Is EMA Fair???

Oldernotwiser

surrobeth wrote: »

In a few years time the school leaving age rises to 18, I would imagine that will be the ideal time for the government to have a think about EMA, I wouldn't be surprised if it became a smaller sum and/or a lower threshold and paid to parents (aka voters) instead..

Seeing that everybody will HAVE to be in education or training, I suppose they may decide that there's no need of an incentive to do so.

alyth

On my access course ONW, there is a whole heap of 16-18 years old who were basically flung out of school, and are returning to attempt to re-take their highers to get them into education but out of government unemployment figures. Needless to say five weeks down the line half of them havent even bothered to turn up to the classes! I get a bursary and I have to have an 80% attendance rate, the kids on my course who get EMA have to have 100% attendance.

I haven't asked as to whom is getting EMA, I know some aren't because they complain bitterly about it, but those that are serious about their studies have got part-time jobs to fund themselves through their studies.

Forgetful

bestpud wrote: »

So it's unfair for children from low income families to receive an incentive to go to college but it's not unfair to make them take a loan for something wealthier families will provide anyway?

Many say they cannot afford to give their child £30 a week, and I'm sure that is correct, but they will be providing a lot that lower income families cannot. It may not be in the form of cash, of course, but on the whole they will lead an advantaged life in comparison to the families EMA targets.





You need to check that out as your CTC should not decrease purely because a child moves into FE.

To you and the other person who said this has happened, I urge you to check your awards as it is incorrect.

If your award has dropped then it should only be due to a change in income, which of course is only right.

thanks i didnt know
gonna call them!!!

Oldernotwiser

alyth wrote: »

On my access course ONW, there is a whole heap of 16-18 years old who were basically flung out of school, and are returning to attempt to re-take their highers to get them into education but out of government unemployment figures. Needless to say five weeks down the line half of them havent even bothered to turn up to the classes! I get a bursary and I have to have an 80% attendance rate, the kids on my course who get EMA have to have 100% attendance.

I haven't asked as to whom is getting EMA, I know some aren't because they complain bitterly about it, but those that are serious about their studies have got part-time jobs to fund themselves through their studies.

Now that is nothing like any Access course I've ever known. You normally have to be at least 19 to do the courses and studying with other adults rather than teenagers is one of the course's strong points. (Sorry, off topic!)

alyth

but you know that I am on the weirdest access course in the world, there are two 15 year olds on my access course, I can't work that out as they can't be old enough to sit Highers in Scotland!

Oldernotwiser

alyth wrote: »

but you know that I am on the weirdest access course in the world, there are two 15 year olds on my access course, I can't work that out as they can't be old enough to sit Highers in Scotland!

I don't understand the Scottish system normally but that is seriously weird!

littlepinkstars44

I sat my highers at 15. Because i started school when i was only 4.
It depends when your birthday falls. You can start school at 4 if your birthday is going to be by the end of the next Feburary, if after you wait till the next year and start when your nearly 6.
Me and my brother are both January babies, so started school at 4. I didnt really see a big difference, but you can notice it with my brother. He is in second year and is only 12, whereas everyone else in his class are starting to turn 14 soon. He joined the cadets a few weeks ago, and on Monday night got told to leave as he was too young, but was told when he started you had to be second year (which he is) But hes not 13 like the rest of them.

You can leave school at 15 after sitting standard grades as long as you are going to college to continue education. When i done fashion there was a girl who was 15 in my class.

patchwork_cat

Very cross with ema, My DS gets £10 a week as I have said £30per month of which he uses to buy a bus pass . The bus co have reduced the service on a busy route and in the last month his bus has been missed three times and gone right past once! In fact yesterday when it went past my DH left work to take him to college as he had a test. He arrives 20 minutes before lessons, but it looks as if he is going to have to get an earlier bus. He has had his EMA suspended for a whole week because he was 1/4 hr late for a lesson because the bus never turned up and he waited for the next one.

He doesn't miss the bus, it just doesn't turn up. How is that fair? I have complained to the bus co. 3 times! I am thinking that he should send them a bill for £10 because that is what he has lost.

Oldernotwiser

patchwork_cat wrote: »

Very cross with ema, My DS gets £10 a week as I have said £30per month of which he uses to buy a bus pass . The bus co have reduced the service on a busy route and in the last month his bus has been missed three times and gone right past once! In fact yesterday when it went past my DH left work to take him to college as he had a test. He arrives 20 minutes before lessons, so an earlier bus is not praticable. He has had his EMA suspended for a whole week because he was 1/4 hr late for a lesson because the bus never turned up and he waited for the next one.

He doesn't miss the bus, it just doesn't turn up. How is that fair? I have complained to the bus co. 3 times! I am thinking that he should send them a bill for £10 because that is what he has lost.

Although I can understand your being annoyed, if you'd ever been a teacher in this situation you'd become very cynical about the number of excuses that are made regarding lateness and non attendance. Once one person's allowed to get away with it you open the floodgates, so I'd just be glad that your son goes to a college that runs a tight ship and uses EMA in the way that it's intended.

patchwork_cat

Assumptions that I have never been a teacher in this position oldernotwiser! I actually did do teacher training, but primary! Being a parent however I am quite aware of the myriad of excuses teenagers use (parents are not naive and frequently know their children much better than any of their teachers), however this isn't one and when a whole hoard of them turn up late and they all get the same bus it shouldn't take a genius to deduce that it was the bus!

Why should I be pleased that my DS is losing money that he uses for transport because said transport is late. Oh yes he attends the best state sixth form in the country and didn't attend a feeder - serious competition to get in, but unfortunatley the bus company isn't the best in the country! Meanwhile a young man who is conscientious and will certainly not be a drain on society is playing piggy in the middle.