Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a sparsity factor for rural schools in post-16 education.

The same funding arrangements apply to 16 to 19-year olds education in different types of institutions and for different programmes, including academic and vocational. The Department for Education and its agencies have previously considered using a sparsity factor for 16 to 19-year olds education (given a factor of this kind is used in 5 to 16-year olds school funding). However, a sparsity factor was not introduced into the 16 to 19-year olds funding system.

16 to 19-year olds education is different in nature to 5 to 16-year olds education. There is a more diverse set of education and training providers to consider, offering a wider choice of programmes. Post-16 students often travel further to access these education options. We recognise that the cost and availability of transport can be an issue for students. Local authorities have a duty to publish a transport policy statement each year that sets out the travel arrangements they will make to support young people to access 16 to 19-year olds education, together with a duty to encourage and support young people to participate in education and training.

The 16-19 Bursary Fund enables disadvantaged students to access funding to meet the costs of participating in education and training, and can be used to contribute to transport costs.