case of student emergencies requiring a payment of more than £25, a request will
need to be made to Tina Street and David Ball for authorisation. The “Emergency
Cash Payment” form for 16-19 or 19+ payments can be found on Server 6 in the
Bursary folder (see appendix 8.6)
Additional Support Payments
Throughout the year students may need to attend trips and or buy equipment
needed for their course of study; students in receipt of the bursary can receive
financial support in this area. (see appendix 8.6)
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Please Note:
All payments are made on the basis that students maintain 70% and above
attendance and punctuality. This is monitored via Dashboard and Pro-solution.
Students whose payments are refused on the basis of non-attendance/punctuality
will be given the opportunity to receive the payment later on in the term if their
attendance increases to 70% or above. Students are required to complete Absence
forms and the “Guidelines for Getting Absences Authorised” can be acquired from
the Student Information Centre and on Moodle.
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Recording and Monitoring Payments
“A Step by Step Guide to Making Payments”
This can be found in the Bursary Policies and Procedures for 2015/16 Folder
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Marketing and Promotion of the Bursary
Bursary Promotions continue throughout the academic year, on Moodle, and the
College website. The service also targets special college events e.g. Fresher’s Fair,
Visitors days, Welcome to Monoux event etc… Termly advertising of dates for
applications and payment dates are also advertised on Moodle/student emails and
through Poster/Leaflets.
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Partnership
Each academic year, Bursary Guidelines are published by the YPLA and circulated
to colleges. These guidelines form the basis for the Waltham Forest College
Partnership (SGM, Leyton 6th Form and Waltham Forest). It was agreed by the
partnership that a borough agreement would be developed in accordance with the
guidelines, and a set shared guideline was put in place for the Waltham Forest
Partnership. (see appendix 8.7)
It is our intention to develop better links with teaching/tutorial staff, with a view to
creating a system where by tutors are aware of students who are in receipt of a
bursary, so that the monitoring and support for these students can be more
consistent and seamless, as it has been noted that students on a Bursary are more
likely to be the more Vulnerable/In Need student, and as a result may have lower
attendance/punctuality.
Please Note:
The processes discussed in this document have been developed to suit the needs of the cohort of
students and the resources available for the administering of the Bursary. This is subject to change and
development in order that the Bursary can continue to perform its intended job in supporting students to
access education.