STUDENT FINANCE
2011/12 GUIDANCE NOTES FOR TUTORS
EMA and ALG
Students will not be completing timesheets. All decisions will be based on register data.
Both EMA and ALG schemes have closed for new students from September 2011. Continuing students may still be eligible for support from the schemes and the transitional arrangements are detailed below.
The full document “Student Attendance and Registering – Guidance and Procedures” has already been circulated and this gives full guidance on the requirements for marking registers.
IMPORTANT CHANGES How will EMA/ALG students have their weekly payments authorised? Decisions about whether students can be paid their EMA/ALG will be taken by the Student Finance Attendance Team. EBS Registers will be checked at the end of every week of term (and not later than the following Tuesday morning at the very latest) and a decision to pay/not pay will be made by one of the Student Finance Advisers (Attendance) based on the marks in the register – taking into account any unauthorised absences etc. Any unauthorised absences will result in the stoppage of that week’s EMA/ALG payment.
01 The following marks can be made in registers by tutors Circumstances
Register Mark
Counts towards Attendance %
Payable for EMA?
Present = present in class
P
Yes
Yes
Late = not present when register marked but arrived later
L
Yes
Yes - Persistent lateness should be addressed through C4C which might then disqualify payments
Absent= absent from class without notification or reason
A
No
Not payable
Not Held = NEW mark to indicate that the class did not take place, e.g. cancellation due to illness of lecturer; college holiday period or where the college had to be closed e.g. a loss of heating in cold weather.
N
No. GLH not counted.
Yes - with supporting evidence supplied to EMA team which conforms to guidelines and is reported correctly.
Yes
Yes - with supporting evidence supplied to EMA team which conforms to guidelines and is reported correctly.
Authorised Absence only to be used by Student Finance Advisors
02
03
04
ABSENCES All absences should be reported by telephone, text or e mail to the designated college contact. See below. All students will be given these details at the start of their course.
Transitional Arrangements for EMA The EMA scheme is closed for new applications however transitional arrangements reply.
Students can also inform the college via the main College number 0115 9146414 and give their name, course, site of study and their tutor’s name, also the reason for absence and when they expect to be back. The Telephone Enquiry Centre will inform the Student Finance Adviser (Attendance) of their absence, who will inform their tutor. Students can also contact the Student Finance Advisers (SFA) direct as below:-
Learners who first successfully applied for EMA in 2009/10 will continue to receive weekly payments at the same level each week until the end of the 2011/12 academic year.
Learners who study at Maid Marian Way,Confetti,London Road,Highfields,Beeston,Ellis Grove,Peoples First and City Learning can report absences by calling 0115 8842828 or sending a text message to Leanne Walters to 07860 023097
Learners who received £20 or £10 EMA in 2010/11 will no longer be eligible and will have received a letter to notify about this. These Learners can apply for financial support from the16-18 Bursary Fund. Application forms are available from Student Services.
Learners who study at West Bridgford,Charnwood,EMCAT,Staplefo rd,Bingham, BTCV can report absences by calling 0115 9146381 or sending a text message to Rachel Anderson to 07624 805467.
Continuing EMA Learners should have completed an EMA Commitment Form in the summer and returned this to Student Finance. Learners will receive a EMA Notice of Entitlement with EMA Part A and Part B from the Learner Support Service confirming there eligibility for continuing EMA Payments. Learners should hand the EMA Agreement into Student Finance for payment registration.
The SFA, in liaison with the tutor will make the decision on whether the sickness will be authorised. For absences of more than 1 week the student should provide a medical certificate. Normally where a learner has not attended college for the whole week, no costs will be incurred so EMA/ALG payment will not be authorised. In regards to sickness, learners are allowed one isolated period of sickness per term. Some absences can be regarded as “authorised” though they should be notified to the SFA in advance and relevant evidence should be provided. Evidence should be given to the SFA who will make the decision whether to authorise the absence and will mark the register accordingly. Any absence will be considered to be unauthorised unless there is a valid reason otherwise. NB: Holidays in term time will not be authorised.
Learners who first successfully applied for EMA in 2010/11 and who were awarded the maximum weekly EMA payment of £30 will now be eligible for £20 each week until the end of the 2011/12 academic year.
Certain Learners aged 16-18 who may have been receiving EMA will now need to apply for the Vulnerable Student Bursary. This support will be tailored for the individual and may consist of travel passes, support for kit/equipment and other course costs. Vulnerable Students are specifically named as: • • • •
young people in care care leavers young people in receipt of income support young people in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance
Learners who are eligible for the £1,200 Vulnerable Bursary Payment will not be paid transitional EMA payments as well.
If a student cannot attend college for any reason or needs to leave college part way through there timetabled day, they must notify there personal tutor or there scheduled teaching tutor before leaving the premises. Tutors should notify the SFA’s of the reasons for leaving during the day. The table details examples of authorised absence.
Medical Appointment
Which can not be arranged outside college hours
Sickness
Suffering from Medical Condition or Isolated Illness (one per term)
Caring Responsibilities
Looking after own child who is ill
Religious Festivals
Up to 4 days leave allowed per academic year
Connexions, Careers, Job Interview / University Open Day / Interview Extra Curricular Activity
E.g. - College Trips, regional/national event/ Territorial Army Event
External Examinations
E.g. Driving Test
Court Appearance, Probation Meeting Bereavement
Death of family member, attendance at funeral
Transport Problems
Major disruption to travel/severe weather conditions
College Meetings
E.g. Student Council
TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR ALG The ALG scheme has closed to new applicants. There will be transitional arrangements for 2011/12 only to help those who are currently receiving ALG who are part-way through their learning, to continue to get support to enable them to complete there course. Please note only students continuing on the same learning programme at the same level will be eligible to receive weekly ALG payments in the 2011/12 academic year. For example, if a Learner started on a level 3 learning programme in 2010/11 and is continuing on the same level 3 learning programme in 2011/12. The learning programme must be undertaken at the same learning provider the individual was enrolled with in the previous academic year unless there are genuine exceptional circumstances which prevent this.
OTHER STUDENT FINANCE SUPPORT SCHEMES 16-18 BURSARY To be eligible students must be: • Aged 16-18 on 31st August • Have a household income below £20,816 Support will be based on specific course costs and individual need, for example essential course equipment, travel. The college will be offering discounted passes for travel. Student Finance may be able to further subsidise these passes or in some cases offer free passes, depending on household income.
05
06
19+ STUDENT FUND The 19+ Student Fund is part of the Discretionary Learner Support Funds provided by Government and distributed by Colleges. Grants are available to full or part-time ‘home’ students, aged 19 or over on 31st August 2011, enrolled on a Government funded, priority course, who can demonstrate need. Learners do not have to live in Nottinghamshire to be eligible for help from this fund. Help is usually given in the form of a grant towards specific and actual costs involved in coming to College, such as: • Transport costs for learners whose home is not within reasonable walking distance (3 mile round trip) from their main centre of study special consideration may be given to students with disabilities or with caring responsibilities. Discounted travel passes should be available at the beginning of term – details will be available in August. • essential kit/equipment • essential study visits • examination and outside body registration fees Second year learners in receipt of ALG will be expected to contribute towards their own travel and equipment costs, although assistance may be given where costs are exceptionally high or would cause hardship. Student Funding Application Forms are available from Student Finance Helpdesks.
www.snc.ac.uk
West Bridgford Centre Greythorn Drive West Bridgford Nottingham NG2 7GA Telephone: 0115 914 6400