Free School Meals
Students eligible for free school meals are those who meet the criteria set out by the Department for Education and are entitled to receive meal provision support during term time. Parents/Carers must apply through their local authority. Once eligibility is confirmed, parents/carers must send evidence of their child’s eligibility to the Sixth Form Coordinator via email. FSM support will not commence until this evidence is received. Parents and carers must notify the sixth form immediately if there are any changes in their circumstances which may affect their child’s FSM entitlement. Information regarding the statutory guidance from the Department for Education (DfE) can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals
Bursary
Bursary is funding provided to ICS by the Government so that it is able to support disadvantaged students who find it difficult to come/stay in education where support is not given. The ICS administers these limited funds at its discretion in line with the guidelines, although funding is not guaranteed and will be based on information supplied in the need section of the application form. To be eligible for bursary, students must be at least 16 years old but under 19 years old. Applications must be submitted in the Autumn Term each academic year to allow enough time for our school to assess the overall level of demand and make discretionary awards on a fair basis. Applicants will be notified in writing via email whether their application has been successful, together with the amount of funding awarded.
Bursary funds are disbursed in instalments throughout the academic year, based on attendance and progress. Students will receive half-termly payments per academic year. These will vary from student to student based on the individual circumstances and their actual financial need. The ICS Bursary policy is currently being reviewed, the governing board is responsible for approving this policy.