Raise the Rate
Background
The sixth form funding rate has remained frozen at £4,000 per student, per year since 2013/14. In the September 2019 spending round, the government announced that it would raise the rate to £4,188 per student from 2020/21. This is a welcome step in the right direction, but research from London Economics indicates that £760 per student is the minimum level of additional funding required to increase student support services to the required level (e.g. mental health support), protect minority subjects that are at risk of being dropped (e.g. modern foreign languages), and increase non-qualification time (e.g. extra-curricular activities, work experience). The cross-party Education Select Committee has also called for “a post-16 core funding rate raise from £4,000 to at least £4,760 per student, rising in line with inflation.”
Campaign
The Raise the Rate campaign (that is backed by the associations that represent schools, colleges, teachers, support staff, students and governors in England) would like to see the government make a clear commitment to increase the funding rate for 16, 17 and 18 year olds to at least £4,760 per student from 2021/22, accompanied by an annual rise in line with inflation. This should be in addition to, rather than instead of, a long term commitment to maintain the teachers’ pension grant and funding for high value/high cost subjects.
Get involved
We need the support of school and college leaders, governors, students, parents, teachers and support staff to make the campaign a success. There are lots of ways to get involved, for example:
- Write to your local MP to secure their support for the campaign (a full list of MPs is here)
- Invite local MPs to your school or college
- Schools and college leaders can write to parents to secure their support for the campaign
- Tweet support using the campaign infographics and hashtag #raisetherate
- Take photographs using the campaign poster and share on social media
A one page summary of the campaign can be found here. More information, infographics and template letters can be found on the campaign website raisetherate.org.uk #RaisetheRate
Member activity
Videos and blogs
Videos
- Henley College students interview Alok Sharma MP on funding
- Diana Johnson MP visits Wyke College, discusses Raise the Rate campaign
- Shadow Ed Minister Mike Kane endorses Raise the Rate campaign
- Sixth Form Colleges APPG vice chair Caroline Lucas speaks about cuts
- Daniel Zeichner MP talks about cuts and the Raise the Rate campaign
- Gareth Snell MP tells the government to 'get a grip' and Raise the Rate
- Yvonne Forvague MP calls on the government to Raise the Rate
- Nic Dakin MP makes the case to Raise the Rate and invest properly in sixth form education
Blogs
- Blog on the Raise the Rate Campaign by Tom Fellows, Senior Research Lead, NGA
- SSAT blog on Raise the Rate Campaign
Campaign in the news
December 2019
Why arts are vital to closing the skills gap, Tes
What does FE really want from politicians? Certainty, Tes
November 2019
Conservatives announce manifesto pledge of £3bn over 5 years for a ‘new National Skills Fund’, FE Week
The Labour Party's manifesto for 'real change' - sector response, FE NewsLiberal Democrats pledge £1bn for colleges in their manifesto, FE Week
Liberal Democrats manifesto Stop Brexit and Build a Brighter Future - sector response, FE News
College funding: Which subjects will get £120m boost?, TES
Revealed: The subjects that qualify for extra post-16 funding, Schools Week
ESFA announce 16-18 funding uplift for ‘crucial’ subjects, FE Week
October 2019
Sixth form staff march across Westminster to protest for fairer college funding, FE Week
Union to present £700m sixth form college invoice to DfE, FE Week
Sixth-form college staff strike over pay and conditions, TES
September 2019
Funding pledge leaves schools where they were 13 years ago – report , itv news
Funding pledge leaves schools where they were 13 years ago – report, BT news
Colleges still £1.1bn short since 2010 despite chancellor’s boost, IFS finds, FE week
IFS: £1.1bn needed to reverse FE funding cuts, TES
Chancellor of the Exchequer’s speech detailing the #SpendingReview - Sector Response, FE News
Spending review: Extra £10m for ESOL courses, FE Week
August 2019
College funding boost to be announced tomorrow, TES
FE base rate to increase from August 2020 for first time since 2013 to £4,188, FE Week
£400m boost for colleges: 16-18 funding finally raised, TES
Colleges receive £400m boost from chancellor Sajid Javid, FE Week
July 2019
Raise the 16-18 funding rate urges Education Select Committee, TES
MPs urge DfE to ‘urgently’ raise the 16-18 rate and develop a 10-year funding plan, FE Week
Raise the rate for 16-19 funding, say MPs, TES
June 2019
Revealed: The 17 colleges to share £2.5m in final strategic improvement funding round , FE Week
May 2019
EPI: Colleges stung by 'sharp, real-terms decline in funding,' TES
April 2019 Thelma Walker: Take action now over the funding crisis , Yorkshire Post
Increase 16-19 funding by ‘significant amount’, Social Mobility Commission urges, FE Week
Opinion: John Cryer MP - listen to the Raise the Rate campaign, Ilford Recorder
Select committee chair and skills minister clash over Spending Review strategy, FE Week
March 2019French rocks — this is no time for schools to drop your ouis and nons, Evening StandardA-level courses 'cut in sixth-form funding squeeze', BBC NewsSixth forms drop languages A-levels due to inadequate funding, The GuardianGateway radio interview with SFCA's Deputy Chief Executive, James Kewin on the Funding Impact SurveyLearning languages is about more than vocabulary tests – it gives you insight into a culture beyond your own, i NewsLBC interview with SFCA CEO Bill Watkin on the Funding Impact SurveyNew survey highlights damaging impact of funding cuts on sixth form students, FE News
Half of sixth forms forced to drop modern languages, Edexec
Cash-strapped sixth forms dropping language A-Levels, The WeekHalf of sixth forms cut language courses, TESFunding impact survey exposes cuts to mental health and careers support, Fe WeekAoC increases funding rate demands after crunching the T-level numbers, FE Week
Minister says write to me about shortage of money, Henley Standard
February 2019
164 MPs lobbying Chancellor for more FE funding, FE Week
January 2019
James Kewin talks sixth form funding and the raise the rate campaign, BBC radio Sheffield radioSkills minister speaks about the Raise the Rate campaign at SFCA winter conferenceHartlepool MP Mike Hill calls for more investment in schools and colleges, Hartlepool MailDaniel Zeichner discusses debate on college funding with BBC Look EastDebate will be FE's chance to push for real change' TESColleges contratulated as FE funding tops DfE's correspondence league tables, FE Week
Portsmouth MP calls on Government for better support for colleges, Stephen Morgan blog
Horsham school and college leaders discuss education funding crisis, West Sussex County Times
Partner activity
Parliamentary activity
Campaign in the News 2018
2018
Ofsted Chief Inspector calls for better funding for sector, FE Week
Greenhead College calls for end to underfunding of sixth form education, Examiner Live
Prime Minister challenged on 16-18 funding, TES FE
Cuts to funding affecting FE quality says Ofsted, TES FE
OFSTED chief inspector calls for more 16-18 funding to combat falling standards, FE Week
Time is running out for Hinds on college funding, TES
Budget 2018: What it means for FE, TES FE
Chancellor urged to 'Raise the Rate' of sixth form funding, FE Week
Schools and colleges call on Chancellor to Raise the Rate, Schools Week
Boost 16-18 funding Hammond told, TES