Kelvin Hopkins – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelvin Hopkins on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the cost was of student places that were not filled in (a) school sixth forms, (b) academy sixth forms and (c) 16 to 19 free schools estabished since September 2011 in 2012-13.

Michael Gove

The total number of students funded in 2012/13 in school sixth forms, academy sixth forms and 16-19 free schools established since September 2011 was 9,610 and the total actual number of students enrolled was 7,775. The numbers by institution type are as follows:

The majority of academies and all maintained schools are funded on a lagged basis so that numbers recruited in one year will then determine the allocation in the following year.Some academies are funded on the basis of estimated numbers, and their funding is then adjusted based on actual recruitment. The impact on sixth form funding of any such adjustments is included in these figures.

The approximate total net cost of unfilled places in respect of the above in 2012/13 was £5.76 million. Institutions with unfilled places will have their funding reduced in the following year. The costs by institution type are as follows: