Education Maintenance Allowance - exceptions

Pont

Update as the mail has just arrived (post not 'Daily!). I've just received a letter from a correspondence manager from the Learning Skills Council in reply to one I sent to them. She is stating that the county's start date for this year is 2nd September rather than the 8th September that the college has informed us of. She adds that as DD's 'birthday is after the start of the academic year, she will be ineligible to receive EMA for the 2008/09 year'. Hmmm, strange as there is no mention of the 31st August cut off date. It would therefore appear your elligibility for EMA is dependent on which LEA your college is in, as different counties have different start dates. For example the start date in Surrey is 4th September whilst in Worcestershire it's recorded online as being 8th September. By my understanding DD would not get EMA if she lived in Surrey, but would if she lived in Worcester - talk about a postcode lottery! Furthermore, your eligibility for EMA seems to be also dependent on which year you apply as this changes from year to year. Our local school has started as early as the 2nd September or as late as the 7th September during the past 5 years.

The correspondence officer also states that, 'Age discrimination does not apply to education', but taking into account the above I would dispute this as all students are clearly not being treated the same. She also acknowledges that, 'we recognise that there are grey areas'. Well, hello! Again it is recognised that DD can attend college as the letter suggests that our Local Authority can possibly 'help contribute towards her learning costs' (they won't)!

Anybody out there got different 6th form college start dates for this September - this could prove useful evidence? Thanks in advance.

Pont

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

On the other side of the coin, because of your daughter's age, she'd be eligible for an extra year's free education after leaving school. Although this may be little use to your daughter (unless she fails her A levels!) it could be very helpful for someone doing longer, vocational courses. Age limits cut both ways.

I'm afraid that when you start ranting about asylum seekers you lose a lot of my sympathy; perhaps the Daily Mail is the right place after all!

I'm not 'ranting' about asylum seekers (or EU nationals, young offenders or indeed anyone else who can apply for educational funding). Apologies to all who believed that I was.

I'm 'ranting' about the fact that, admittedly a small minority, some children are slipping through the net due merely to fact that they've worked hard. They've met all their responsibilities, but are not afforded the same rights.

Btw, my daughter has left school - this is not disputed by any of the agencies involved. You are quite right that she would get her second year funding should she fail her A levels, but hopefully (!) that won't occur.

SuziQ

I'm not sure how successul you will be with this,although I wish you luck and hope you are.
My daughter mised out on 6 weeks of EMA because her 6th Form college messed up and then refused to back date it more than one week (this is down to the discretion of the college) and despite everything I tried they would not back down.
I am also concerned re CTC once they finish A'levels. Some people are being told the credits continue until end August of the young person is oing to Uni,others that it stops on the day the child does their last A'level. A benefits advisor on here has told me that this piece of legislation is missing form the advisors manuals and you have to get a team leader to intervene if you are being told that it ends on the last A'level date.

Gemmzie

SuziQ - it has been the last Monday in August for years, it was just left out of the guidance notes this year (:rolleyes:) so yes, the Team Leaders should be able to back you up. It's the same for Child Benefit.
The only time this isn't true is if the child turns 20 over the summer holidays - in which case it will stop on their birthday.

Stardust

Have you phoned student services to see if they have a "Learners Fund" (or something similar) for students who fall outside EMA. I didn't get EMA as I was a year too old when it first came in but I could apply for support every term.
I also got a local job.

Pont

Stardust wrote: »

Have you phoned student services to see if they have a "Learners Fund" (or something similar) for students who fall outside EMA. I didn't get EMA as I was a year too old when it first came in but I could apply for support every term.
I also got a local job.

Yep, have tried student services - no funding available. So at present no support from the college or the LEA. DD has a part time job, working as many hours as she is legally allowed to (due to her age!).

Still interested to learn of term start dates around the country as I think I may have found a loophole in the administration of EMA. Also anyone out there who had a birthday at the end of August and their college start date was before their birthday (some colleges start back around 24th/25th/26th August each year)?

All help/suggestions still gratefully received.

Titch89

My old school always started right at the start of September (around 1st/2nd - 5th)

Oldernotwiser

Pont wrote: »

Still interested to learn of term start dates around the country as I think I may have found a loophole in the administration of EMA. Also anyone out there who had a birthday at the end of August and their college start date was before their birthday (some colleges start back around 24th/25th/26th August each year)?

All help/suggestions still gratefully received.

I was an FE Lecturer for many years and I've never known a college to start as early as that. Staff have to be present for an enrolment week before the students come in and that's never been before Bank Holiday Monday (the earliest date for which 25 August). Enrolment week is normally the week after that in which the Bank Holiday falls, with term starting the week after that. It may be earlier in Scotland but this isn't going to be relevant to you. Sorry.

Oldernotwiser

The information on the EMA website is very clear that it's the specific date of birth that counts and not the term dates. It also emphasises the fact that it is the individual and not the year group that counts and is absolutely clear that someone who is studying in the year ahead of their age group will not be eligible. I don't think that this is a loophole as it's an eventuality that has been considered and a decision has been made to cover it. I'm sure it's very annoying but I can't see you getting any further. Sorry.

Pont

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I was an FE Lecturer for many years and I've never known a college to start as early as that. Staff have to be present for an enrolment week before the students come in and that's never been before Bank Holiday Monday (the earliest date for which 25 August). Enrolment week is normally the week after that in which the Bank Holiday falls, with term starting the week after that. It may be earlier in Scotland but this isn't going to be relevant to you. Sorry.

Snap!!! I was a FE lecturer too - my college certainly didn't start back that early but I've been delving about on the web and found quite a few examples. Can't list them all but see below.

http://www.stokesfc.ac.uk/st/term_dates