| This article was previously published in the Education Otherwise Newsletter in May 2001 and was updated in October 2002 |
Pre-16’s and college courses |
| The Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) became The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) following the last election. This is the Government body based in London that is responsible for establishing and overseeing the legislative framework for education. EO’s DfES team - Anne Wade, Jill Fisher, Ann Samuel Till and Gwen Baldock continue to communicate with the department. An issue of particular concern for our membership, and something we have raised with the DfES, is the difficulty that home educated pre-16s can have in gaining access to college courses. I have been working with our College Contact, Kathy Chilton, on documenting the situation and we would like to thank all those who have provided information that will help with the campaign to secure access to, and funding for, college courses for this age group. The response to the request for feedback, good and bad, as well as the flow of ideas has been tremendous. It is this willingness to share in a collective effort in order to help others that makes EO what it is! Working together we can make a difference although as they say ‘there is still much to do’. By the way could those I didn’t respond to personally please accept my apologies - I just ran out of time. In addition to using the contributions, with personal details erased, as evidence of the need for greater flexibility in study opportunities for pre-16s as we work with the DfES, LEAs, colleges, and the new Learning and Skills Council and other UK funding bodies, we wish to pass on to members a summary of what we have learned so far in order to lend weight to those currently trying to get onto courses. Please note that ‘college’ in this context refers to Further & Higher Education Colleges (FE Colleges), the former technical colleges, which are designed to offer varied learning opportunities for post 16 members of the community. This is rather that the 6th Form colleges that may be part of schools, are independent or are even joining with FE Colleges in some instances. Summary from contributionsACCESS to college courses: This varies enormously between colleges as they are now autonomous units, independent of Local Education Authorities (LEAS), and so are entitled to take their own line. Some welcome young students, even below 14 years, as long as they are up to the course content plus the social aspect. Some colleges are actually putting on special electronics and science courses for home-educated students, especially where it is obvious that school is not an option for them. Others have an absolute ban on home-educated pre-16s. This might even be the case where college is working with local schools and Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) to offer 14-16 year olds, who are recognised as needing a different approach, single vocational study days. LEAs have funds to pay colleges for this group as they receive the per capita allowance from the Council, since the students are still registered at schools. When contacting a college to make enquiries about access and funding you might need to get past the receptionist who may not be aware that the college can take pre-16s. In fact some LEA Advisors and senior college staff still believe it is illegal or maybe wrong in some way to take younger students, so again, be armed with the facts - and your PR skills. We all need to be diplomatic or we can spoil it for others. Parents and students need to keep asking, in fact ASK, ASK, ASK! Families reported that several colleges turned them down before they found one that was happy to take the student. Try to speak to as many people at college as possible such as the Youth or School Liaison person, and arrange to go for an informal interview. Take someone, possibly an EO ‘colleague’, with you and carry multiple copies of all relevant information including EO leaflets (ask your Local Contact for copies). Add information about what other colleges are doing in support of pre-16 college access elsewhere and ask them to contact the relevant funding body (see below) as they can (but see below again) make exceptions and fund pre-16s if this is the problem. The prospective student could take along a portfolio of life and learning experiences; this might include evidence of any voluntary work in the field of interest. This, coupled with an obvious enthusiasm for the subject can prove to be powerful entry qualifications. Try anything that shows you are all serious and this is a ‘big thing’ for them to resist. If all else fails, then seek advice from your MP; the DfES, the local councillors that sit on the Education Committee; the Leader of the Council and Youth workers. An interesting way of sorting out pre-16 college attendance is where local colleges work together in an area. Many are worried about taking younger students in case they are accused of poaching from schools, but they will take pre-16s from each other’s area. Also, some colleges might take students onto less popular courses that may be in danger of being axed if the numbers fall too low; and, these might be courses where college feels they are not competing with local schools as they may be with some of the core school subjects. It can be easier to get access to ‘non-school time’ classes during evenings, weekends and holidays but remember, as referred to above, that as a few colleges are now providing specifically for home edders so it may be possible to use this as a model. This could be a particularly useful way of covering the practical aspects of GCSE courses. The picture is varied but that means there’s hope. FEES and FUNDING:Funding bodies. One result of FE Colleges becoming independent of LEAs some time ago is that we now have a clear and unhelpful demarcation with funding between pre and post 16 education. Whilst LEAs continue to fund pre 16 education, mainly by providing schools, FE Colleges receive funding for their post 16 courses from a separate funding body - in fact bodies as there are different ones for different parts of the UK; the contact details will be listed at the end of this report. The Further Education Funding Council has now been replaced by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) in England and as with the other bodies also incorporates the former Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs). Enquiries so far to the LSC etc have confirmed that they are still only prepared to pay for pre-16s to use college courses in exceptional circumstances. At this time (J) home education may not fit into that category, even where school attendance clearly is not an option because of bullying; inappropriate learning environment; stress and so on. However, there may be movement on this fairly rigid attitude and there seems to be differences emerging between different bodies, so PLEASE continue sending letters outlining your experiences as this helps us to show the need for flexibility. Funding by LEAs. Regarding the situation with LEAs, local councils receive income from the Government based essentially on population figures, plus other factors that might relate to the area. The share of this that goes to the LEA in each area is mainly based on numbers on local school registers, although again other factors come into play. As home educators do not therefore attract funds to the LEA, in fact most are not even known to them, in a sense LEAs are right when they say they don’t receive money for this group to pass on. However, some authorities do seem able to claim extra money from the total council budget, or they decide to take some out of their own pot, in order to subsidise some pre-16s to go to college. The former appears to be possible by establishing a contingency fund so there is money to pay for college courses for a number of school aged pupils who move into an area during their last school year and who might not be able to get a place at school at such short notice. Some of these funds are being used to pay for college courses for home-educated pre-16s. It can be done so ask your LEA - and take heart, one LEA said it would not fund under 14s. This might not seem helpful for the younger ones but maybe we have to take this a step at a time. NOTE: Before de-registering a disaffected youngster from school ask education officers, or the Parent Partnership people etc, if they will consider transferring them to a college. This would then be funded. Funding from colleges. So, sometimes some LEA funding might be available, or a further education funding body might assist. Occasionally a college will not charge pre-16s, or fees will be subsidised. Often parents do not know who is subsidising courses, whether it is the LEA or the college that is offering a concessionary rate. It would be very useful to know these details if possible so we can show other colleges what they might do. Some colleges taking quite young children will let a child go along for free or half price as long as a full fee paying guardian accompanies them. Another option is where parents enrol on a distance course and let the child do the work. This provides a learning experience although it wouldn’t be certificated. Another idea that came up was the possibility of sharing course materials if using college work packs, and just paying for each person’s own tutor time. This was certainly fine with one college. Some colleges have been fantastically helpful; one suggesting that if the student could put together a package of courses (already cheaper) that amounted to full-time study they may be able to offer it for free. I got the impression they felt the Learning and Skills Council might fund this, and it is possible although not probable - check out the difference though between full and part-time courses. Even in cases where LEAs, or a local charitable Trust, will pay the general tuition fees, be prepared to pay something towards the additional costs such as books and equipment. Also be prepared to find that an LEA may contribute towards fees at a college in their borough, but not one outside - it may be that the only college to offer a place is not local. Where parents have to pay, GCSE’s, especially those available at night class, may be considerably cheaper than finding the money for full-time college courses such as GNVQs. This might be exacerbated by the fact that full time students may be required to take a Key Skills course as well, which could be charged for separately, and they do not come cheap. This needs to be balanced though with regard to student preference; for example a dyslexic student might be much better doing a GNVQ where assignments can be done on a computer and assessment is based on continual assessment instead of taking exams. Finally, remember to weigh up all these costs with what would be involved in going down the open learning/correspondence-learning route. See the College and Courses leaflet from the EO Information Series for details of the different approaches students might take in working towards formal qualifications. The leaflet also has contact details of Exam Boards (NB check the details of Exam Boards as these are to change); correspondence colleges such as the ever popular NEC; and information about Open Learning packs available through FE colleges. All details can be checked with the ‘Education Year Book’ available to use in a public reference library. PROOF OF STATUS: some colleges accept a letter from the parent or guardian in lieu of the letter they would normally receive from a head teacher which states that the pre-16 student is free to attend college i.e., that they’re not supposed to be in school. Other colleges only accept a letter from the LEA even when parents explain that the education office is not responsible for the family and indeed may not even know them (and parents may worry that a hostile LEA could try to block the college place if they hear about it and do not agree with this approach). One family was informed that they needed a letter from the local Social Services as well! When these things happen it is as well to remember that some of this behaviour is based on a lack of knowledge and understanding. Therefore, and remembering that we are all front line ambassadors for home education, it is reasonable and probably worthwhile to try to help them to understand, at least in the first instance. INSURANCE: some colleges cite lack of cover for pre 16s as being a major obstacle in being able to accept them into college. If this is the case families might ask college to enquire if there would actually be a charge in adding this category to their policy. This should be less of an issue as an increasing number of colleges are taking other pre 16s, such as those disaffected with school. Others suggested a way around it was to have the (not always very) young students accompanied by a parent. However one of our detective like members discovered informally with the Insurers of her local college that this wasn’t an issue they had put forward themselves, hmm... On the other hand I can see that colleges might have different insurance policies, as they are independent, but it would seem quite likely that these things would be pretty uniform. If this does prove to be causing genuine difficulties though, a suggestion by another member was that we investigate whether we could incorporate this into our EO insurance. ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS: There is surprising variation on what is needed in order to be accepted onto college courses. Some students are asked for the usual entry requirements, others for some evidence of formal studying, others walk into college following an interview with the main course tutor. This is where the ability to relate to people of all ages comes in, as does the fact that home edders are more likely to be going for attendance on a course because they are interested and want to study more which of course shines through at interview and gets tutors very interested. These informal qualifications could be supported by, in any absence of the usual certificates, a portfolio that shows things that represent what the young person has been doing and is interested in. It is not unusual for home edders to find that GCSEs or GNVQs are not needed for the particular path they have chosen, although some may wish to do them anyway of course. Even A’levels may not be necessary, even for access into university, as students may take a years Access course by way of preparation or again, gain entry following an interview. Or, students may study through the Open University with no prior qualifications. Don’t forget that more universities are now becoming aware of the value of home education as a preparation for higher education. Students wishing to get onto one of the Modern Apprenticeships however, which can be an excellent route into all sorts of work, would need certain set qualifications. Perhaps the best advice is to explore all avenues of interest, talk to prospective employers and course providers to see what they would be looking for, and then take the most appropriate path. COLLEGE FACILITIES: a useful tip from one parent is that students enrolled at college, even part-time (but check), can get access to college facilities, facilities that may help other areas of their studies. Resources might include the use of computers and the library etc. Also, it may be that the young person chooses to join in with some of the social scene such as student union activities or field trips. SPECIAL NEEDS: children with special needs, or a different style of learning such as dyslexia, can receive a great deal more support from a college then they might have had if they’d been in school, so do be encouraged by this. One parent did make the comment though that the extra help colleges and universities offer such as recognition, special support tutors and the personal use of a computer, is all well and good but how can we get more help for these children to get to that stage in the first place? CITY AND GUILDS: Some EO families persuaded their local college to put on a City & Guilds in Electronics especially for children who were home educated because they had been bullied while in school; a child with Asbergers was included because he too was effectively being denied access to school education. Even though other home educators are not able to participate, it may be that this is a good introduction to home edders, and the needs of our children. I believe there are many teachers out there who’d like to help. NATIONAL EXTENSION COLLEGE (see the NEC report on the website or N/L autumn 2002) EO is currently working with the NEC in order to try and extend learner opportunities in a more flexible way. We will be particularly focussing on improving the situation for external candidates such as, access to exam centres; obtaining funding for courses and/or having access to funded courses; access (again) to lab facilities; and bringing variation into standard learning approaches. One area of particular note is their new Connect scheme where some colleges buy NEC materials, which the student uses at home. Students have use of college facilities and tutor support. At the moment this is available in some places for post 16 students, however we are investigating the possibility of getting the entry age reduced to allow pre 16s to benefit as well. The main problem will be in sourcing the funding as usual with the current demarcation between who holds the money for different age groups. WEST SUFFOLK COLLEGE, Bury St Edmunds, runs one of the few college based Home Study programmes to accept under-16s. They offer email-based distance learning GCSEs with tutor support and termly tutorials to talk things over. For further information telephone 01284 716333 or email: info@westsuffolk.ac.uk OPEN LEARNING CENTRE INTERNATIONAL in Camarthen pops up as being very helpful to home educated students. The costs did go by 33% recently to those living outside Wales as the funding they receive for these students had been reduced by that amount, but this is to change again... EO NEWSLETTER: keep in touch with courses and supported distance learning opportunities being presented in the newsletter quite cheaply by other members. EO does not sanction any of these adverts but members are mentioning consistent help from certain people. OPEN UNIVERSITY: the OU claims that it is non-discriminatory in that they offer access to educational opportunities regardless of age, background and ethnic origins etc. Although the fact that not all children go to school was probably not taken into account when this was written, some home edders are finding the OU will accept a variety of ages. They always have taken children in ‘exceptional circumstances’ but we hope to help them open up even further. Enquirers may be told there is a post 18 rule, so ask again. LIBRARIES: check to see if your library has free Open Learning packs to borrow, as these can provide a wealth of information on diverse subjects/areas of interest. They can also be useful by providing an opportunity to study course material that is set out in a formal way. What about the position with GCSE and A’level courses as well? Check what’s available now on the INTERNET. BENEFITS: EOers in receipt of Benefits should check whether help for materials and travelling is available associated with college attendance. Also, check how Benefits for children might be affected if they are going to do more than 12 hours of formal education. POST 16 note. One family said that they were worried about losing Child Benefit etc while their youngster was receiving training allowances through the new Connexions Service. However this wasn’t the case as they were told it counted as holiday income. The Connexions Service, in part, replaces the former Careers Service and students can have a Training Officer and Personal Advisor and combine work experience and training of 16 hours a week to get the £40 weekly payment. These allowances were established to encourage young people to stay on in further education by offering some money in place of what they would earn if they went to work. We need to explore the Education Maintenance Allowance and the situation with post 16s more fully to assist members with older students as well as seeing what might be made relevant to pre 16s. Members experience with this very welcome. INDIVIDUAL LEARNING ACCOUNTS: were available to older students and were mainly aimed at vocational courses. However, these have been discontinued due to bad, and sometimes, fraudulent practice. Even so, the idea of funding the student to follow courses they want to do has a lot of merit. CONFIDENCE: Most of the above is about the practical steps that families might take, but of huge importance to many of our members is the emotional position. Members continue to report that those young people who previously experienced severe school attendance anxieties find they can happily attend college later on as the atmosphere, size of groups, relationship with teaching staff etc can be completely different. It can be a good idea in these situations to start with a short course in a subject of particular interest so the student can test the water. Even where such an experiment shows they are not yet ready to branch out in this way, don’t be discouraged as more time, and success in other ways, may be all that is needed. There is a delicate balance between encouraging a young person to do things, and pushing them before they are ready - the main thing is that they understand they will feel able to do what they want when the time is right for them. Another aspect of only committing to a tester course in the first instance is that colleges receive funding in three stages; at enrolment, mid-term and end of term. Loosing people before completion costs the college dearly and is one reason why they would like to know the likelihood that students will finish courses they have enrolled on. Therefore having already done a small course is evidence of stickability as well as ability, and can make a difference in being accepted into full-time studying without the usual qualifications. Human Rights ActAn issue that Anne Wade and I are looking into, with our current investigations re the Human Rights Act, relates to the disparity in treatment between people. For example, it cannot be fair or defensible that where a family lives in the country, affects their access to impartial information about home education. Likewise, LEAs who only pass information on to selected families in their area might be shown to be acting improperly. Perhaps the same argument could apply to the fact that some young people are being offered assistance with college courses whereas others are not. This can be particularly upsetting for those families who, because their child’s needs are not being met in the system, find they have to cast about for alternatives. To then be told that there is no help from an authority, who may even have directed them to Education Otherwise in the first place, is not at all reasonable. One family reported how they battled for ages, and lost, in trying to find help for a youngster who was being temporarily excluded from school but was saying he would study in college. If the family had allowed him to be permanently expelled, something that would be on the child’s records, then the LEA would have had a duty to offer the lad an alternative - such as college placement! Even the FEFC, as it was at the time, rejected that this was a case of ‘exceptional circumstances’. These are issues we wish to raise with those that make policy about the allocation of funding between LEAs and the FE funding bodies such as the Learning and Skills Council. Meanwhile continue to keep us informed about creative, or straightforward, ways that you, or colleges and LEAs, find for meeting children’s needs - and for funding this. Thank you for all the feedback so far and keep it coming! As a footnote I feel it’s important that we constantly ensure, as we press for access and resource support, that we do not in any way undermine our present freedoms to offer personalised learning opportunities for our children. In many respects we lead the world in this, a position that has not come about by accident. EO is frequently contacted by home edders who have ‘escaped’ here from other countries. THE FE FUNDING BODIES FOR THE UK Learning and Skills Council (for England) The National Council for Education and Training for Wales Scottish Further Education Unit Department for Education and Employment
Gwen Baldock. Email: gwen.baldock@ntlworld.com |
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