Y10/11 enrolling for an evening class

[ChillySundays]

After reading thread about the mum who want her DC to take Spanish at GSCE I was wondering if Y10 or Y11 can enrol in an evening class at their local college and not pay a fee

[titchy]

No they'd have to pay. FE funding only available for 16-18 year olds.

[ChillySundays]

Thanks Titchy. Thought it might have been an option for the mumsnetter but obviousy not

[Saracen]

They can now, but only if they are home educated. If they aren't HE, then they must receive full-time education at the college in order to qualify for funding.

Beats me why this should be so. DfE says it is to ensure that the young person can access the full curriculum and receive pastoral care etc, but I can't see why that would be an issue for a child who's at school full-time and therefore is receiving the full curriculum there, and is simply looking to add to it.

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/268614/14_to_16_enrolment.pdf

[titchy]

You said it Saracen - it's because they are already receiving a FT education. Why should the government pay for them to do more?

[Saracen]

Because if they aren't able to access all the subjects they want/need at school, then the school-based education doesn't meet their needs without being supplemented?

I don't know anything about the family in question, of course.

It annoys me when access to education is restricted based on a simple age policy and doesn't consider individual need. I recognise there are sometimes good reasons not to allow an under-16 onto a college course, e.g. child protection, but that's a separate issue to the funding question.