Every student due to finish college this summer should be entitled to an “education recovery year”, the Association of Colleges has said.

The recovery year would see every student guaranteed an additional, fully-funded year of study if needed, and the funding rate of 16- and 17-year-olds extended to 18-year-olds. Currently, funding falls by 17.5 per cent when a student turns 18.

Depending on student circumstances, the support could last a year if necessary, but could also be just an extra term or six months, the AoC said. 

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Background: Catch-up cash for 16-19 Tuition Fund announced

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In a blog for Tes today, AoC chief executive David Hughes said: “Every college student finishing this year should have access to a guaranteed additional fully funded year of study where they need it, ensuring that nobody is left behind.

“This means removing the 17.5 per cent fall in funding at 18 that currently exists and supporting colleges to offer the flexibility they need to help young people move as quickly as possible into work, an apprenticeship or onto further learning. 

“A simple, flexible fund is needed, which allows colleges to design programmes to meet different needs and outcomes. For some students an extra term or six months will be sufficient, whilst others might need a full year to progress. A bursary will be required to support students to be able to participate.” 

Tuition fund alone ‘is not enough’

In February this year, the Department for Education announced a £102-million extension of the 16-19 Tuition Fund as part of a wider education catch-up package for England.

The money - part of the £300 million for catch-up tutoring originally announced by Boris Johnson in January - will pay for another year of the fund, which was set up to support students in English, maths and other vocational and academic subjects.

But in his blog, Mr Hughes says the catch-up fund alone is not enough to support students through the impact of the pandemic. 

He said: “The appointment of Sir Kevan Collins as education recovery commissioner is a great move and shows that these issues are understood and being talked about. For colleges, there is a useful extension to the Tuition Fund into the next academic year which will help, but that alone is not enough.” 

A DfE spokesperson said: “Our priority is making sure students get the support they need to recover from lost learning and training due to the pandemic.

“That’s why we announced a further investment of £102 million to extend the 16-19 Tuition Fund into the 2021-22 academic year. The fund is designed to support disadvantaged FE students by providing small group tuition to help them catch up.

“We have also appointed an education recovery commissioner, Sir Kevan Collins, who will advise government on the approach for education recovery with a particular focus on helping students catch up.

“We are working collaboratively with Sir Kevan and the wider education sector including the Association of Colleges to help develop and implement long-term solutions to tackle the impact of lost learning.”