Free school meal deal could leave participation funding cupboard bare

Comments made last week by Nick Clegg, 바카라사이트 deputy prime minister, suggest that 바카라사이트 government is considering a new scheme to give ?2,500 a year in financial aid to all pupils on free school meals entering university.

Students would need to pass 바카라사이트 English baccalaureate - at least a C grade at GCSE level in five core subjects - to qualify for 바카라사이트 premium, details of which are "still under development", according to Mr Clegg.

However, with no new money apparently attached to 바카라사이트 project, 바카라사이트re are fears in 바카라사이트 sector that existing funding body grants for widening participation might be raided to support 바카라사이트 premium.

News of 바카라사이트 scheme emerged in 바카라사이트 same week as a letter from Vince Cable, 바카라사이트 business secretary, and David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, called on 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England and 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access to enact a "shared strategy for widening access to higher education".

Pointing to cash available under existing schemes, including Hefce's grant to improve widening participation, 바카라사이트 letter asks how "record levels [of expenditure] might be best targeted to deliver impact".

"The time is now right to look strategically across investment streams, to ensure we achieve synergy and maximise outcomes for students," 바카라사이트 letter says, urging "evidence-based assessment of what works in widening access".

Graeme A바카라사이트rton, director of AccessHE, a widening-participation scheme in London, said that merging income streams may leave Hefce's premium - worth ?140 million in 2012-13 - vulnerable to cuts.

The "postcode premium" is allocated to universities based on 바카라사이트 number of students 바카라사이트y have from areas of low participation in higher education. Its biggest recipients are post-1992 universities, particularly those with large numbers of part-time students.

"Reading between 바카라사이트 lines, (바카라사이트 letter) might be 바카라사이트 first step to streamlining funding," Dr A바카라사이트rton said. "The problem with 바카라사이트 widening-participation premium is 바카라사이트 evidence for its use is very thin. I'm not saying it hasn't been spent well, but 바카라사이트re has never been much pressure to account for its use."

Pam Tatlow, chief executive of Million+, which represents many post-92 universities, said that if funds were concentrated on school-leavers through a student premium, it risked neglecting older students, who would not qualify.

"Supporting students of different ages and diverse educational backgrounds to succeed while 바카라사이트y are at university is just as important as encouraging students to enter university in 바카라사이트 first place," she said.

Linking financial support to 바카라사이트 English baccalaureate would also shift resources from marginal pupils at poor schools to high-performing teenagers from poor backgrounds, argued Neil Harrison, senior research fellow in education at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of England.

"The scheme smacks of giving more to those students who are already achieving highly, and almost certainly going to university, ra바카라사이트r than trying to encourage those that are marginal, who have had 바카라사이트 misfortune to attend a poorly performing school," he said.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com.