So my daughter passed her GCSE's and she is about to embark on her A levels ! But the cost of the text books, new clothes and field trips are quite high - so is there any help ?
What can 16 - 19 year olds get help with ?
"Schools, colleges and training providers have funds to help you if you’re studying or starting a full-time course from September 2011 and think you might struggle with the costs for your studies. For advice speak to student support services or your tutor.
16-19 bursary fund
If you’re aged between 16 and 19 years and think you might struggle with the costs for full-time education or training you may receive a bursary.
Students most in need will be eligible to receive a bursary of £1,200 a year. This group includes:
- people in care
- care leavers
- people claiming income support
- disabled young people who receive Employment Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance
Unlike the EMA, schools, colleges and training providers will be responsible for awarding bursaries to students. With the exception of the £1,200 bursaries for students most in need, they decide on the amount. They will also decide when bursaries are paid, and will set conditions that students should meet to receive a bursary, for example, linked to behaviour or attendance."
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/14To19/MoneyToLearn/16to19bursary/DG_066955
My advice is to talk to your school as early as possible. I have e mailed my school and I will update on how I have get on and if I pick up any tips on the way I will let you know.
Free School Meals
Look on your local county council website - mine is Hertfordshire and states that I can apply for Free school Meals, Travel costs and Music lessons . If you click on the link below it tells you which benefits you have to be on to get help.
NUS Card
You can apply for this when you are 16 and in full or part time education, from what I can tell it gives you loads of discounts on things like food, clothes, cinema etc...
The cost of the card is £11 for the year
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE
- The one-off fee charged by your students’ union for the NUS Extra Card (the "Fee") entitles you to an NUS Extra Card that is valid between August 2011 to August 2012 (the "Validity Period").
- By completing the Application Form and purchasing the NUS Extra Card you are agreeing to comply with these terms and conditions and the rules and regulations of your students’ union. ("students’ union" shall have the meaning attributed to it in s.20 of the Education Act 1994 and shall include students’ associations, students’ guilds or any other bodies falling within such section.) Please note that the rules and regulations of your students’ union may be updated occasionally and you should check the website of your students’ union from time to time to review any changes that may be made.
- In order to purchase the NUS Extra Card you must be an individual in further or higher education (a "Student"). Your students’ union reserves the right to request certain documentation and/or information from you prior to supplying you with the NUS Extra Card in order to verify your Student status.
- If you apply for your NUS Extra Card using the on-line Application Form and you opt to collect the card from your students’ union you will receive an e-mail notifying you of the date upon which your NUS Extra Card will be available for collection. If you fail to collect your NUS Extra Card during the Validity Period we reserve the right to destroy your NUS Extra Card and you will not be entitled to a refund of the Fee.
- The NUS Extra Card allows you to benefit from discounts on certain products and services. The discounts available to you and the organisations providing such benefits are not fixed and may vary or be withdrawn at any time.
- The organisations which provide discounts to NUS Extra Card holders are not within the control of your students’ union, the NUS or NUS Services Limited. Your students’ union, the NUS and NUS Services Limited are not responsible for these organisations in any way and do not endorse any of the goods or services that they may provide.
- If you choose to deal with an organisation that provides NUS Extra Card holders with discounted goods or services then it is your responsibility to ensure that you are comfortable with the terms upon which such organisations are offering such goods and services.
- The NUS Extra Card remains the property of the NUS at all times, however, you are entitled to maintain possession of the NUS Extra Card during the Validity Period, provided that you remain a member of your students’ union during such time. You may not sell or otherwise transfer ownership of your NUS Extra Card (or purport to do so) to another person at any time. The NUS Extra Card is not a certified proof of age card.
- The fact that you are an NUS Extra Card holder does not confer upon you any rights in or to the name "National Union of Students" or "NUS" or any other intellectual property rights that may belong to the NUS from time to time.
- The Fee is non-refundable.
- In the event that you wish to replace your NUS Extra Card due to a change in your personal details or otherwise then you must purchase a new NUS Extra Card at full price.
- If your NUS Extra Card is stolen you may be entitled to a replacement card free of charge if you can provide evidence of a police report. You must contact the customer services department of NUS Services Limited on www.nus.org.uk.
- Lost cards will be replaced at a fee of £4.00 provided that your Students’ Union can prove you purchased an initial NUS Extra Card.
- In the event that you fail to comply with these terms and conditions or any rules and regulations of your students’ union currently in force your students’ union shall be entitled to cancel your membership and request that you return your NUS Extra Card immediately. You shall not be entitled to a refund for the price of the NUS Extra Card in the event that your membership is cancelled.
- If you have upgraded your card to include ISIC, your NUS Extra Card remains the property of NUS, under the licence of the ISIC Association.
- If you have upgraded your card to include PASS, your NUS Extra Card remains the property of NUS, under license of PASS.
- You are required to show the proof of age document (Passport or Driving License) used when placing your NUS Extra order online, upon collection of your card.
Check that you are getting the benefits you are entitled to
If your child is going to carry on in full time education then you are still entitled to child benefit and child tax credit.
Go to http://www.educationrecycle.net/ and get your text books, revision guides, school uniform, sports items for cheap or free and sell or give your no longer needed items to someone else in your community.
My daughter got all of her A level books for free and all were in great condition - this saved us loads !
I will keep you updated with any other information I find out on the way which I hope will be of some use to you.
Written by Emily Jones - http://www.educationrecycle.net/
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