A coalition of 14 social mobility organisations is calling on the government to introduce a "student premium" to support disadvantaged young people after they finish their GCSEs, warning that a funding cliff edge is leaving vulnerable students without the help they need during the final years of compulsory education.
Current Funding Gap
State-funded schools in England currently receive additional pupil premium funding for children from low-income backgrounds who are eligible for free school meals. However, campaigners argue that this support ends abruptly after GCSEs, just when students need it most during the crucial 16-19 phase.
"Disadvantaged students don't stop needing support the moment they finish their GCSEs, yet that's exactly when funding falls away," said Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), one of the organisations backing the campaign. "A 16-19 student premium would help schools, colleges and sixth forms keep young people engaged, support achievement in English and maths, and reduce the risk of students becoming NEET."
Proposed Costs and Impact
The coalition estimates the cost of the new student premium, matching pupil premium levels at secondary school, would be about £430 million per year from 2027-28. They are urging the Treasury to provide the additional funding as part of the government's drive to tackle the NEET crisis.
According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of 16- to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training (NEET) rose to 957,000 in the final three months of last year, representing 12.8% of the age group. The coalition says disadvantaged students remain significantly behind their peers by the end of 16-19 education, and those without GCSE English and maths at 16 are among those at highest risk of becoming NEET.
Support for the Campaign
A student premium for 16-19s would enable sixth forms and colleges to provide targeted interventions, including tutoring, mentoring and tailored academic support, particularly to help gain vital English and maths qualifications.
Bill Watkin, chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, said: "This targeted, additional investment would make a real difference and help to reduce the number of disadvantaged young people that disengage from education after the age of 16."
Sarah Waite, CEO and founder of Get Further, which supports disadvantaged students, added: "A student premium is long overdue and would play a crucial role in reducing NEET rates and helping more young people achieve lifelong success."
Also supporting the campaign are Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, and the children's commissioner for England, Rachel de Souza. Elliot Major described the lack of a student premium from age 16 as "one of the great injustices of our education system" and a "national scandal." De Souza said: "If we are serious about closing the disadvantage gap ... we must work harder to make sure colleges have the resources they need to support them."
Government Response
The government is considering reforms to deprivation funding, concerned it is not well targeted at those facing the most significant disadvantage. A consultation is expected later this year. A Department for Education spokesperson said: "We are determined to break down barriers to opportunity ... This year we are providing £776m to support the most disadvantaged 16-to-19-year-olds to achieve and thrive as part of our £8.6bn investment in further education. We are also tackling the issues before young people reach college by rolling out free breakfast clubs, expanding free school meals and lifting the two-child benefit cap."
